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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Bonnet length

Next on my "bits and bobs to fix" list - the bonnet catches. It's a Mk4 1971 Sprite. The main catch drops a tad too far forwards on the front panel and is just a little stiff to push down and close it. More of a problem, my newly fitted safety catch (It wasn't there when I got the car) drops too far forwards and lands the wrong side of the catch plate bar. The safety catch plate is adjustable, but not by anywhere near enough to fix my problem. The rear of the bonnet lines up nicely with the back of the wings. The bonnet has had a front repair panel fitted at some point, and I'm wondering if the net result is a bonnet that is too long. The safety catch is out by 1/2 to 3/4 inch. the main catch probably only needs 1/4 in adjustment.

All ideas appreciated. In particular, can someone with a Mk4 sprite measure the length down the top of their bonnet and I'll see if mine is 1/2 an inch too long!

Ant
Ant Allen

Ant,

send me an email over the weekend to jog my memory & i'll measure my Sprite for you.
Brad.
Brad (Sprite IV 1380)

1276 mm following the curve down the centre line

(1971 Mk3 midget - Heritage shell)
Steve Clark

Just popped outside and snapped these....


Steve Clark

.....don't know whether they'll help


Steve Clark

Steve, thanks again for your help. My bonnet is 1270mm which is even more puzzling as I thought it was too long!

Anyone else got a tape measure? Is there variation between original and heritage parts at all?

On a forward thinking note, how much "adjustment" is there in assembling the front cross bar plate witht eh bonnet catches on it (apart from the safety catch plate itself), and what about the bonnet hinges?

Ant

Ant Allen

Ant,
Just to confirm yours, my '71 Austin Sprite bonnet is 1270 down the centre line. 50" exactly.
The other thing is that the front edge of the slam panel lines up exactly with the leading edge of the wing gutter at either side. (as in Steve's photo #1).
So you should be able to check if the slam panel is located the correct distance from the scuttle.

Both the main bonnet pin and the socket that it latches to are adjustable, fore-and-aft. Sounds like your safety catch is perhaps an aftermarket one and is wrongly made?

Guy
Guy Weller

I had my hinges powdercoated and when I went to install the bonnet, it stuck out a good 1/2 inch to far and no amount of adjusting worked. I scrapped all the powdercoating off the back of the hinges (back side to firewall) and then it fit perfectly. If you did anything to the hinges, it could make a differance
in fit.
Rik
Rik Hogan

From the description, I would imagine that Rik's hinges are the later North American versions which were never fitted to UK models.
Dave O'Neill 2

I never knew North America got differant hinges. I just thought they would be the same. I have a 79. Anyone have any pics of the later European hinges that I can see. Was the NA version (shown in pic) differant due to all the crash regulations?
Rik


Rik Hogan

Here's a pic of the hinges fitted to early US cars and all UK cars...

http://i24.ebayimg.com/03/i/001/19/4b/c6c1_1.JPG
Dave O'Neill 2

Ant

If you want to pop round and check some measurements, let me know.
Dave O'Neill 2

Thanks Dave for the pic. I have helped install bonnets on a few older cars with those hinges. I wonder why only NA cars recieved these scissors hinges.
Rik
Rik Hogan

Rik,
I believe they were a "safety requirement" for the N A markets. Apparently designed to prevent the bonnet from being pushed back edgeways-on into the windscreen.

Guy
Guy Weller

Guy,
That sounds about right. Thanks for that info.
Rik
Rik Hogan

Hinges - I have the standard UK ones and I've not moved them.

When the bonnet is shut it lines up perfectly with the wings and scuttle. ittle (less than 5mm) short of the wings at the very front, but that's the wrong way to solve the catch alignment.

Sounds like the bonnet is the correct length despite its front end repair panel, so the problem must be in the slam panel. My new safety catch is from MGOC so surely that's not out of shape!?!

Anyone care to photograph the slam panel to wing fitting on a '71 ish car please? And I'll photograph mine tonight too.

Help appreciated, as ever :)
Ant
Ant Allen

Ant,
Steve already provided that photo in his first picture of 11 November 2008 at 21:37:36. There isn't really anything that can be out of adjustment there.

Have you tried adjusting your female parts for the latch in the slam panel. The bolt holes are slotted and there is quite a lot of adjustment there.

Guy
Guy Weller

Ah ok. Got that. Thanks Guy / Steve.

The main catch is a little tight, but works ok. It's just a bit stiff to shut the bonnet. The safety catch is way out though. I have tried the adjustment in the fixings but it was no where near enough. It gives about 1/2 in adjustment and I need at least 1/2 inch more.

So if the bonnet is in the right place, and the slam panel is in the right place, then the only option is the angle of the dangle. In the attached photo, is the safety catch pointing too far forwards in the rest position? If I push it backwards when lowering the bonnet it's all fine, but otherwise it falls the wrong side of the bar and risks serious damage to the bonnet or catch fitting.

Ant


Ant Allen

This thread was discussed between 11/11/2008 and 17/11/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.