Well, I got my replacement "White Silver" dash today from Classic Mini (5-piece for my 2004 MCS) and proceeded to replace the dash. I've had the alloy patina since taking delivery and I've hated it ever since (bought the car off the lot).

Here's what my dash looked like before:



As I was doing so I figured it'd be a good time to install my voltmeter.

Initially I was going to install it in one of the cupholders in front of the cigarette lighter but then the 2 5/8" angle ring was too big (slightly larger than 2 5/8").

So I decided I'd go with installing it in the fan to the right of the speedo.

Taking out the existing dash was not hard at all. Popped off the plates once you open the doors, unscrewed two screws on either side, took out the 6 ( or 8) torx 20 screws underneath the dash pieces, the two above and the entire top of the dash popped right off as seen here:



In order to replace the dash you have to take off the tachometer. There are two torx 25 (or 30 I can't remember) bolts. Unplug the green connector at the back.



Unfortunately these pics are from my camera phone. Tomorrow I will take a pic of the final installed product.

To pop off the dash piece first make doubly sure you've taken out all the screws. There are metal clips holding in the dash pieces - you can't break them - so just yank with some decent force and off they come.

You have to pull out the two trims around the dimmer and hazard buttons. They pop right off.

Taking out the airbag cover was the trickiest part. After taking off the top of the dash, initially it seems that it's impossible to remove the metal bar holding the airbag cover in place. Howevever, all you gotta do is twist the metal bit a little and you can slide the bar out. 2x 10MM bolts hold it in place.

Then you have to jiggle it a bit and slide it out.

So here's the pic of the voltmeter installed in the speedo dash piece:



I used the angle ring and double sided sticky tape to secure it to the vent, angling the meter towards me.

Wiring up the voltmeter a while. 4 wires (16 or 18 gauge) - two for power and ground to the lights, two for switched power and ground.
I had to drill into the air vent so I could feed the wires through. Then I plugged up the vent with some insulating foam. Ran the wires across the top of the dash, removed my parcel shelf, and tapped into the grey wire w/red stripe that I had tapped into earlier for my boost and oil pressure gauges.

For switched power I initally used a "add a circuit" but I plugged into the wrong fuse since it turned out not to be switched but constant. So instead of draining the battery, I spliced into the wire I had used to hardwire the V1 radar.

Grounded it to another bolt I found since the other I had used before was kind of full.

Now all I had to do is take apart the whole ******* thing again when I get replacement bulbs. I was sent one "amber" LED bulb from Summitt Racing but it turns out to be more of a yellowish tint. I'll have to consider whether to return the other 4 on back order or to go with a red LED. I kinda like the yellow in that it lights up much brighter than the red bulbs I have for the boost and oil pressure. Plus they don't match exactly anyways.

Oh and btw it's an Autometer 4491 2 5/8" voltmeter.

Took me about three and a half hours from start to finish.
Gosh I'm tired!

Whatcha think?

 

After driving to work this morning, I've noticed that I'm getting just over 14V while driving normally. I pumped my stereo (50W x 4 speaker amp+ 350W x 1 sub amps) and had absolutely no fluctuation.

 

an old BMW trick for match illumination color is to take a plain bulb and color it with an orange Sharpie... takes 3 coats to get BMW/Mini orange.

I added 3 gages to my e36 M3 and it looked factory!

 

Finally got around to taking some hi-res pics of the finished product today.

 

LOTF,

nice work on the installs. Can you also provide info on the two gauges that you have next to the tach? what pods they are, where you tapped for wires, etc?

thank you!

-jac

 

The steering wheel set up is the Promini package which I got on ebay. Heavily discounted, I found out why when I received the package. The boost gauge (on the right) only goes up to 15psi whereas the latest version goes up to 30psi.

On the left is the oil pressure gauge. It requires that you tee off of the stock sender location, kind of an involved procedure but not difficult, just a bit on the tedious side. With the right tools (which I had) it took a few hours of me taking my time and taking pics.

For boost I teed off of the nipple of the fuel pressure regulator (I think) that's located under the intercooler on the left side (if you are looking at the engine bay).

For the lighting I tapped into a grey wire with a red stripe that's in a bundle if you take out the knee bolster/parcel shelf. Initially I tapped into the wrong wire and was getting nothing.
There are quite a few posts on the subject also if you try the search as well.

 

where is your v1 located? I noticed you had the remote on your steering column...

 

what's that grill thing on the top of your dash?

also, how's the valentine working for you? I'm doing a cross-country road trip home pretty soon and thinking about picking one up...

 

I think he has one of those stick pads so thing don't bounce aroud the cabin.
Good idea they help BIG time going cross country, something about out of state/temp plates that makes you a target more than usual.

BTW Nice install, but the first photo doesn't seem to want to work for me.

 

v1 FTW!!!

"once you go arrows you never go back"

 

First pic is gone for some reason but it just showed a plain old original alloy patina dash.

Msfit, my v1 is located on the windshield just up and to the left of the rear view mirror. I ran the wire up into the headliner, around the A-pillar, down behind the rubber door seal, through the side of the dash, behind the tach.

And yes, it's a little sticky pad that doesn't really work all that well. :(

V1 works great. Saved my butt a few times. Got it immediately after getting ticketed for 102mph in a 55mph zone. Luckily I got off with just a careless driving ticket, no points, and a $135 fee.