2 questions MGB 1980

Its Friday Question time Boys, Men and very few ladies :)

First off, I was curious as to what this hole is used for? Its right behind the door, behind where the soft top frame is bolted. What is suppose to go in there? I am thinking its a support for a tonneau cover? IF so what is it called? Or what is it? (Nevermind the incredibly ugly frame. I am going to take the frame off next week, and redo the frame work. I just have to wait to pick up the tonneau top so my kitty doesn't get too comfortable in the cab. I am going to scrap and paint so its shinny like my new ripped soft top :) )


Next question is about the dash. I am curious if I can remove the black paint and expose the silver or if there is a way to repaint the black? I am assuming that they are only suppose to have a small ring of silver showing. Can the instruments rings just be popped off or am I better off taking them all the way out of the dash? Or just let them be? I noticed on one of the rings there is clumpy black stuff like someone did a messy job of recoating? You can sorta see what I am talking about the dial on the bottom corner.

1. Yes. The tonneau bar inserts into that piece behind the top(cover) bracket.

2. I didn't paint/clean my gauge bezels before I replaced them, but I know some on here have done that. Maybe they will respond

I just replaced the bezels. This is a picture of my 79 Midget gauges and how they came out

Wow those look awesome!

Thanks!

The best way to refinish the trim rings on the gauges is to remove the gauges. The rings can then be removed an refinished. Or if it doesn't bother you that much you could leave them be.

I recentlty did mine. I removed all the guages, took the bezels off and sanded them. Painted them black and used a paint pin from Hobby Lobby to paint the edge silver and replaced the lens. Made a big difference to me.

Dammit, Doug. Those look so good I guess I'm gonna have to do mine now. Just what I need, another project.

Do they just kind of slide out of the dash, or is there something holding them in? Looks too easy.

No they don't slide out, I removed the tach first by turning it clockwise then pushing it out, then the speedometer the same way. The others have a bracket on the back side with a thumb nut. Not to hard to do once you get started, just mark or remember where the wires are plugged and how the brackets were located.