Fusebox

[Dean]

Now that summer is here, i'm starting work on the DLX.

What i'm wondering is it worthwhile upgrading the fusebox to a Montego one to maybe ease fitting electrical goodies, i've heard that the lights on warning module plugs straight into this where as on the Maestro one you have to solder it in.

If so, how easy would it be?

Cheers

Dean.

[Rich]

Not easy, you would have to change the entire loom as its all modular and all the plugs are different, or at least 90% of them are!!

[MGTurbo]

Now that summer is here, i'm starting work on the DLX.

What i'm wondering is it worthwhile upgrading the fusebox to a Montego one to maybe ease fitting electrical goodies, i've heard that the lights on warning module plugs straight into this where as on the Maestro one you have to solder it in.

If so, how easy would it be?

Cheers

Dean.

I would spend my time fixing any rust before i worried about making electric sunroofs and rear windows easier to fit at some point.

Gareth

[Simon]

There's plenty of scope with the Maestro fusebox, and to anyone who's switched on electrically, the lights on warning buzzer from the Montego facelift, or for that matter the buzzer with the interior lights fader are a straightforward modification once the loom is exposed with the dash removed and the relay socket no.8 is reconfigured. I know because I've done it and I have the wiring diagram if you want to take a look. With the standard fusebox on a 1600 Maestro I've done the above buzzer/dimmer, rear electric windows and electric sunroof (with illuminated switch). This summer will see the wiring in of Rover 25/MGF heated windscreen washer jets, headlamp power wash, Rover rechargeable glovebox mounted torch and rear cigar lighter for my Montego VDP longer length centre console. The key concept here is patience and using the correctly coloured wiring, integrating it as the manufacturer would have done, to avoid yards of skanky looking and potentially dangerous spaghetti hanging apologetically from the wiring harness.
I'm not going to fix the rust first however, although I'm investing a lot of money into some new panels, some bodywork and paintwork to do at some point in the near future.