Mk3 Dash Conversion
By Steve Blakemore (Ste)
•This modification is primarily for Rover
mk2 200’s and mk1 400’s.
•You will need a Dash and wiring for the
glove box light from a mk3< Rover 200.
•Preparation of the MK3 dash
•Removal of the MK2 dash
•Installation of the MK3 dash
•Wiring your dash
•Dash’s can be bought for anything from
£30-£80 depending on where you go and
condition. Make sure you have
everything, this means trim, wiring and
heater vents.
•Depending on your interior, there are
different colours of dash, most common
is the Ash grey one. For half leather
Rover interiors
This is the
Ash Grey
Dash
This is the Cream
Dash. Ideal for Cream
full leather Coupes
•Just been shown are the 2 main dash
colours that can be used. ZR dashes can
be used, but these are rare and expensive
to purchase.
•Your dash should be clean and the
wiring for the speedo removed. You
should have a complete dash as shown
here :-
• This is ideally everything you’ll need to fit the
dash in your car.
• Notice the loom still in here in the surround for
the Dials
•Behind the dash there will be wires
coming from the glove box. These will be
a red/black and a black wire. These pair
will split near to the light unit. You need
to cut them off next to the surround
where they go into the rest of the loom.
All will be explained later.
• At this point, I must state that if you have
a Haynes manual, this section will go
quite quickly. Follow it to a Tee, and you
won’t go wrong. For those that don’t,
here’s a quick explanation.
• TIP:- Find yourself a tub or pot to keep the
screw or any small bits in
• First of all Remove the armrest (if fitted). Prise the front cap off with a small
flat bladed screwdriver. There will be 2x 8mm bolts here, (and 2 in the arm
rest if fitted). Put the gear stick in 3rd and push backwards-up-forwards to
release over the handbrake.
• Remove all 4 screws holding the centre console on, undo the gear knob and
keep safe. Once these are off, push the front seats right back and pull the
plastic trim off and move outside the car, keeping the screws in a pot.
• Disconnect the battery negative wire at this point.
• In the engine bay, part the speedo cable. The will be different on certain
models, but they’re easily recognised by a long stiff cable going from the fire
wall on the left hand side (whilst looking at the front) to the gear box.
• Back in the car, remove the stereo head unit and the rubber mat on top of the
shelf
• Prise off the wooden (plastic on some models) strip that the clock sits in. This
is done by wrapping a large flab bladed screwdriver in a cloth and prising off
from the left side of the trim, it will pop out. Remove the multiplug from the
back of the clock and remove.
• Remove the fuse box cover, there are 5 phillips screws holding this on.
• Remove the steering wheel:• For none airbag models, prise off the centre cap and undo the centre bolt. Mark where
the wheel was in comparison to the spindle and remove wheel
• Airbag models, leave the car for 20 minutes after the keys are removed from the barrel
then undo the 2x 30 size torx bolts from behind the wheel to remove the airbag. Undo
multiplug on the back of the airbag unit and move airbag to a safe place
• You should be at this stage :-
• Remove the screws holding the trim from around the steering column and
remove both parts (they’re clipped together).
• Unplug the multiplugs from behind the control stalks and unscrew the stalks
from the column. Keep safe.
• Undo the 4 screws holding the heater control panel then remove the 4 holding
the lower centre panel and remove lower panel. Unplugging the cigarette
lighter and bulb.
• Slacken the 2 bolts securing the dash to the transmission tunnel and remove the
relay module, keep all safe as all parts are needed on fitting mk3 dash.
• Remove glove box. These are 8mm bolts either side underneath, and a single
screw holding the damper on. Remove from vehicle.
• Remove door demister vents from either side of the dash and undo the bolts.
• Remove bolt behind where the digital clock used to be.
• Remove facia mount bolts next to the glove box and fuse box.
• Undo the 2 trim screws above the speedo. Using a small flat bladed
screwdriver, remove the hazard, heated rear windscreen and rear fog light
multiplug, and the sunroof/blanking plate on the other side.
• Using a long Phillips head screwdriver, remove the screw inside the dash
holding the last bit of the trim on, Remove trim.
• Undo 4 screws holding the speedo unit into the dash and pull towards you. If
you’re finding this difficult – feed the speedo cable through the fire wall a bit
more.
• Remove multi plugs and speedo cable from the rear of the speedo by pinching
the clip. Remove speedo unit from the vehicle.
• Remove any switches from the dash I.e electric mirrors and/or fader unit.
• The Dash now should be free to move. A helping hand is best to help move the
dash off the fire wall. Do so with care.
• When off the wall, pull the block connector off the glove box light and free the
dash totally. By taking it into the cabin and out one of the doors.
• Before you carry on, you should notice
that you now have 2 lots of wiring for the
glove box, a part on the MK3 Dash, and
the original mk2 loom. These 2 parts
should be connected using either crimp
connectors, or soldering and covering with
heat shrink wraps.
• When ready for the dash to go in, remove side trim
from the MK3 dash and the centre console.
• Feed the mk3 dash into the car through one of the doors
and rest roughly on the back wall.
• Pull all the dash loom and the speedo cable through the
mk3 dash and free any catching parts.
• Push on either side of the dash to get it to sit correctly.
This may take a while, but be patient. While going
along, check for catching wires and parts.
• Once sit correctly, mount up the relay bracket and bolt up the
transmission tunnel mounts finger tight.
• Do the same for the top mount behind the clock and the side mounts.
These are all your mounts for the dash. It is plenty enough to hold the
dash in place for good.
• Undo some of the tape holding the loom for the hazards block and
move it over to the centre, this will be important for the wiring later
on.
• Place the speedo unit in the aperture and plug in the speedo cable and
the block connectors and push back into the dash.
• Screw up the speedo unit to the dash and replace the surround. This is
mounted at the top and behind the rubber lip at the bottom.
• Replace the steering column surround and control stalks
• Plug up the block connectors.
• Replace the steering wheel.
• Clip up on the airbag model
• Bolt up and replace front on non-airbag
• On airbag models, bolt up the wheel then retrieve
the airbag, plug it up and mount. Do up the 2 Torx
bolts and check for loose movement.
• Before the centre console is put back on, some of the
wiring loom must be sorted.
In this section, I will cover the wiring
needed to be done to make the mk3
switch operative
In this section, I will cover the wiring needed
to be done to make the mk3 switch operative.
Pointer:- The Hazards block connector will fit
directly into the mk3 switch, so there is no
need for extra wiring.
Warning :- All wiring should be made secure
and safe. Remember to either use crimp
connectors or solder and cover with a heat
shrink wrap
•For the wiring, you will need the mk3 dash
switches and the block connector and 4” of
loom, as shown in the next photo :-
•As you can see, I’ve used wire cutters to take
the ends off.
•For the heated rear windscreen, the wiring
should be cut right next to the connector block
for the back of the switch, and then each wire
stripped a little except one of the earth’s as this
won’t be used and will need taping up so no
wire is showing.
•Wiring sequence is as follows :MK2 loom
MK3 loom
Red/Black
Red/Black
Black
Black
Black/Orange
Black/Orange
Black/Green
Green Orange
•Once all connected up, make sure all wires are
secure and that they will not work lose as a
lose wire could start a fire. Use plenty of
electrical tape to secure the bundle of wires for
the loom together.
•Next is the rear fog light. This is where it
starts to get a little tricky. There is a way
around it though.
•The rear fog light on a mk2 uses a relay in the
relay module in the centre console. This is
controlled by an ON-OFF switch.
•The rear fog light on a MK3 is controlled by the
MFU (Multi Function Unit) and has an OFF-ONOFF switch.
•Briefly, this means that the mk3 switch will not
working with the mk2 loom. So a front fog light
switch is used as this is an ON-OFF switch
•A front fog light switch is £5.95 from Rover and
is part number RYUG101680PMP.
•Using the rear fog switch from the mk3, prise the
front off carefully. Do the same with the front fog
light switch.
•Now the new rear fog light switch is ready.
•The problem now is that the mk3 plug for the
switch won’t fit. Carefully, with a craft knife or a
Stanley knife, cut away the ribs on the plug and in
the back of the switch.
•The plug should now go straight into the back of the
switch, if it doesn’t, keep shaving the ribs away till it
does. A bit of light grease maybe used to aid the plug in.
•Chop connector block off on the mk2 dash. There are 5
wires here.
•Strip the ends of the wires off a bit apart from one black
wire, as this yet again is another earth that is not needed
and much be taped up.
MK2 Loom
MK3 Loom
Black
Blue/Yellow
Blue/Red
Red/Yellow
Red/Black
Red/Black
Red/Yellow
Black
•Once those 2 are done, then the centre console can go
back on and the switches plugged in. Make sure you pull
the connectors through before putting the console back,
otherwise you won’t reach them.
The Digital clock is easy enough. It is wire for wire,
remember to use a good solid connection, soldering and a
heat shrink wrap is ideal.
• Continuing from before..
• Screw up the heater control surround and make sure it
is straight.
• Feeding carefully over the gear stick, mate up the
centre console with the dash and pull the switch loom
through the correct holes and plug up the cigarette
lighter and bulb.
• When fit correctly, screw the 4 mounting screws in and
fit the gear knob.
• Install the stereo head unit and the switches.
• Re-fit your arm rest, connect the battery up
again and connect the speedo cable. Check
to see if all switches, lighting and dials are
working correctly again.
• If you have any concerns or problems, feel
free to email me at [email protected]
MK3 Dash fitted to a
MK2 220 GSi Turbo
• Disclaimer – All responsibility for this modification is down to the
owner of the vehicle. I therefore hold no responsibility for any damage
due to poor wiring.
• If you have any concerns at all, feel free to email me –
[email protected]
I would like to thank:Roverload/Rovertech members for your patience.
Mom and Dad for letting me store dash after dash in the Shed.
Chris (Smilz) for starting this mass craze.