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MG MG Y Type - New Hood & Frame

Hi all
Just an update on previous threads earlier in the year.

Whilst waiting for the upholsterer to fit my YT in to make a new hood out of the double duck material I purchased, I stripped the paint off the frame and painted it a similar colour to the side screens.

Whilst sorting out the side screens, I found the ones I swapped with another YT owner did not fit the attachment points, so the rear door points and front points on the rear screens had to be moved about 1/4 in.

Earlier this week I took the YT to the upholsterer ready for the hood to be made, and the first thing he said when seeing the frame up was that it was bent as though it had been hit on the RHS and needs to be fixed before a hood covering is made. Further examination reveals a number of inconsistence in the frame from one side to the other. Photos in this and next post.

Unless someone can give me an idea of where to obtain new swivel riverts to allow dismantling and reconstruction, it is going to be a very hard job to fix.

Once the frame is fixed, the upholsterer will make the new hood and side screens and I will then remove the hood from the frame, and then the frame from the car so I can get it sand blasted and powder coated.

cheers
Stuart


Stuart Duncan

Top photo shows difference between LHS and RHS of the 2nd (blackoval) & 3rd (red oval), whilst the bottom photo shows rear (black oval) and 3rd (red bow) differences.

Other parts of the frame are also bent.

Any ideas on straightening would be appreciated.

I note that NTG have a YT frame for sale, but it would cost around $1000 Aus by the time it get in Australia.

Stuart




Stuart Duncan

I have a spare hood frame here.

You can borrow it as a pattern to straighten yours or make me an offer.

Cheers

Tony
A L SLATTERY

Tony, thank you for the offer, but not needed.

I visited the upholsterer today. He spent 12 hours yesterday, up to 11pm with a couple of mates working on it. They found a large number of pieces bent. All now striaghtened with a bit of head and twisting.
On the 3rd bow RHS (including windscreen one) they found the ridge bar was welded to the side/vertical piece 25mm too far out, when measured against rivets and screws.

He also tightened some of the rivets.

He thinks he can fix the last bit, by how he spaces the bows with the joining strips.

I forgot to take photos of the fixes.
cheers
Stuart
Stuart Duncan

Good news.

Cheers

Tony
A L SLATTERY

Visited the Upholsterer today. As he spent the 3 days he set aside for my hood and side curtains trying to fix the hood frame, I have to now wait until he has spare time to make my hood and side curtains.

The 2 photos show the fixed rear 2 bows, whilst the other shows how much the middle bow was out - the vice grips are where the bow was welded to the side piece. Also note difference in shape of side piece compared to previous photo.

He is having problems working out why the front bow is lower on the RHS than the LHS. he thinks it can be fixed by the right hood strap pulling the bow rearwards a bit.

When I visited he was repairing Movieworlds Batmobile upholstery which he made around 10 years ago.

Stuart





Stuart Duncan

Stuart

You probably know that there are two different lenghts of lift the dot studs to be used. For further details check the Y-Bible "Let there be Ys" on page 149.

Cheers
Anton

Anton Piller

Anton,
yes I know of the different length LTDs. In a previous thread I discussed where each LTD goes. I have determined which holes around the rear body edge of my YT body have LTDs and those with bolts as per your image.

The Chrome trim on my side curtains is cut so badly that the pieces do not meet where they come together. As NTG and Octogon Club are unable to source and supply the trim strips, does anyone know of an alternate source.

Stuart
Stuart Duncan

Stuart please find an aticle I had published in the MG Octagon Car Club's Bulletin. Some three years back, I was able to buy the strips from NTG. Enjoy reading:

Recently, I bought a set of new side screen strips for my MG Y/T from NTG. Since they come as straight pieces of stainless steel, they need to be mitred and the top strips of the rear window must be bent to fit the curved window frames.
Stainless steel can be an issue to bend and if too much force is applied it tends to “kink”. In order to avoid such an undesired mishap, I made up a simple jig that allowes for the strips to gently be bent without any indents.
For a baseplate, I used a piece of plywood approximately 600x200x20mm thick. I copied the curve from the window frame to the baseplate and built a Tunnel that would hold one end of the strip (with enough play to be able to slide the strip backward and forward. The tunnel was constructed from three pieces of plywood, 60x60x6mm thick (see picture). Once the jig was fastened to the work bench by two clamps, enough force could be applied to get the desired results. Since the window frames are sided, the little tunnel needs first to be fastened to the topside of the jig and after the first strip has been finished, to its bottom side.
Warning: Be careful, not to over-bend the strips. It is virtually impossible to bend the strips back!

To better position the strips onto the frames, there had been angle pieces pushed into the strips - see attached photo. I made them up of brass.

Anton





Anton Piller


Stuart

Have you red my post of Nov. 25th, regarding the chrome strips? I was able to even buy the correct strip-fastening-screws from NTG.

Regards
Anton


Anton Piller

Anton,
Yes, I did read your post of 25th, I have read LTBYs and are proposing to use the long LTDs as per LTBYs.

Concerning Chrome strips for Side screens. If you look on the NTG website it has the Chrome Strips as "This item is currently unavailable". I also sent an email to the Octogon club as per my post of 26th. The current sidescreens already have the correct domed bolts which will be used on the new sidescreens.

As the upholsterer can not get back onto the hood until next week, I will be removing the repaired hood frame from the car tomorrow and taking it to get sand blasted / powder coated.

cheers
Stuart
Stuart Duncan

Thought I should finish this thread off with a couple of photos of the nearly complete hood and side screens.

The outer Chrome strips are No Longer Available, so he is using ones that I have - not the best fit though.

Front RH side screen material just has to be attached to frame, then he will make the small hood cover tonneau and I have asked if any material left over to do a full tonneau. I know it is not original, but is ideal for these times. A previous owner has put LTD studs across top of dash, so they can be used.

finally, a question. Should the double rear window zip pulls be on the outside or inside of the car.

cheers
Stuart





Stuart Duncan

This thread was discussed between 19/11/2020 and 26/03/2021

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