Generation Cyb

 First an appology. It has been over five months since my last report on the progress of D428 CHO. Further problems with the shocks (they’re still not changed), lack of money and lack of time have meant there has not been quite enough to make a whole report from – most of what I’ve done recently has been either a number of minor jobs or jobs I’ve started but have been unable to finish. Judging by the number of enquiries I’ve had it’s nice to know so many visitors to the site are concerned, so the star makes another appearance…

The first thing that’s apparent from the recent image is the new MG1600 style front grille, not something you’d expect to see on a D reg EFi. I fitted this because the original grille was beginning to get slightly tatty, and in any case I like the original MG grilles. Whilst not looking as aggressive they fit in well with the rest of the Maestro range which uses the same style and silver/grey colour.

The main improvement I’ve completed is the installation of electric front windows. It’s a minor point but I hate fiddling with manual winders to adjust a window and the Maestro’s one-touch operation appeals as it’s far easier for the lazy among us! I picked up a pair of motorised regulators (out of an old MG Montego) from a contact who breaks the cars for a fiver. Wiring initially looked like an impossible feat until I discovered an extra socket inside the door. It soon dawned on me that later Maestros (at least those built in certain years) whether equipped with them or not have all the wiring for the electric windows present, leaving me a simple job! The only other thing I required was the controls for the windows which go under the radio where the coin tray originally was, and this cost £20 from Maestro and Montego Spares of Birmingham (although I thought this was more than a bit expensive!).

As the picture sequence shows, it’s really just a job of plugging in the new bits next. Replacing the regulator can be a bit of a fiddle as it needs to be set in just the right position before it will slot into it’s guides inside the door, and there are a host of opportunities to cut yourself whilst fitting it. the inside of a door is lined with sharp metal edges, as I discovered! After all this work I have found the electric windows to work fine (when the battery is prepared to play ball)… The finishing touches come in the form of a pair of plastic blanking plates from the doors of a car with electric windows, which fill in the holes where the winders used to be nicely.