Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Advice on swapping the dash on a 3.7l Roadster

I have just got my mits on a nice wooden dash with lidded glove box for Belle to replace the painted one. I don't like painted dashes much & I really find the open glove box annoying.
Has anyone dropped & removed or swapped dashes on a 3.7l Roadster and what are the things to watch out for?

I didn't when I had mine - but was tempted to... one thing I was conscious of was the dreaded and sensitive CANBUS system which I assume would mean I'd have to careful to ensure it was like for like in terms of bulbs and dials etc.

Isolate battery, remove black lower dash cowl then three dash screws, drop steering wheel position and all should be obvious John. As you suggest take photo's though.

I don't think it's practical to remove one instrument/switch at a time to swap so it will involve unplugging all connections to dash (marking each on loom). The heater control bowden cable has a kink in it which needs to be unhooked.

You can then remove dash onto bench and start swapping components over before simply plugging loom connectors back in and re-hooking heater control cable. The extensive photo's you have taken will show cable runs. What could possibly go wrong

Pic here taken outside KH of 3.7 Roadster with dash removed.

The instruments are transferred from the old to the new.

I changed my 2005 Roadster dash a while back, its quite a process but well worth it. Of course mine had the two airbags that had to be removed as it was one of the 82 US Roadsters...very happy with the outcome.

Yes John, Richard is spot on!
Its really quite a methodical process and the unplug and bench method is the way to go!
If I remember correctly you have the leather steering wheel. Mine has the walnut dash and I changed my 14" wood rim for a leather wheel which I find so much nicer to use but I must say the leather against the wood dash doesn't quite work for me, looks wise that is. when I've rustled up the dosh I'm going to try the thick rim wood moto-lita option to get that classic look back and hope that the thicker rim is closer in function to the leather. However the leather wheel against the painted dash really does look the business. If you really feel that it has to be leather for you as long as the leather matches the interior leather that seems to work, your's has black leather interior I think so all might be well but moto-lita do offer a wheel trim service in a standard leather colour or any colour if you supply the leather.

Was it your Brookland's in the magazine at your sons wedding?

Yes it was my car. The wheel is a spoked Bluemel one

John, make sure you lay a thick blanket on the bench to protect the varnish and instrument bezels

This is the main cluster on the back of a 3.7 dash

Thaanks Jon.
The current dash & wheel