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MG MGB Technical - Central locking?

Is it possible to fit central locking to a late B GT? Even just on the front doors? The reason I ask is because I want to get an alarm fitted and knowing myself I know I wont use as much it if I have to lock the doors and then click the button. And Ill always be setting the damn thing off because of force of habit.

R Kelly

Anything is possible with enough design effort and funding. Peruse the internet and hit some of the hot rod websites/suppliers for ideas and available possiblilities..

You may also want to take off one of the interior door panels so that you can better visualize how the bar from the interior handle connects with the locking mechanism. You'll need to remove the window crank and two screws holding on the armrest. The panel also resides a little under the upper door cap...you *may* need to remove it as well. Your 1978 door *should* have plastic clips places around the perimeter (except the top)of the panel that holds it onto the door.
rick ingram

Yes. I had an alarm fitted that happened to have a circuit to energise door motors. Subsequently I bought a pair of motors from the MGOC and it was relatively straightforward to add them, just two holes to mont the motors to the door. The lock bar on an MGB operates as a push/pull, so make sure you get an alarm unit with a door motor circuit and motors that push/pull (there are various types). My motors came with a clamp to attach the two bars together, but I opted to attach the motor bar direct to the spare hole in the door interior locking handle as I didn't want the screws coming loose over time. Took a little bit more ingenuity, and I suppose you could super-glue the screws and the clamp together. I didn't bother with the hatch, it's possible but would take more ingenuity. Someone claimed to have fitted a motor to the glovebox as well, as Rick has said anything is possible given time and money.
Paul Hunt 2

Yes. My sister had it done on her 1970BGT through a Car Stereo & Alarm installation firm here in NZ (Driving Sound).

She also had a stereo put in. The system works well & as advertised now, but there were a couple of issues:

1) the guys said it was so difficult because they weren't used to the wiring of an MG and the mechanical door locks etc were challenging. They did it for a quoted price and I think regretted it, and said that they wouldn't do any more MG's (at least not for more cash!)

2) there were a few niggly wiring issues / shorts which needed ironing out over the subsequent weeks.

Overall nice & works if you've got some money to lob at the problem. I'm sure you could just as well accomplish the same or better result on your own with a weekend and bit of research.
Curtis Walker

Funny you should say that, Curtis, my alarm chap said it was the first MGB he had done and would never do another! The alarm will take a lot more time and effort than the door motors.
Paul Hunt 2

The biggest problem I found was that the doorlock mechanism travel on the car is only about 1/2". Whereas the travel on the motors is about 1". This means that the doorlock mechanism can fully move without activating the switch on the motor if the connecting rods are not joined at the correct position. You have to attach the rods when both are at their central positions. Barrie E
Barrie Egerton

My motors don't have switches (that I'm aware of), the alarm just powers them one way or the other for a second or so. Nevertheless you do have to join the two rods such that when the lock is mid-way the motor is about mid-way as well, or the motor may hit its 'end-stop' before the lock is fully activated one way or the other. My motors also have significantly more travel than the lock mechanism which means you have plenty of leeway for joining the rods.
Paul Hunt 2

On the two installations that I've done, there were master & slave motors. The masters had crossover switches so that the motors could run in the reverse direction. At least one master had to be fitted, usually the driver's door. Barrie E
Barrie Egerton

The motors I used had permanent magnets, so simply reversing the polarity (which is what the alarm unit does) makes them move one way or the other. The two motors are identical, with only two wires to each, being connected in parallel at the alarm unit.
Paul Hunt 2

Ha, Ha, the prince of darkness strikes again and traumatizes yet another auto electrician. You bet they are not "used" to LUCAS wiring.
MC Escher might have got used to it, few others. I've yet to meet a mechanic who did not like MGB's. However every auto electrician I met (and windscreen place) threatened serious bodily harm if I brought it anywhere near them.
Did anyone read Terry Pratchets disk world "bloody stupid Johnson"?
David DuBois(the only man in history to understand the SU fuel pump) should chime in about now.
Peter

http://www.mez.co.uk/lucas.html
pete

LOL. Thats brilliant!
R Kelly

This thread was discussed between 24/02/2008 and 28/02/2008

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