Wotcha do to your Elf/Hornet this weekend??

Hi Y'all

Today I converted Elfie to Negative Earth and fitted a Cigar Lighter to drive a SatNav and my Tyre Inflator (and may fit electronic ignition sometime soon). Having recently fitted a column stalk wash/wiper switch (to match my Column stalk Headlight Dip/Flash/Turn Signal Switch), I had a spare hole in my console switch panel to take the lighter. This is what it now looks like >>>>




Switches, etc. are (from Left) Heater, Heated Rear Window (with warning Lamp), Cig Lighter, Fuel Pump/Tank Contents Switch for LH/RH Tanks (Switch Left for LH Tank and Gauge Sender, Switch Right for RH Tank and Gauge Sender, Switch Centre and the pumps/gauges are isolated), Side/Headlamp Switch, Rear Red Foglight Switch (with Warning Lamp), Spotlight Switch (power via Main Beam cable). The Heater Controls are a "Cut & Shut" job on an Austin 1100/1300 assembly to fit in the space previously occupied by the Elf Switch Panel. Radio is "period" Smiths. The Hazard Warning switch was robbed from a Triumph 1500 and wired via the appropriate (4 Lamp) Flasher Relay.
Lurking above is 100mph Speedo.

...Oh....I changed the points/rotor arm dizzy cap as well...

No much original on my Elfie....its really a Cooper "S" in Elf clothing and is full of "Period" and later modifications....been playing around with it for the last 43 years!!!!

Hey there, I had not seen your dash console before, that looks quite interesting, is that a DIY adaptation or from another car? I would certainly like to neaten up my gearbox and handbake area with a type of console, I had a classic alfaromeo once and it had a nice console that run from the bottom of the dash right up to the rear, it had a similar black vinyl material just like yours and in the middle it was veneer wood trim and crome all the way, it certainly suited the car. You have inspired me to think about it.

Love it! Very nice!

Jase

I'm not generally a fan of centre consoles in Minis as they reduce the already-limited footspace, but that's a good solution to the limitations of the original Elf dashboard.

My weekend? Elfie won't get any real attention for some time to come I'm afraid, but I did start to prepare my CityE for MOT, only to find it needs a new sill - the side I don't have in stock! There was still enough welding to keep me busy all weekend though - and I didn't think it needed any! It's a Mini, I should have known...

Hi Robin

The console is in two pieces :

The bottom piece is about 5" wide (to give some foot room - not much - not enough to take my foot off the clutch sideways!) and about 3" deep. It extents from the cross member to the footboard. It has an elongated hole either side to let out the hot air from the heater (when selected). There is a short cover extending from the rear to just under the main console part which has a large hole in it to allow the remote gear lever to escape! (got rid of the pudding stirrer gear stick about 30 years ago - replaced it with an "SPQR" remote change (remember those????) - until I fitted a 4 synchro box with a proper remote from a later mini cooper)

The main part of the console is as per picture....it stands off from the dash by about 3". The radio is supported by an internal bracket fitted to a cross-member within the console and by the varnished wooden lower panel that also contains a 6 by 4 speaker. The switches fit into an 18 gauge (1/16") ally plate which is covered by vinyl cloth - same as was used for ye olde-fashioned vinyl roofs (rooves?) if you ever owned a Cortina E or Minx!) and notched to accommodate the heater slider controls. All wood used is 1/4" plywood exept for the cross members (1.5" by 0.75") and the top cross-piece (3" by1"). The side members are designed to allow clearance for the demister pipes/covers and have air exit holes opposite the heater outlets. The whole shebang is covered with the afore-mentioned vinyl cloth. All corners were well radiused to help the vinyl stretch around without any wrinkling. Finally, within the console is a thin plate which is bent across the width of the console in a couple of places to form a "plenum" to direct the interior airflow from the heater away from the radio and into the holes in the bottom piece. The bottom piece is not tied down (doesn't need it as it is held firm by the top piece of the console which has the bottom cross-members protuding into the lower part to locate it - the upper console has a couple of small steel angle brackets that are bolted to the bottom dash rail where the original switch panel was fastened.....these being accessed by temporarily dropping the switch panel.

I've had quite a few complimentary remarks at the shows that Elfie has attended....I used to agree with Asahartz' remarks about consoles being a pain in the butt but I got highly cheesed off with having to hang radios, speakers and the multitude of switches that I needed off of miscellaneous and untidy bracketry...besides which, most of the commercially available consoles looked somewhat grotty to my peepers!

Next time I have to remove it (never I hope!!!!!!) I'll take few piccies to display.......

Cheers

Thanks for the discription, the alfa one was quite slim were it sat on top of the prop shaft tunnel then it widened out towards the pedals where the massive gearbox intruded. If I were to adopt one, it would follow a similar look to the Alfa one but I would keep it slim all the way because I just want to conseal the handbrake and gear lever area. When I embark on it Ill let you know.

Having just changed polarity to Negative Earth (see above).............

Today, I switched the connections to my washer pump.......

I can now wash my windscreen instead of sucking the water off it and depositing it back in the bottle...

DOH !!!!!!!

I went to collect a set of seats that Sean the owner of Jonnypoopoopants was selling and on my way I stumbled across this.


[img][/img][img][/img][img][/img] Very strange because had I stopped there to look at my directions, I saw some classic cars, a Mini, Rileys and an American car but did not pay much attention to them as I was in the human satnav mode trying to find Sean's place,so only focussed on finding the destination,but I took note of the place. Anyhow, there I was stuck in traffic only to see another Riley Elf, dark colour, it could have been a dark green on a flatbed, all this in the little town called Drayton. I finally got to Sean's place and picked up the seats, outstanding fellow Sean, on my way back I stopped at the garage, where I had seen the Elf,and had a chat with the Garage owner who told me that the car belongs to his son who has had it since the early 90's, he bought it for £4500 back then and has had a full resto since, I was attracted mostly to the oldschool type garage but the surprise of finding an Elf there was great.As I drove away, I though this was a bit strange as I never come across these little cars anywere,but today I see two of them in one day, including seans makes it three and they were all unrelated.By the way these are the seats I collected, I'm quite happy with them and I shall be colour changing them shortly. [img][/img][img][/img]compared to[img][/img]

nice!

liking the ADO16 lurking on the end!