Imhotep's ever changing fleet - AX GT, MG ZS180 - Still improving MG

[Imhotep]

Boring update today. For some reason the ZS has had a few Rover 45 bits fitted to it, so I’m trying to find the MG stuff. Got an actual MG gearknob for it as mine had a 45 one. Improvement. Further de-Rover-ification in the works.

[Imhotep]

Small updates really. BMW now sold so the neighbours can stop whining about it, and I managed to score a very cheap Blaupunkt radio off eBay last week, fitted it today:

 

Sadly, looking at all the scratches around the frame and the state of the cage on the old stereo, paired with the fact I could remove it with a flathead screwdriver (you can take the boy out of Birmingham, etc) suggests the old radio had been forced in rather than placed properly. On a genuinely unrelated note I’ve got a centre console from a Civic Aerodeck on the way here so I can have electric rear window switches, so I’ll likely make a hybrid of the best parts of the two and that should clean up nicely thankfully. 
 

@Captain Slow and I have a plan involving steering wheel controls, so while I was on the hunt for electrics, I found out my car is prewired for heated seats:

 

And pre wired for electric rear windows (plug behind the right bolt on the handbrake adjuster):

 

I’ve decided to just add them as the work required is minimal. Be fun to strip it down and spec it up anyway. I’ll do electric windows first as I’m no upholsterer and I can’t imagine I’d be any good at fitting seat heater pads into my seats. I’ll do everything except that first. 

[RoverFolkUs]

On 13/02/2025 at 22:58, Imhotep said:

Immobiliser is playing silly beggars too, keeps bleeping at me and refusing to let the car start. Apparently this is a common fault but I’m not 100% how to fix it. And one for Rover/MG lickers - the fuel gauge doesn’t move down to 0 when I turn the engine off, is this normal? 

Does this have a Pektron (circular) Immobilizer fob?

Yes fuel guage is static when switched off, it doesn't drop to zero

[Imhotep]

1 hour ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Does this have a Pektron (circular) Immobilizer fob?

Yes fuel guage is static when switched off, it doesn't drop to zero

It does not, has this type: 

 

Thanks for the info re the fuel gauge, my old man had a 45 but he couldn’t remember if his did it or not!

[Imhotep]

Another small and likely uninteresting for most update but it’s nice to keep tabs on the thing… @Ghosty stopped in today with a centre console from a Civic MB6. This enabled me to have and fit the electric rear window switches to my centre console. First was to strip the old one out and confirm I did indeed have the wiring:

 

While I had it apart I did a quick check to confirm if I 100% had the loom for bum warmers, and I can confirm I do thankfully:

So as I was running out of daylight I popped upstairs to my flat and swapped the switches into the old centre console. Now to do the rest. Could do this all at once but to be honest I’m a bit short on space so I’ll do it as I get them:

 

Next is window motors, door looms and rear switches. Struggling to find the door looms sadly but hopefully I’ll be able to find them soon…

[RoverFolkUs]

On 12/03/2025 at 16:10, Imhotep said:

It does not, has this type: 

 

Thanks for the info re the fuel gauge, my old man had a 45 but he couldn’t remember if his did it or not!

Ah ok, I suspected not on a 2003 but if it did I would have pointed you in the direction of the man that sorted a cloned Pektron BCU for my now-departed ZR

I always used to have a great deal of bother with the Lucas fobs on my 400, how do you unlock the car? Do the buttons work ok or are you using the key? Are you switching the ignition on immediately after getting in or are you leaving it unlocked? Mine was well over 10 years ago so my memory is flaky but I think I discovered a knack of blipping the unlock button before trying to start it otherwise it would have a mind of it's own as to whether it wanted to work. 

[Imhotep]

Condensed fleet a bit and got rid of Sinclair C5 since I was never going to get around to it. Means I can focus on the MG and the AX GT anyway. By that I mean I’ll likely buy something else to avoid working on the AX GT. 
 

Managed to get the A/C gassed up on the ZS, let me tell you, you don’t realise how much you miss air conditioning until you no longer have it. It never worked on my 318d, so I went over a year without any.

Also since I’ve owned the MG, I thought it made a lovely pop/burble when I lifted off throttle. Turns out it was the exhaust smashing off the bumper and exhaust tunnel, so I had that rehung today. Sadly the backbox is so big it still sticks out slightly… Next up is an actual interesting update people might be interested in when I wire in a full hidden phone system to make it look OEM. But that’s not been finished yet and wiring is still being made. As soon as it’s done I’ll share that one as I’m impressed with it. For now have a photo of a centred exhaust that’s not resting on the bumper…