MGB & GT Forum

When putting the lock and inside catch in place is there anything I should know before closing the boot (trunk) for the first time? Keith

Take your spare out, get a torch and a screwdriver, hop inside and get someone else to close the boot.

Oh BTW, you better make sure it's someone you trust - or take your phone with you as well.

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• The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.
• To the intelligent person, life appears infinitely mysterious, but the stupid have an answer for everything.
First rule of forum debate:
• My opinion becomes truth if I can find one other person, on the Internet with the same opinion. It is 'chiselled in stone" if I find two!

Been there, done that!

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1952 MGTD - 1969 MGC - 1972 MGB - 1974&1/2 MGB/GT V8 conversion - 1978 MGB

mowog1@aol.com

I would not want to be closed up in such a cramped space

The alternative is constructing a backup release cable before closing the lid, see picture for the recipe

You have to be trusting of the person on the outside, and no be overly claustrophobic.

I did this act while reassembling both my 78 MGB and my 69 MGC.

I am no longer the svelt #145-er that I once was.......so don't believe it would work today.

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1952 MGTD - 1969 MGC - 1972 MGB - 1974&1/2 MGB/GT V8 conversion - 1978 MGB

mowog1@aol.com

Don,

I like the cable idea. It's similar to what many of us have done for the bonnet release up front. I'm going to be thinking about how this plan might be modified so that the "pull" end could be routed to the backup light area, thus eliminating the need to drill a hole in the bulkhead. In theory, you could remove the light and grab the cable to release the boot latch.

Steve

Not fully workable. e.g. you are at the supermarket, with several bags of groceries and you try to open the boot / trunk. No go, so you now need a screw driver to remove the teil light, guess what it's in the boot.

Herb

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Indeed,no need to drill through the rear bulkhead, since on both sides there are openings which are partly shrouded by the car upper structure. No need to change the light either.
So in my Tourer I led a pulling cable through it on the drivers side, routed along the rib on the bootlid with some tiewraps and ending with a ring to pull from inside the car in this dark corner

That is also my nightmare. But have to get shutlines close first and a decent seal too. The seal sample you sent me Keith, can it be sourced locally?

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Chris Howells

1968 MGB Purchased already dis-assembled but which is largely back together so I'm a lot less ignorant.

All I can offer other than what is at #3 is to say look carefully at how the whole mechanism works before closing especially the cam operation. You could fit everything other than the lock barrel and cam and ensure that everything is lined up and working - with the barrel out you can depress the catch and release it from the striker thus checking that part works. IDK of a way to check a fully assembled lock (other than #3). I suggest that you Locktite the little screw which holds the cam onto the base of the lock once you're finally done.

After I had the screw fall out I started fitting an internal pull but stopped when I couldn't get the angle right. I'll now look more carefully at the instructions above. I'm using a spare bonnet pull cut to suitable length with the T handle mounted through and on the rear bulkhead.

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Mk1: CKD 11/66 first registered 8/5/67; owned since 3/77. 18GB +40 balanced. Peter Burgess BVFR head. Piper 285. 123. FidanzaFW. 4synch c/r box. Lots more as I did a nut and bolt rebuild; finished 2015. Tartan Red.

GT: December '78. VW Golf guards, flush fit front and rear valances. Torana XU1 vents, frenched indicators & Mk1 rear lights. 'Worked' Rover V8 with Monsoon ECU for EFI. GM4L60E, Lokar tiptronic & Quick4 controller. Vintage Air A/C. FC IFS. CCE 4 link rear. Salisbury with Quaife. Jaguar Storm.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017-02-23 08:38 PM by MGB567.