MGB: Replacement Toggle Switches

Hi all,

As you can tell, I'm new here! I took ownership of my first car, a 1976 MGB, yesterday and alreadly have a long list of things that I want to do to it given time and money!
Anyway, one of the first minor interior things I want to sort out is get rid of those horrid black rocker switches for the heater fan, map light etc. on the centre console. What I'm really looking to do with is is replace them with some aircraft-style toggle switches but preferably without intalling a whole new centre console panel.

Does anyone make a sort of blanking plate with a circular hole for a toggle switch to fit into?

All the best,

Ben

Ben when you do replace em I'd sure like to buy the ones you remove for my 80B -- especially the heater switch :)

Gee's Na', the body's not even cold yet. ........................ Can I have his boots? :) :)

[quote=GERONIMO]
Gee's Na', the body's not even cold yet. ........................ Can I have his boots? :) :)[/quote]

Yea go ahead but I get the nice leather Jacket ;)

Page number 89 in the Moss Europe cataloge
item 18 part #BHH533 Cost £1.86 discription BLANKING PLATE

Na, he's in the UK. I think the switches are different than NA spec. Sorry!!

Well, OK, but I get first crack at is fillings.

Forgot to add- Man you guys are a vicious bunch!!

But seriously, the blanking plates are just that, blank. You have to drill your own hole to mount another switch. You probably are going to have to reinforce the blanking plates somehow so they will not pull out when you flick a switch. They were meant to just cover a hole.

I'm leaving now, the wolves are circling in!!!!!!!!!!

Ben, this is the sort of thing that makes an MG so entertaining to own. You can do many custom arrangements to lots of the subsystems without having to have degree in electronics or metallurgy. LOL

Pull the console and make a paper pattern of the arrangement of the existing holes for the controls, then transfer that pattern to a sheet of material and make new openings in it that will accept all of the stuff you want to keep and the new switches that you want to install.

Your call, but perhaps a thin sheet of aluminum finished in a black wrinkle finish woould be nice.

The use some small chromed or brass crews to attach the new plate over the face of the existing console. Presto!

BTW, welcome to the forum !

Jack

Ben, expanding on what Jack said, it may work better for you if you do put a sheet of aluminum instaed of using the blanking plates. It will be stronger. I can suggest on using engine turned aluminum if you want. I think it will match the aircraft style switches you are talking about. I'm assuming you have a UK spec. dash. I don't remember if the center console you are refering to is actually part of the dash. If it is directly under the vents, it may not be removable, or its a plastic cover that also houses the gauges. Either way, if you can't take it out, just make a template first.

And oh yes---welcome......

Welcome!

Those blanking plates are hard to come by. I searched for quite some time before scrounging what I needed to fill in some holes in my new console. I was told that the UK switches are same as Rover and are different from US style...have not seen a "home market" MGB so can't comment. A thread search under "Console Blanks" will chronicle my search if you are interested.
Welcome aboard.

BUY a blanking plate? Hmmm. Seems like it would not be too difficult to fabricate something that would work, and look good.

it would look even better with the US style consol on the angled part,fancy one of them myself.

I use 2 small pieces of aliminum flat stock which I cut and then drill. I sandwich the mounting ears on which the switch rested between the two pieces and use the switch as the 'securing bolt' .