MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey 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 MGA - Boot (trunk) floor replacement

I'm about to replace my boot floor, with a complete repair section, purchased some years ago, as the original is both badly rusted and damaged from a rear end shunt. The rear valance section is also damaged and will also be replaced with a repair section, along with the inner wing closing panel. Knowing how inaccurate repro parts can be, has anyone got some advise or tips on how to proceed, as I'm concerned about keeping the correct shape when cutting out such large sections of metal. Clearly the rear section is off the chassis for complete restoration (the body is in 2 sections).

Chris.
Chris Bond

Chris, a lot depends on how badly damaged your rear body section is and if it's out of alignment already. If it's true then you could build a jig and use that to hold the sections in place while you replaced each. The key points in the rear are the rear body mounts, if those are intact then I'd reference from there and probably replace the rear panel first, followed by the boot floor and finish up with the inner wing section. Basically once the rear valance is done you have that as a reference for the boot floor and the edge of the floor panel becomes a reference for the inner wing. The body mounts to the rear of the axle area are notoriously un reliable as a reference as most are drilled incorrectly in the repair panels. The most reliable points are the rear mounts and the mounts just to the rear of the B pillars.
Bill Young

Chris, Where did you get the repair section? I've looked for one but am having no luck. That is the one section of my car that really needs work. Thank goodness the boot carpet covers it up. 'ugly'

P.R. Fahey

P.R. Moss and VB have repair panels for the boot. There's a small center panel and then the larger complete floor panel. The large panel is very expensive and the small panel usually won't be all you'll need if the boot is really rusty. I was lucky and found an old panel that had been cut and welded on e-bay some years back for a good price. It's not pretty but it had enough material to replace most of the metal in my car that was bad. I was able to make up my own patch panels for the rest. Like you said, good thing there's carpet.

Bill Young

Bill,
Thanks for your advise. Unfortunately I cut the rear body mount points out of the floor, some years ago, when I attempted to repair the rear valance (then thinking that floor was to replaced, so it did not matter!). The alignment is OK, as the shunt appears to be head on, relatively light and has not distorted rear section. I'll look into making a simple jig to hold it true.

PR,
I have had the floor for so long now that I can't remember where I purchased it from (mine is a LONG term project!). I will say that it is not like the original, but made up of individual repair parts, welded together. Which is why I have doubts as to its accuracy.

Chris.
Chris Bond

Copy Eclectic. http://www.eclecticmotorworks.com/dcoupe09.html
Though they no longer do these repairs this shows how to do it. Sports Car Craftsmen in Colorado now have the jigs.
R J Brown

Chris,

did you check with Metal Mickey?

http://www.sportscarmetalworks.com/

Siggi
Siggi

This thread was discussed between 03/03/2009 and 05/03/2009

MG MGA index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGA BBS now