Has anybody else thought of this?...
Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 8:32 am
Looking around the scrapyard the other day, I noticed that several MG Rovers actually featured lockable gloveboxes, however all of them were the wrong style lock / catch mechanism for the Mk3 dash in my 218 VVC Coupe.
After a few inquisitive posts on various forums and a few searches on ebay, I discovered that the late (post-1995) Rover 200 Cabriolets - the ones fitted with the Mk3 dash - actually had lockable gloveboxes using the same style lock / catch mechanism.
However, as this model is quite a rarity - especially when it comes to actually finding one that is being broken or in a scrapyard - all of my searches ended unsuccessfully.
Whilst looking for Rover glovebox locks on ebay, I found quite a few complete lock sets for various MG Rover models. Despite them asking anything from £30 to £60 - which I clearly wasn't prepared to pay when all I needed was one lock and one key - I did notice in the accompanying photos that the MGF and MG TF actually used the same lock / catch mechanism as the version I had been searching for.
My quest returned to ebay as the likely source to locate a suitable car being broken for spares. However, all of my requests ended with 'Yes I have a glovebox lock / catch mechanism, but it comes complete with the lid and one key. Call it £15 posted'.
Although this didn't sound too extortianate, I still thought there has got to be an alternative, so back to ebay. After a few more days searching I found a BRAND NEW Rover 200 Cabriolet Glovebox Lock Barrel & Two Keys - success! - for £6.50 Buy It Now plus £1.75 P&P.
My next task was to find the actual glovebox lock / catch mechanism, but as I no longer required any keys, I thought it would be easier to find something for a lot less outlay. Several requests via ebay to MGF / MG TF breakers, and I received a reply stating 'Yes I have a glovebox lock / catch mechanism. Call it £5 posted' - success!
I then had to wait a few days for each item to arrive. Once they both had, it took a couple of minutes to change the barrel lock, and another 30 seconds to unscrew the one screw to remove the old catch, and then a similar amount of time to screw the new glovebox lock / catch mechanism back in it's place. Total cost was £13.25, but for that I actually got a brand new barrel lock and two brand new keys!
That is the basic story of how I enhanced the interior security of my 218 VVC Coupe with a Rover 200 Cabriolet / MGF / MG TF lockable glovebox!
Just think of the occasions when you too have wondered why Rover never fitted one to the Coupe in the first place. I can now park up somewhere with my roof panels stowed, knowing that my face off head unit is locked away securely. OK, a simple lock will never prevent the thief taking something if he really wants it, but it'll certainly slow down the individual in the process, and therefore increases the chance that he will get caught!
If anyone else wants to carry out the same low-cost security upgrade to their interior, then here's the first part! The same seller has one other BRAND NEW Rover 200 Cabriolet Glovebox Lock Barrel & Two Keys listed on ebay here BE QUICK! > http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... tsupported
This upgrade is suitable for the later Mk3 dash, but I am not sure if it works on the earlier style.
Here are also a few photos I took along the way...
After a few inquisitive posts on various forums and a few searches on ebay, I discovered that the late (post-1995) Rover 200 Cabriolets - the ones fitted with the Mk3 dash - actually had lockable gloveboxes using the same style lock / catch mechanism.
However, as this model is quite a rarity - especially when it comes to actually finding one that is being broken or in a scrapyard - all of my searches ended unsuccessfully.
Whilst looking for Rover glovebox locks on ebay, I found quite a few complete lock sets for various MG Rover models. Despite them asking anything from £30 to £60 - which I clearly wasn't prepared to pay when all I needed was one lock and one key - I did notice in the accompanying photos that the MGF and MG TF actually used the same lock / catch mechanism as the version I had been searching for.
My quest returned to ebay as the likely source to locate a suitable car being broken for spares. However, all of my requests ended with 'Yes I have a glovebox lock / catch mechanism, but it comes complete with the lid and one key. Call it £15 posted'.
Although this didn't sound too extortianate, I still thought there has got to be an alternative, so back to ebay. After a few more days searching I found a BRAND NEW Rover 200 Cabriolet Glovebox Lock Barrel & Two Keys - success! - for £6.50 Buy It Now plus £1.75 P&P.
My next task was to find the actual glovebox lock / catch mechanism, but as I no longer required any keys, I thought it would be easier to find something for a lot less outlay. Several requests via ebay to MGF / MG TF breakers, and I received a reply stating 'Yes I have a glovebox lock / catch mechanism. Call it £5 posted' - success!
I then had to wait a few days for each item to arrive. Once they both had, it took a couple of minutes to change the barrel lock, and another 30 seconds to unscrew the one screw to remove the old catch, and then a similar amount of time to screw the new glovebox lock / catch mechanism back in it's place. Total cost was £13.25, but for that I actually got a brand new barrel lock and two brand new keys!
That is the basic story of how I enhanced the interior security of my 218 VVC Coupe with a Rover 200 Cabriolet / MGF / MG TF lockable glovebox!
Just think of the occasions when you too have wondered why Rover never fitted one to the Coupe in the first place. I can now park up somewhere with my roof panels stowed, knowing that my face off head unit is locked away securely. OK, a simple lock will never prevent the thief taking something if he really wants it, but it'll certainly slow down the individual in the process, and therefore increases the chance that he will get caught!
If anyone else wants to carry out the same low-cost security upgrade to their interior, then here's the first part! The same seller has one other BRAND NEW Rover 200 Cabriolet Glovebox Lock Barrel & Two Keys listed on ebay here BE QUICK! > http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... tsupported
This upgrade is suitable for the later Mk3 dash, but I am not sure if it works on the earlier style.
Here are also a few photos I took along the way...
I trust you are keeping well?