Radio Blanking Plate

[LarryO]

Have any of you bought and installed one of the blanking plates for the "radio hole" in your console? I'm tired of looking at the hole and have decided I don't want to install a radio...I wouldn't be able to hear it anyway. I just use my pocket MP3 player and ear buds...or a full headset.

The plate offered by Victoria British looks nice, but does it really fit? At the bottom edge of the hole on my 74, there is only about a 1/8 inch or less flat surface before the angle of the surface changes. I don't want to buy one if it won't fit.

Thanks.

 

[Tom]

Larry, wouldn't a 74 have face level vents in that hole?

Also if you want a different look you could always put some supplemental guages in the hole (see attached photo) I have the dimensions for the blank of this if it is of interest btw, had it cut from steel, and painted in wrinkle finish and the clamps for the guages also keep the plate in place.

regards

 

[kennypinkerton]

Excellent job on the dash there.

 

[tony barnhill]

I've got one in the dash of my '67 GT - looks great - nice fit

 

[lawguy]

While use of earbuds or earphones while driving may be legal, personally, I don't think it's a positive practice.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[69MGC]

Driving with headphones or earbuds in California is a traffic violation. Don't know if the laws are the same in Tenn. but you should check.

I'm installing Miata seats that have the speakers in the headrests in my next MGB project, so hearing the radio shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Steve_S]

I have them in both of my Bs. Wouldn't have it any other way!

 

[Bret]

I have one of those removable security type radio face plates on my B’s Kenwood stereo.

Now normally I don't remove it because it looks kind of ugly without anything there (better than a hole I guess) but it’s only intended as a theft deterrent and not cosmetic.

Anyway I've thought about getting one of the MG plates and shaving it off to fit in place of the removable plate for show & shines. Might be kind of cool looking. Anyone tried this?

Bret

 

[Nunyas]

I've not tried that sort of thing with removeable face plate radios, but I HAVE done it with removeable radios. I have an older removeable Apline CD player. In my last car I saved the blanking plate and stuck it in the hole that the radio left behind when it was removed. Worked well for that type for radio. It would probably work just as good for a removable face plate radio too. However, the only thing that might make it look odd on a removeable face plate radio depends on how the radio was installed. If the radio is counter sunk to make the face plate flush with the dash, then it ought to look nice with the blanking plate on. If the radio sticks out at all (like most installs I've seen) then the blanking plate might look a little odd, because it might not sit flush with the dash like it should.

I still have the radio, and I'm planning on doing the same thing in the B when I get the gramlins removed.

 

[Bret]

Well it might work ok with mine because it has a dark gray face plate & fram. Fram sticks out about a 1/4" so it might not look that bad. Just don't know if I want to hack up a perfictly good MG blanking plate to find out. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Anyway here's a pick of my setup.

 

[Nunyas]

could work out ok, with careful planning and execution. I definitely wouldn't use an "original" blanking plate to do it with. One of the reproductions ought to be suitable though.

 

[DrEntropy]

Buy two: One fer practice.

Izzat yer goat ropin' footgear there Bret? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

 

[Bret]

[ QUOTE ]
Buy two: One fer practice.

Izzat yer goat ropin' footgear there Bret? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Saw that did ya. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif Like that country song says; “I was country when, country wasn’t cool”. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Tom]

Attached is apdf of the blanking plate for a MGB MGC, I believe it is the same size whether or not it's centre console or dashboard.

The two here were for use when putting in 50mm (that's 2" to you folks) guages but the outside dims would work just as well for a radio adaptor plate.

I also have this drawing as a DXF (CAD format) file which any competent profile cutting shop could use to cutit out of plate/sheet material.

It saves butchering an original plate...

regards

Tom

 

[Bugeye58]

[ QUOTE ]

50mm (that's 2" to you folks)



regards

Tom

[/ QUOTE ]

Tom, 50.8 mm would be 2" to us folks. 50mm would be 1.9685"

Jeff /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[DrEntropy]

Pickin' nits, there, Jeff.

Thanks.

 

[Bugeye58]

Hey, Doc, not all of us here in the colonies are metrically challenged barbarians.
Jeff

 

[DrEntropy]

Showoff. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

 

[Tom]

Jeff

Touche'

in my capacity as a Draftsman I would agree 1"=25.4mm
so 2" = 50.8mm

but......

In my capacity as an MG owner the Smiths guages I got for the dashes in my cars are listed as 50mm or 2" (the holes are 52mm).

btw what I forgot to mention before is that when printed fullsize (check the dimensions after printing) the pdfs are fullsize templates so you don't have to convert these pagan figures /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

btw Steve what you doin' with a right hook man? that's a bit outta it's place ain't it? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif


regards

 

[DrEntropy]

"PAGAN"?!?! heh...

What's life without a little FUDGE now and again?! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif