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 - sticky-out A pillar?

Hi guys!
working through my spring box and sill replacement. and got a strange one. I've got the inner sill sittintg lovely, nice & tight up to the crossmember, floor and B-pillar. I think put on the outer sill and it seems too far in. photo attached hopefully shows what I mean (still need to clean the surface rust off that, I know!). Is this just a poorly folded outer sill (looks a bit curvy at the up-turn) or is my A-pillar too far out?
What's the best way to fix it? At the moment I'm thinking that I need to pull the pillar in?
The whole are had been pretty badly bodged up in the past so that hasn't given me any clues. The door shut lines look great, just seems to be too far out!
Thanks!
-Craig


C Robertson

Hi Craig - If the door shut lies are good and the A-post is sitting nicely relative to the rear of the front wing, I'd leave the A-post alone.

It'll be much easier the 'relieve' the outer sill slightly to get it to sit flush with the door and the A-post.

If you need to do some work on the bottom of the A-post anyway and the above doesn't apply, you could grind a cut up the front & rear faces, push it in and re-weld.

Cheers,
Matt
ps - Going to the Boness Hillclimb next weekend? There are some Sprites/midgets entered and a couple of folks there may be a good source of parts if you're looking for any.
Matt

matt. Do you have any more info on the Boness hillclimb?

Craig. I encountered exactly the same problem and ended up refolding the sill lip. Looking at your pic you'll see that it's more of a curve than a fold. Just getting a nice right-angle might be enough to have the sill edge sitting in the right place.

Graeme
graeme jackson

Hi Graeme - Their website is http://www.bonesshillclimb.org.uk/ It's on Sat & Sun. I'm going on Sat, so if you're going to make it, let me know and we can say hello. It's well worth a visit, with nearly 100 cars entered. I'll be in the Midget, regardless of the weather!

Cheers, Matt
mattdotalexanderatvirgindotnet
Matt

Thanks for that, confirmed my suspicions. Time to dig the hammer out!

I was indeed planning on going to the Bo'ness hillclimb but wasn't sure which day. I'll def aim for the Saturday if there's going to be people there.
Matt, ping me an email and we'll try & meet up with you somewhere.
I'll NOT be in the midget, regardless of the weather!

-Craig
chdotrobertsonatgmaildotcom
C Robertson

I have approval from senior management to attend on the saturday. She may even be with me. Will be turning up in a red skoda octavia estate.
There's pictures of me throughout this thread.....

http://alembic.com/club/messages/65124/65300.html?1251847810

I'm the Bass player ;-)

if you spot me give me a shout.
graeme jackson

Graeme -

Just wanted to mention that I just had a very enjoyable visit to your band's bbs! Great stories and photos, especially Skye...

Later,

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

Gryf.
That link points to my Bass manufacturers forum - Alembic in California.
My Band's website is http://www.bigtuna.co.uk/

cheers

Graeme
graeme jackson

I think that the sill and A-post are correct the way you have them ...At least from my perspective...I have a small amount of hang on my 71 in which the lower rocker trim runs along snug up agianst.

you could always run a film of bondo across the bottom to level it out...

prop
Props Black Hole

Graeme - I plan to get there around noon. Will hopefully park in the classics bit, so may see you there - BRG Midget ODA 894L.

Cheers, Matt
Matt

Matt

Weather is still looking good for Saturday. Graeme/Craig - looking forward to hopefully meeting up at Bo'ness on Saturday - AH Sprite Mk2 HSO 928.

Tim
TJ Prime

Hi Tim - The roof is off already!

Matt
Matt

Prop, I'm coming to the same conclusion!

An distinct possibility is that the A-pillar has actually been reskinned without removing the old one. The PO has done all sorts of that sort of nonsense! Going to put it all back together and then worry about it when the rest of the car is perfect (pencilled in for 2050!).

Tim, Matt, Graeme, I'll see you at Bo'ness! Silver Mk4 Golf - how exciting. :o(
I'll be there from about 1-1:30ish.

Graeme, email me off board if you wanna meet up but I'll be looking out for Matts midget in the VIP parking.

-Craig
chdotrobertsonatgmaildotcom
C Robertson

Well, Saturday was a superb sunny day. Loads of classics to see and the racing was eventful. I was on the old paddock bend so was able to see the 2 Big smashes of the day.
Sadly, i didn't manage to meet up with Matt or Tim but at least I got to see their cars...




graeme jackson

Sorry we never managed to meet up Graeme. We didn't see Craig either but did chat on the mobile - will meet him at the Selkirk Classic show next weekend though.

Saturday was an excellent day, with a good sprinkling of classics on display as well as the racers - a number of Spridgets, including a superb Frontline K-series conversion (1.8 vvc, rear discs etc.).

I enjoyed it so much, I went back on Sunday afternoon for a while too (it's only 5 minutes from my house).

Unfortunately, one of the major accidents on Saturday was to Bob MacGillivray's very quick Turner MG, although he wasn't driving at the time. Here's hoping the car wasn't too bad.

Saturday really was a petrolheads dream. Standing in the paddock surrounded by classic racers, watching the Battle of Britain Lancaster, Spitfire & Hurricane overhead and with a steam train passing next to us - paradise!

Roll on next year!

Matt


Matt

I'll second that, great day! and all that for a fiver!
We were down by the paddock for the racing and so saw the 2 crashes towed back in. The Turner MG wan't in a great condition, front chassis rail was at a rather unpleasent angle and looked like the wheel had been moved a long way back. So no prizes for guessing what he'll be up to this winter!
And those old Spiders (http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/photos-shelsley/gn_spider_ii_19.htm if you haven't seen one) are just mad! seriously quick but the noisy - wow!

In other news, got the inner sill all welded yesterday, footwell side too. So Selkirk isn't out of the ballpark totally!

Anyone else going to be about for Selkirk? We'll (hopefully!) be on the edinburgh MG club stand, get in touch if you wanna meet. We'll be the scruffy looking de-bumpered 1500 still smelling of paint, I suspect!

-Craig
chdotrobertsonatgmaildotcom
C Robertson

This thread was discussed between 07/09/2009 and 14/09/2009

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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