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MG MGA - Rivets

Does anybody have any hint for riveting the rivits that hold the name and patent tags on the top of the valve cam?

Is there a simple inexpensive tool for this? or is there a shade tree solution?
T McCarthy

I have no real suggestion. You might get by with punching it with a countersink punch to spread the rivet. You may have to shorten the rivet for this to work well. Whatever you do, seal the holes when you do it. Unless you get it TIGHT, the oil will weap out.
C Schaefer

I used an old dull center punch to spread the rivet initially and then hit it a flat punch to tighten it up. Don't hit the rivet too hard--very light hammer blows will do the job without damage. The head of the rivet has to be supported. I used a wood block for that. This way worked for me and required no special tools.

I did it this way and they have lasted over 3 years with no leaks and are tight.

Jim

PS: You should have a red imprinted "MG" tag for an MGA cover. Moss sells a black printed one which is proper for the MGB. SF has the proper red tag.


Jim Ferguson

What was the original filler cap retaining cord made of - was it braided wire? Does anyone have details of how it attaches to the neck of the rocker cover (sic -valve cam).
Mike
Mike Ellsmore (1)

The oil cap is tethered with a small steel cable emanating from the center hole in the cap. Both ends of the cable have a small metal bit permanently attached, so the cable would normally be a permanent part of the cap from original manufacture.

There is a small oval cup plate with a keyhole slot riveted to the side of the filler neck on the valve cover. Slip the end fitting of the cable into this slot and crimp the metal plate narrower to close the slot and hold the cable end. See picture attached.


Barney Gaylord

When I got my valve cover plates from SF, they provided split rivets which work reasonably well - drop the tail of the rivet through the patent plate and valve cover holes, then carefully tap the split sides of the tail apart until each is flush and tight against the inside of the valve cover.
Mark Lambert

For round headed rivets like that you would use a dished dolly that fully fits the machined head of the rivet but does not contact the base metal other wise damage is done. On the other side u could use a metal drift and hammer. Unless you have a mechanical squeezer which as the name says has the correct shaped fittings and squeezes the rivet to form the reaction head. Not something that is in the average tool box.
S P Rossetto

I have two oil filler caps (original design) without wires. There does not seem to be any way to fit a new wire to the cap once the original one breaks , and leaves the metal nipple to rattle around inside the cap. Has anyone managed to fit a new wire?
Peter.
P. Tilbury

Peter,
When I replaced my tether I drilled a small hole right through the inner bits of the cap. I crimped a bicycle cable end on both ends of the new tether and pried the neck fitting open to insert that end. The arc of the cable provides enough tension to keep the cable end inside the cap up and out of the way.
If you have a local shop that does aircraft repair they will have the proper rivets and tools. They would likely rivet the plates on properly for a couple of beers.

Rich

Rich McKIe

I ended up blocking one side and just tapping to flare it. One suggestion though would to apply some type of gasket cement under the plate and concentrate it around the holes. You will get a lot of oil blowing up through the rivet holes messing up your nice valve cover after every drive.
WMR Bill

This thread was discussed between 27/10/2008 and 11/11/2008

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