mk1-forum.net

It seems to becoming standard practice during many Mini restorations to fit rubber gear lever gaiters and their metal retainers visible screwed down on top of the carpet with both magic wand and remote gear levers. I don't remember ever seeing this back in the day and am pretty sure this was not how Minis left the factory but I don't remember seeing any comments from the purists or rivet counters about this....
ie.
The magic wand gear lever poked through a slot/hole in the carpet with the rubber gaiter and the metal retainer ring not visible screwed directly to the metal floor/tunnel UNDER the carpet.
The remote and later rod change gear levers had the carpet cut around the rubber gaiter shape also with the metal retainer ring and screws not visible and screwed directly to the floor tunnel UNDER the carpet.

Am I right or wrong? Is this perhaps starting to become similar to the upside down door card issue?!

Also back in the day when Minis were daily drivers you frequently had to remove the soaking wet carpets from the front of a Mini, especially in winter to stop the windows misting up inside and it would have been a pain to have to unscrew and refit the gear lever gaiter every time!


Incorrect


Factory correct


Incorrect


Circular carpet cut-out


Rectangular carpet cut-out (image from 1968 Mk2 Mini Brochure)

Under Carpet in all my past experiences .. BMC designed for the Carpet to pull out easy to mop out the various levels of Water .. that was until the floor rusted out so became self draining

Reason its done Over is because no one can cut the Carpet for the remote gearstick hole correctly & in the right place

Norman is dead right, Metal boot retainer is fitted UNDER the carpet. If it was fitted ABOVE the carpet, it would allow water to enter the car........, seeping in through the carpet, sandwiched between the car body and the metal retainer. And the metal retainer would inevitably bow between the screws where it'd be cushioned by the screws

Under. I am waaay too lazy to get a screw through the retainer, carpet, a rubber boot, and then into a hole in the floor.

And so would the production line. Well, not lazy, just far too busy.

Genuine 1964 Cooper carpet with the round hole for part of the rubber gaiter to protrude through

Hope it helps to clarify things.

Press photo

Zoomed in on the BMC press shot for extra clarity.
Just need similar BMC/BL press shots for the Remote and Rod change gear levers....