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MG MGA - Sills

What is the correct gauge metal for the inner sills?
Art Pearse

I don't know of any part of the original body steel which is not 19 gauge(42 thou). Chassis frame is 16 gauge (65 thou). The chap in California who makes panels and says that the original metal was 24 gauge is not correct. All the repro panels I've seen are 20 gauge (35 thou). Over here 19 gauge is not easy to find but 1mm sheet (39 thou) is usually a stock item . Mike
m.j. moore

OK. I can get 18g (.049) But I have a bigger problem, as the bottom part of the "F" section, joining A and B posts is gone. All that is holding the body in place are the two outer sills. I don't want to remove the pillars, but rather want to reconstruct the F section. Can anybody help with suggestions, plans, etc? A cross section sketch through the sills would be valuable.
Art Pearse

Barney's site tells it all http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/restore/rt614.htm
Lindsay Sampford

Thanks Lindsay. That's fantastic.
Art Pearse

Don't thank me Art, thank Barney! If you page forward and back from the page I've given you, there is more stuff pertaining to sill replacement which may help you further. Hope it goes well, Lindsay.
Lindsay Sampford

Art, my metalworking skills are definitely sub-par, but I was able to hand-fab the bottom 3 or 4 inches of the front and outside of both B pillars on my 57 A. I figure if I can do it, anyone can.

What have you got to lose?

L Wheeler

I am actually looking forward to this adventure. Like you, I just have primitive tools, a lot of time, a MIG and angle grinder.
My first challenge is the rear inner sill plates. See pic of inside LH wheel arch. Can someone help me with dimensions of this piece, either template or measurements using as ref. the rear body mount? I need to know how far below the mount this plate extends. I have nothing left there to make a template from!

Art Pearse

Sorry, wrong pic. Here is the inside pic

Art Pearse

Body sills should extend downward to stop about 1/8-inch above the bottom of the frame. Reason is so you can use a frame jack without smashing the body sills.
Barney Gaylord

That sounds very sensible Barney. Since the rear frame raises up at the rear, I stuck a straightedge under the frame (next to the weld bead) and measured up to the F and R body mounts. Front was 4-3/4 , rear 8-1/2 to the nearest 1/16. The front sill is 4-3/4 below the body mount. So if I allow your 1/8 for jack clearance and 1/8 for body packing, these cancel. By this reasoning I should make the rear plate 8-1/2 below the body mount flange.
Unrelated question - what is the purpose of the 4 x 1/2" holes on the front flanges of the A posts? They go through the bodywork. Does something bolt there?
Art Pearse

It took me a while to figure out what you were talking about, until I looked at one of my body pictures. See attached picture. I presume you mean the four holes through the inner fender just in front of the A-post, passing through the A-post flange. This is where the back end of the outer fender attaches. There is a wide Z-shape flange in the fender, crimped inside of the rolled over back edge of the fender, going forward then inward to get around the A-post, then bending forward again where it will rest against the inner fender. The fender flange has captive nuts there, and it takes four 1/4-inch screws from the inside.


Barney Gaylord

This thread was discussed between 08/08/2009 and 11/08/2009

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