Wood dashboard

Al75 · 4th December 2020, 08:07

Ive only recently joined the rover owners club and have a 2005 conny. My only other rover 75 was also a 2005 car. Looking at the posts on this site and a couple of rover facebook groups I'm finding out lots of things I never knew. Im amazed at how much knowledge is available on this site. Wish Id joined years ago when I had my old one. I always thought that the Rover 75,s had wood effect plastic dashboards. Im now reading posts referring to wood dash boards for sale. Were early Rover 75,s fitted with wood? If so, can they be fitted to the later Mk 2 like mine and is it a difficult task?.

FLYING BANANA · 4th December 2020, 08:10

Welcome to the fountain of knowledge concerning our cars.

suzublu · 4th December 2020, 08:27

Early cars had walnut veneer, you can tell by the airbag on the passengers side. If it's stencil, it's real, if it's a badge, its plastic. Yes you can swap them.

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genpk · 4th December 2020, 13:09

As much as i love the real wood veneer , all the ones ive had end up getting cracks in the clear .Post 2003 had the plastic look alike which seem to last longer.

Yorkshire GOC · 4th December 2020, 13:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al75

Ive only recently joined the rover owners club and have a 2005 conny. My only other rover 75 was also a 2005 car. Looking at the posts on this site and a couple of rover facebook groups I'm finding out lots of things I never knew. Im amazed at how much knowledge is available on this site. Wish Id joined years ago when I had my old one. I always thought that the Rover 75,s had wood effect plastic dashboards. Im now reading posts referring to wood dash boards for sale. Were early Rover 75,s fitted with wood? If so, can they be fitted to the later Mk 2 like mine and is it a difficult task?.

There you go

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/26493807602...IaAuSsEALw_wcB

trikey · 4th December 2020, 14:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by genpk

As much as i love the real wood veneer , all the ones ive had end up getting cracks in the clear .Post 2003 had the plastic look alike which seem to last longer.

I blame your ridiculously high temperatures 😂

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smudge.g · 4th December 2020, 18:38

I swapped the plastic wood-effect dash from my 2003 tourer for a real wood dash a few years ago. Really easy to do and although the plastic version is very similar, the real wood just has a depth to it that the plastic just cant match. As well as having the plastic version seemed a bit 'fake' to me, hence the chnage. I think i paid about £30 for the whole lot!

hst125 · 4th December 2020, 18:49

Just did this swap on my mk2 last week and I’m very happy. Keep an eye out for “wood” dash and check the pics, as said if it’s stencilled airbag it’s real wood, I got lucky as it was advertised as fake. You needn’t pay much over £50 plus p&p, hold out and take your time.
To swap out it’s a couple of hours tops, the fiddly bit is the thumb wheel cable and clock wiring.
The difference between real and fake is significant but both are better than the technical grey I had before!

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Sonic ZS · 4th December 2020, 18:49

Worth remembering that it's only the 3 main dash panels (the ones around and level with the instrument cluster) that were ever walnut veneer.

All the other bits - switch panel, ashtray, gear surround, etc, etc. were plastic from day one and right through production.

hst125 · 4th December 2020, 19:52

Yes, agreed, but the mixed batch I’ve just fitted is all matched and gleaming, it’s worth noting real wood is a better fit&finish, the late plastic I removed was markedly inferior.
At the end of the day you are going to drive it and see this every day, so buy what YOU like!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

4th December 2020, 08:07	#1
Al75 Newbie Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Nov 2020 Location: Stockton-on-Tees Posts: 27 Thanks: 3 Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts	Wood dashboard Ive only recently joined the rover owners club and have a 2005 conny. My only other rover 75 was also a 2005 car. Looking at the posts on this site and a couple of rover facebook groups I'm finding out lots of things I never knew. Im amazed at how much knowledge is available on this site. Wish Id joined years ago when I had my old one. I always thought that the Rover 75,s had wood effect plastic dashboards. Im now reading posts referring to wood dash boards for sale. Were early Rover 75,s fitted with wood? If so, can they be fitted to the later Mk 2 like mine and is it a difficult task?.

4th December 2020, 08:10	#2
FLYING BANANA Moderator/Club Shop MG ZT 1.8t+. No.3 of 4 in Sunspot Yellow & Ford Fiesta in Black. Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Rattler Farm Posts: 22,556 Thanks: 9,270 Thanked 15,645 Times in 6,806 Posts	Welcome to the fountain of knowledge concerning our cars. __________________ 233,320. New rear tyres on order for BBB. onen hag oll

4th December 2020, 18:38	#7
smudge.g Gets stuck in 75 Tourer CDTi Connie SE Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Keith, Banffshire Posts: 686 Thanks: 431 Thanked 132 Times in 105 Posts	I swapped the plastic wood-effect dash from my 2003 tourer for a real wood dash a few years ago. Really easy to do and although the plastic version is very similar, the real wood just has a depth to it that the plastic just cant match. As well as having the plastic version seemed a bit 'fake' to me, hence the chnage. I think i paid about £30 for the whole lot! __________________ My 75 Tourer CDTi was born Saturday, 21st June 2003 @ 09:50 My 75 was the 18,749th 75 Tourer to run off the production line, out of 27,407 It was the 195th 75 Tourer CDT Connoisseur SE (135) to be made out of 2,074 and the 1,789th 75 Tourer in Wedgewood Blue Metallic (code: JEL) to be made out of 1,871 Wedgewood Blue Metallic 75 Tourers Last edited by smudge.g; 4th December 2020 at 18:50..

4th December 2020, 18:49	#8
hst125 Loves to post 2004 ZTT CDTi manual, 2017 Fiat 500L MPW, 1946 MG TC Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Reading Posts: 272 Thanks: 22 Thanked 27 Times in 23 Posts	Just did this swap on my mk2 last week and I’m very happy. Keep an eye out for “wood” dash and check the pics, as said if it’s stencilled airbag it’s real wood, I got lucky as it was advertised as fake. You needn’t pay much over £50 plus p&p, hold out and take your time. To swap out it’s a couple of hours tops, the fiddly bit is the thumb wheel cable and clock wiring. The difference between real and fake is significant but both are better than the technical grey I had before! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ My other car's got 3 V12s under the floors.

4th December 2020, 18:49	#9
Sonic ZS Posted a thing or two 75 Conn CDT Tourer, 75 Conn SE V6, 75 Conn V6, 75 Conn CDTi Tourer, ZS 180 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Devon Posts: 1,986 Thanks: 1,287 Thanked 963 Times in 534 Posts	Worth remembering that it's only the 3 main dash panels (the ones around and level with the instrument cluster) that were ever walnut veneer. All the other bits - switch panel, ashtray, gear surround, etc, etc. were plastic from day one and right through production. __________________

4th December 2020, 08:27	#3
suzublu This is my second home rover 75 1.8 vvc club se wedgwood blue Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Seaton Carew Posts: 26,913 Thanks: 65 Thanked 7,142 Times in 4,642 Posts	Early cars had walnut veneer, you can tell by the airbag on the passengers side. If it's stencil, it's real, if it's a badge, its plastic. Yes you can swap them. Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

4th December 2020, 13:09	#4
genpk Posted a thing or two Rover 75 Saloon MGZT Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Perth, AUSTRALIA Posts: 1,662 Thanks: 3 Thanked 461 Times in 299 Posts	As much as i love the real wood veneer , all the ones ive had end up getting cracks in the clear .Post 2003 had the plastic look alike which seem to last longer.

4th December 2020, 19:52	#10
hst125 Loves to post 2004 ZTT CDTi manual, 2017 Fiat 500L MPW, 1946 MG TC Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Reading Posts: 272 Thanks: 22 Thanked 27 Times in 23 Posts	Yes, agreed, but the mixed batch I’ve just fitted is all matched and gleaming, it’s worth noting real wood is a better fit&finish, the late plastic I removed was markedly inferior. At the end of the day you are going to drive it and see this every day, so buy what YOU like! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ My other car's got 3 V12s under the floors.