MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Midget MK3 Door Rebuild

Hi everyone,

I've once again come to beg for some advice from the experts - I'm rebuilding my doors (post respray) and know they're a real bugger to get right (especially without scratching the paintwork!).
As such, I looked through the archives, and found some threads on doing this job. They all referred to a book, "MG midget Reborn" (Peter Berkin), although no-one had posted a valid link to an photocopy/image/write up of the appropriate section(s).

SO, has anyone got the appropriate bit? Any general advice/tips/hints/CHEATS for doing the 'worst job of the whole rebuild'?!

Thanks very much in advance,

Josh Spooner
Josh 'Midget Mad' Spooner

Hi
I am not sure if this will help, but here is a brief description of door assembly that I jotted down when I did my doors:

http://www.mgexperience.net/article/spridget-door-assembly.html


Norm

Norm Kerr

Josh,
Its a tricky little book to find these days but I do remember it having a good page on the rebuilding of doors.
Pretty sure this is the book but I wouldn't be paying £23 for it!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/0951073400/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

I'll try & find the book & scan the page for you. whats your email?

-Craig
C Robertson

take heart. The first one takes two days...the second an hour an a half. OK I exagerate but you'll learn an awful lot from the first side! Remember that this was someone's job on the production line, so step back and keep calm. Worked for me. The quarter light frame has to be tilted forward at an alarming angle [that's why the front fork is bent!] so that you can engage the glass in the winder mech and both fore and aft glass chaneels. It will go together like an angel's kiss when it is all lined up as the designed planned!
David Cox

Well learning from the first one does sound promising - I'll have to just stop my Dad and I from smashing it all up first!

My e-mail is joshspooner94@gmail.com, Craig. I'd much appreciate that!

Thanks again guys!

Josh
Josh 'Midget Mad' Spooner

Josh,
There is a sequence that works and it is fairly critical to get the order right if you are to retain sanity and a covering of skin on your hands.

From memory, I think it is this:
External door handle (with gaskets)
Internal door capping, fitted but left a bit loose
Put the winder mechanism inside the door (not fixed)
Put quarter light assembly (plus gasket)into door and fit bottom bracket to it, Again leave the assembly loose.
Insert and bolt the rear channel into place but leave slightly loose for later adjustment
Slide glass into door opening using the rear channel as a guide and sliding the front channel onto the glass as it goes in.
Attach two front bolts that hold the quarter light assembly in place.
Check hat the glass slides up and down the channels reasonably freely. This helps to align the channels after which their respective brackets can be tightened
Reaching inside the door manoeuvre the winder mechanism so that the 2 "wheels" engage with the channel on the bottom of the glass. This is tricky, but it can be done. Operating the winder mechanism will help get the scissor arms in the right position for fitting.
Fit the 4 bolts around the winder handle.
Wind the window up and down a few times to check operation and settle things down, then add the 4 bolts that secure the pivot plate.
Fit the inner and outer glass seals with those wonderful little clips (check the archives for the special, simple tool that makes this job a 5 minute rather than a 5 hour operation.
Add the door lock

I think that is correct, but others may have their own sequences. Another thing that really helps is a small 1/4" socket set which will reach inside the door to do up the external door handle fittings. A small (3/8" or 8mm)ratcheting ring spanner will also work well

Guy
Guy Oneandahalf Sprites

The simple tool Guy mentioned available from probably Moss - MGOC and others.


Arie de Best

Josh, you've got mail! Hopefully....

-Craig
C Robertson

Josh if you drop my axle casing over to me, you can borrow that tool, and a copy of Berkin's book...
David Smith

Basically what Guy has written above.

But i remove the glass from its runner (to fit a new rubber, also a good excuse to clean run a blade over the glass and remove all the crap that has built up over the years)then ensure the rubber is fitted properly (a little tiger seal goes a long long way).

When putting the door capping on (loosely) I also fit the outer seal and the buggery wee clips as you can then push down on the seal and tap the clips upwards to grip it in the correct position.

If you are worried about the glass coming off its runner then a little tiger seal again before crimping the runner against the glass using a g-clamp through the caps in the door frame.

A complete door can be stripped and rebuilt with all new seals and rubbers, with everything greased and lined up in an hour and a half.

PeterJMoore

Peter,
The problem that I think arises with fitting even one of the seals before inserting the glass, is that the glass runner is a fairly close fit through the slot in the top of the door. I think if the seal is fitted first, then the glass channel won't fit in. But it would certainly be easier to fit them first!

Replacing the runner, or refurbishing it is sensible at this stage. The other thing I do is to run seam sealer along inside the bottom of the door where the inner frame and the outer skin come together at the bottom of the door. Smoothing it off so that water cannot gather in there. I drill the drainage holes out oversized. I also add a sound deadening pad to the inside of the door skin. Waxoly inside the door before assembly and then seal the various cut-out openings with polythene waterproof sheets, duct tape or similar, so that the door card remains dry.
Guy Oneandahalf Sprites

Guy, your doors must weigh a ton

they are heavy enough standard,

I would agree with the sealer and wayoyl though.

Personally I have done doors every other way and still havent found a way i prefer. The most common problem is the window dropping out of the runner when winding down. Ive had countless windows do this (all on the same car) prior to just manning up and doing it right.

I dont have the patience for seal clips, so doing them before hand is a much much better idea for me.

However, you can drop the glass and runner through the hole, and rest it on the bottom of the door frame, do the seal and then fight the glass back into the guides and roll them up. still fiddly as hell and makes life difficult when putting the rollers into the runner.
PeterJMoore

Agree that!

And LOL about heavy doors! I think the only addition is the sound deadening pad which isn't so much. If I was building for lightness that would be quite a different matter!

Guy Oneandahalf Sprites

This thread was discussed between 17/01/2011 and 21/01/2011

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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