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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Quarterlight Glass

On my Mk11 midget I have fitted side mirrors to my quarterlights. This afternoon, whilst washing the car off, I inadvertantly caught the drivers side wing mirror wirh my arm and hey presto, the quarterlight glass shattered. What is the easiest way to put new glass into the quarterlight? Thanks. Neil


Neil (K series)

Neil,

simplest way I suspect is to check to see if your insurance covers glass and then get someone else to do it!
Otherwise have a quick gander on ebay for a secondhand one and replace glass and chrome surround as one.

Jeremy
Jeremy 3

Jeremy,
I have a few spare doors complete with all fittings, including quarterlight glass. However, the MK11 has the early quarterlight catches and so I want to keep these. Whilst I could source a complete assembly for a Mk11 I would prefer to just change the glass. I guess I'll be busy tomorrow!
Neil (K series)

Neil,

I had a mirror on my quarter light - modern aftermarket rubbish - kept falling off.
The problem is likely to be that to keep it on you have to really tighten the screws - edges of toughned glass are the week points due to stress concentrations - any sharp point will shatter it. Best not have those mirrors !

The correct method to replace is to take out the quarter light assembly from the door and unscrew the retaining nut/spring assembly from the bottom of the q/light unit, thereby allowing removal of the glass unit - then work on the unit on the bench. PITA !

However the glass is only actually held by the rubber strip in the channel - so I would pull/prise all the broken glass out of the channel and carefully remove the rubber strip - it actually only flat rubber strip.
Try fitting the replacement glass by putting the rubber onto the glass and pushing it back into the frame.
Obviously not too much force to bend the frame/pivot etc - the glass though is very tough !
Use lubricant - rubber lub (no comments please !) even washing up liquid (I now it has salt in it) I would avoid silicons as you really want the lub to dry out eventually to give more 'grip' on the glass.If it does not work you have lost nothing !

Oh yes the glasses are handed - usually plenty of second hand units avaulable as the main frames in stainless tend to split etc.

HTH.

R.
richard boobier

Thanks Richard. Thought I would have to take the quarterlight out but hoped there may be a shortcut. Oh well, will keep me occupied!
Thanks,
Neil
Neil (K series)

Hi Neil
I am afraid to tell you the mirrors you are using are designed to sit on the window frame not the window itself, I have been using them for many years without any problems, the only thing you sometimes have to do is cut down a small section of the window channel guide to allow room for the window to flow freely up and down, I will see if I can find you a picture.
Rob Newt

Found one !


Rob Newt

Oops!! Thanks Rob. I guess I have been lucky until now. I'll change the glass tomorrow and then re fit the mirrors. I'll let you know how I get on. Nice job for a Sunday eh?
Neil (K series)

Ah - you are right Rob, thats the sort I have and it was attached as you have it - still fell off !

Anybody want a free mirror !

R.
richard boobier

Neil,

when replacing the piece of glass (as Richard described for you), here are a couple if tips that may help:

- the rubber packing is un-vulcanized rubber, so it will bend very well around the glass, and slide into the frame

- a little heat will aid the packing to form smoothly around everything (there are a lot of tight corners). I use a hair dryer. If you use a heat gun be careful not to over cook things.

- a wooden popsicle stick, or a nylon stick works very well to help push / coax everything into place.

- the metal corner piece that goes in the lower, front corner of the glass, goes between the glass and the packing. Don't forget to install it before you start to wrap the new packing around the glass and going at it all with the heat gun.

- don't worry about having excess packing sticking out, all you need to do is make sure you got packing everywhere between the glass and the frame. When you are all done, it has cooled off, and you've confirmed it all worked right, simply cut away the excess with a sharp razor blade.

This all ought to be possible in place, without having to remove the frame from the door, which is a major pain in the ar*e to do if you don't have to.


Norm
Norm Kerr

A true connoisseur who has a much modified Spridget but also has the detailed knowledge of the whole range to recognise the early quarterlight catch! Do you also have early interior door catches?

You realise it's relatively simply to replace the quarterlight catch by tapping out the retaining pin with a very small drift. Don't lose it as purchasing new will get you a roll pin.

I swapped to the early quarter light catch on my car as I preferred the look of them and in fact my 69 has a number of features of the very early cars (no reversing lights being the most obvious).

The catches are identical to those on the Hillman Imp (and derivatives) though handed opposite to the Spridget. I have 4 spare catches - two waiting to be chromed.
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

Daniel,
First let me plug your book as you missed that off your reply!!!! Sorry, just jesting.

You couldn't have posted this message at a more opportune time. Using a spare door as a test, I have just successfully removed the actual swivelling quarterlight glass with the main frame still in situ. I was just consulting this thread again to see the best way to remove the actual glass and thinking of using the boiling method (as per read in the MGB technical thread). This is where you put the 1/4 light into a pan of boiling water which loosens everything up - apparently. However now I know I can just change the quarterlight catch, I will try that first. This way will mean I don't have to order and wait for a new 1/4 light seal to arrive before finishing the job.

By the way, I do have the early interior door catches. With these, only the passengers side have the ability to lock from the inside.

The picture attached shows the hole where the retaining pin sits (sorry a bit blurred)

I'll keep you posted as the tread may be of use to others.
Neil


Neil (K series)

And with the 1/4 light catch detached. Also shows the retaining pin.


Neil (K series)

Having removed the door trim, the image shows the nuts I had to undo. This then allowed me to remove the spring and the washer. From this point it was a simple case of lifting the 1/4 light off its exterior hinge.
I was fortunate in that I already had some spare 1/4 lights and so it was a simple case of swopping them over, having chamged the handle first (so as to retain the earlier type. This certainly saved the hassle of swopping just the 1/4 light glass.
Job done.
Thanks all for your advice and particularly Daniel for the retaining pin tip.
I'm going to read "The MG Midget A-H Sprite High-Performance Manual" by Daniel Stapleton again now. I highly recommend it by the way!
Neil


Neil (K series)

Neil,
I made up some new quarter lights from 6mm perspex which I drilled to take these mirrors. Offside is very useful but the view to the nearside, which was only fitted to match the other, is quite restricted.

Ross


R Livingstone

This thread was discussed between 01/01/2011 and 06/01/2011

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