| Author | Message | ||
     John Shostrom Experienced User Username: silvawraith2 Post Number: 23 Registered: 4-2005 |
I have just returned to my flat after a futile attempt at getting at the light bulb for the 4-in-1 guage on my 1988 Silver Spur. I successfully changed this on my previous SZ car, a 1982 Silver Spirit, but it was LHD. RHD cars have an odd, and rather ugly, black plastic bit that is situated just to the right of the switchbox, and runs vertically from underneath the toproll down to the top of the bottom roll. I have discovered that the polished veneer panel runs behind it -- but what on earth is this thing? Why is it only on RHD cars, and how can I remove it? It appears to have three black plastic plugs, but I didn't want to force anything for fear of breakage. Any information is gratefully appreciated. Kind regards, JS | ||
| Bill Coburn Moderator Username: bill_coburn Post Number: 534 Registered: 4-2003 |
Ahaa John. When you find out let me know. But to remove it simply and very carefully prise out the plugs and lo there are the self tappers underneath. Screw them out and the bit comes off. I have heard somewhere that the bit is to protect the ignition key?? It is a puzzlement. | ||
| Bill Coburn Moderator Username: bill_coburn Post Number: 535 Registered: 4-2003 |
Just went and had a look. My 84 Spur has the bit but an 85 Spirit staying with me doesn't. Resorting to the spares disc the part is shown as for European cars only!!!! And the screws are metal threads not self tappers. | ||
| John Shostrom Experienced User Username: silvawraith2 Post Number: 24 Registered: 4-2005 |
Hi Bill. Well, curiouser and curioser ... I really appreciate your help, and I'm sure that the answer will be revealed. I notice that the introductory brochures show this piece on home-market cars, but not on the US spec examples. and I cannot figure out how it would protect the ignition key. Presumably LHD cars did not require such protection? Very odd. Personally, I'd rather remove the piece, although the veneer will be slightly darker, having been shielded from sunlight for thepast 17 years. Again, many thanks -- by the way, do we even know what this piece is called, or is it simply a part number? Best regards, John | ||
| Bill Coburn Moderator Username: bill_coburn Post Number: 536 Registered: 4-2003 |
John it is only a part number. When the factory dispensed with names for parts it is anybody's guess. But sorry to dispel your theory but the listing gives a quote for left and right hand drive both of which occur in that amorphous geographic blob called Europe! Do you have a spare parts list and or do you want one? | ||
| Richard Treacy Grand Master Username: richard_treacy Post Number: 887 Registered: 4-2003 |
John, With an instrument screwdriver, prise out the three plastic buttons on the strip. Then remove the three screws concealed by the buttons and the plastic strip comes off. I'll post a picture in a few minutes. RT. | ||
| Richard Treacy Grand Master Username: richard_treacy Post Number: 889 Registered: 4-2003 |
I assume that this is the finisher strip you mean. LHD cars have one of a different part number as it is a mirror image. Remember that England still does not regard itself as being in Europe... The second shot shows one of the three buttons removed to reveal the retaining screw. RT.   | ||
| Richard Treacy Grand Master Username: richard_treacy Post Number: 890 Registered: 4-2003 |
John, By now you will have removed the finisher. As you can see, it's a rather ugly edge of the dashboard without it, and the leather-bound horizontal strip looks shoddy without being covered up. A nice piece of timber fixed by coach screws may be a nice alternative. The only purpose I can see is that it covers up the interface between the dash and the side of the top roll. Surely it is purely a poorly-prepared cosmetic piece despite any names given to it ?? RT. | ||
| John Shostrom Experienced User Username: silvawraith2 Post Number: 25 Registered: 4-2005 |
Bill and Richard: Somehow I knew you'd be the guys to come through on this particular conundrum! My thanks to both of you. Interestingly, I have never seen any US-spec cars with this piece -- one wonders why they were specified for certain markets and not for others. I shall shortly go down to the garage and tackle this -- if I can bear looking at the scrape sustained by the nearside rear wheelarch today. A mainland mini-bus driver forgot we drive on the left here in HK ... And Richard, very many thanks for the CDs, which are coming in handy. Do let me know if I can return the favour. Warm regards to you both. | ||
| Richard Treacy Grand Master Username: richard_treacy Post Number: 891 Registered: 4-2003 |
John, My spares manual shows the finisher's part number as UB41212 for all RHD and UB41213 for all left-hand-drive SZ 4-door cars before the 30,000 series was released in 1989 for the 1990 model year. They do not have this little gem anmore. Maybe the cars you have seen are 30,000-series cars ?? The dasboard fixing was extensively changed for those cars, even though they look almost the same. Terrible luck with the Chinese bus. Will HK ever change to driving on the right ? I hope not. RT. | ||
| John Shostrom Experienced User Username: silvawraith2 Post Number: 26 Registered: 4-2005 |
Very interesting indeed, Richard. I have never seen this bit on any US-specification cars. My Spirit was a 1982, and my friend Craig Bryant has a 1984 Spur. Neither has this piece. It would be interesting to speak with someone who was in on the development of the Spirit to find out why this is so. As for that bloody minibus ... my Cantonese is excellent -- too bad they only understood Mandarin! HK has no plans to switch to the other side of the road, as it would create chaos as you can imagine. There has been talk from Beijing of changing any existing "colonial" road names to Chinese, but the vast majority of HK people are against it, thankfully. Beijing likes to flex its muscles now and then ... Thanks for everything my friend. | ||
| Richard Treacy Grand Master Username: richard_treacy Post Number: 892 Registered: 4-2003 |
I looked again in curiosity. Interesting: it is apparently indeed only for European-delivered LHD and RHD cars as Bill points out, so the US cars are presumably different. See the legend at the end of the following diagram. Australian-delivered cars probably have none either: a question for owners of AUS-delivered cars as opposed to imports when not new. Maybe HK was still part of England back then. My car is UK-spec, so maybe England is part of Europe afterall. So, HK was part of the EU perhaps. What a lot of bother over nothing. I did notice one on his 1988 LHD Swiss Turbo R last week when driving a friend's car here in Switzerland, hence the puzzled research. See below. RT.  |
