MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

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 - Windscreen & Door & Trunk Seals


Just a short note to update members regarding rubber seals, trims and related coachwork items. Visited Martin MacGregors coach trimming business located In Dundas, Ontario. Very small foot print store and low overhead BUT extensive knowledge of the required products and sizes for British vehicles.

This guy is one of the best kept secrets in North America. He even sells to Moss Motors – this guy definitely knows the trivia about our MG door & trunk & weather stripping issues. No, this review is NOT an advert for his business – but when he eventually goes to the Great Garage in the Sky – we are going to miss his personal knowledge base and access to high quality parts for our cars.

His motto? If you install door seals and trunk seals and the doors and trunk won’t closed properly, then Y-O-U are using the wrong product. It’s as simple as that...

A few days ago, I received a set of windscreen rubber seals and gaskets from MOSS USA and more than half of them were the wrong size & product. The large rubber seal between the aluminum frame and body cowl was definitely the wrong style.

MacGregor had the correct product in stock plus he showed me a few tricks on how to install the large rubber seal properly and quickly. In any case, you might be using his products since he actually supplies various UK vendors in large volumes.

Just a few parting thoughts...He is NOT part of the Internet generation. When I was there he told me that his phone voicemail box was full, his FAX machine is broken and his web site is out of date. Other than that, he is constantly busy and backlogged – that must mean something...His contact information follows.

E-mail Mr. Martin MacGregor:

mjmbritish@execulink.com
mail@macgregorukcarparts.com

MacGregor British Car Parts
376 Mill Street, Units 5&6
Dundas, Ontario L9H 2M1
Phone: 905 – 627 - 4006

Enjoy the Memorial Day weekend weather.

Mike
Buffalo, NY
>>>>>>>>>>
Mike Pelone

Excellent to hear, pity he's not supplying as the majors and minor suppliers over here.

I like his motto but try telling the suppliers. :)

I got two different header rails seals from the same supplier 6 months apart and neither fitted well, both different sizes and profiles.

Nigel Atkins

Good stuff Mike, very helpful post.

How about sharing the tricks for installing the big seal under the windshield frame? I'd be interested: that one has the rep of being a bit of a bastard!
Greybeard


Well, I could always make a video on YouTube and add the link. I do have the advantage of working with a complete spare windscreen with good glass on my workbench. Worst case scenario is that IF I fail to make a proper and acceptable cowl to seal installation - I can just leave my cracked windscreen in place until the inspection date in October...

Hint: the suggested Secret Weapon is to make a tool from something similar to a narrow paint scraper but with some modifications to width and length.

More to follow....


Mike P.
Bflo, NY
>>>>>>>
Mike Pelone

Oh Great! My original plan has gone to Hell in a Hand Basket...as usual...

I just removed the old cowl seal [ in many pieces ] due to age, etc. However, the "new" windscreen to cowl rubber seal obtained last week from MacGregor's in Canada was NOT quite the magic solution. Perhaps, if I had the old seal removed for his inspection of the metal windscreen frame , he would have recommended another "style".

In any case, it now appears that the original Moss Motors USA part number which arrived last week would be a better fit.

Please take a look at the 3 grooves in the windscreen aluminum frame - and from the few intact pieces of the old rubber seal - it appears that one tapered edge fits into the groove closest to the glass whereas the "t-ridge" portion of the seal fits into the middle groove and the some what bulbous portion of the rubber seal is then "crushed" between the windscreen frame and cowl during installation onto the car.

Are all three grooves used this way - or can somebody offer up an alternative fitment?

Thanks for any advice on this (somewhat) confusing installation...


Mike
Buffalo, NY
USA
>>>


Mike Pelone

and another pic...

Mike Pelone

Mike,
Only the front two grooves are used. The rear (cockpit side) one remains empty. The T shaped section goes into the middle groove and the pointed upper lip of the thicker rubber part of the seal tucks into the front groove (your seal photo is showing it upside down). When I did mine I slid the seal in from one end, using a little talcum powder to stop it from sticking. The tubular part of the seal is then squashed against the scuttle top when the screen is bolted down.

Addendum: I think the rear groove acts as a break to stop moisture from drawing across to the inner side. Wooden window frames in construction use the same system of a groove to prevent capillary action
GuyW


Guy:

Thanks for the confirmation on the installation methods.

I have substituted coconut oil (don't tell the wife..) as a lubricant, however, each of the side frames of the windscreen prevents a direct (lateral) sliding approach. Perhaps direct vertical pressure can be used to push the T-ridge shape directly into the middle groove...

I will heat up the rubber seal tomorrow and see if it is more flexible. Plan B is to modify a handheld wall paper roller tool with a small groove cut into it that will allow me to apply (rolling) pressure along the entire length to force the T-ridge downward into the middle groove...

There is probably a special device that a glass installer may have in their tool kit - but time for an evening break with some single malt - then more effort tomorrow.

Mike P
USA
>>>


Mike Pelone

Mike,
When I did mine I was replacing the glass so fitted the rubber seal into the bottom rail before assembling the frame onto the glass.
GuyW


Whoa!

This could be the secret tool.
Check out this John Twist YouTube video for the bottom rubber seal on an MGB:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTJ-A_-n0_o

Mike Pelone

Clickable:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTJ-A_-n0_o
Greybeard

Good video Mike.

The bit that always troubled me was getting the outer lip to pull out and lie flat on the metalwork.

I remember an oldtimer showing me a trick. He specialised in fitting windows to camper vans, but I guess it's relevant. He laid in two lengths of cord inside the outer lip moulding. One was 1/8" parachute cord and the other was fine braided whipping twine. He told me when the window is in position pull out the paracord. Then when it's close to its final position pull the window in hard and pull out the fine twine. The first gets it near enough and the second pulls the edge out flat to the panel.

I've never done it myself but he made it look easy.

HTH
Greybeard

This thread was discussed between 28/05/2017 and 29/05/2017

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS now