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MG MGA - Windscreen mounting

In the process of attempting to remove the windscreen I have broken something loose on one of the mounting bolts. Is there a caged nut or is the bolt tapped into the windscreen frame. If it is a caged nut will I need to remove the fender to get to it?

Lastly what is the typical number of packing pieces needed to remount the windscreen. These are the packing pieces that fit along with the frame mounting arms where it is bolted to the body.

Thanks,
John
jbackman

Yes you will need to remove the fender as it is a cage nut. It will be easier to see how much packing you need with the fender removed. IMHO average amount is not relevant, you just need to know the right amount for your car.
N McGurk

This is one of the brackets that the stanchions bolt to with 3/8" screws. I guess one of your cage nuts has rusted to the screw and it has rotated inside the cage when trying to undo it. It should be a straightforward job to grind away the cage and weld another one in. The worst job is taking off the wing........................Mike

m.j. moore

Neil and Mike,

I was afraid that it was a spun cage nut. I managed to back the bolt out about half way before it let loose. Should have worked it back and forth more.

Thanks, John
jbackman

Once you get the cage nut problem solved try this.

I have both a standard all original windscreen and a competition type I got from Rag Tops and Roadsters years ago. I switch them back and forth for winter and summer.

I use two sets of longer bolts with the heads covered in leather and a nut drawn up part way to allow them to tighten. I cut holes in the side panels to accomodate them and can screw and unscrew them by hand, no wrenches. Covered the threads in antisieze silver goop. They never stick. No need for packing material of any kind. Its easy to mount and dismount the grab handles on the standard windscreen from the body of the car.

Point being that if you take this approach, it is simple to remove or mount the windscreen in the future and can give you some options about other types of cut down or racing type screens. They make the car change personalities!

Good luck,

Ted
Ted Persons

You may be able to fix this without removing the fender. Jack up the car, remove the wheel, remove the splash panel. Then you may be able to reach back into the side space with Vice-Grip to pinch the cage enough to re-capture the square nut.

In the Service Parts List the number of shims is specified as "A/R" (as required). I believe the car was designed to use nominally one shim each side (two total). With production variations in the car bodies and windscreen assemblies the number of shims required could vary from 0 to 2 each side (0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 total). My car incidentally assembles nicely with no shims, but don't bet on it. If your car needs the shims and you leave then out the result could be distorted windscreen and possibly broken glass.

During installation, drop the screen assembly into place and see if it will wiggle slightly from side to side. If so, then insert a shim on one side on the outboard side of the post and try it again. If it still wiggles, insert another shim on the other side and try it again. Stuff in as many shims as you can get to fit in the space allowed without forcing it. Then when you tighten the mounting bolts you will have the least amount of distortion and stress on the assembly.
Barney Gaylord

You may be able to fix this without removing the fender. Jack up the car, remove the wheel, remove the splash panel. Then you may be able to reach back into the side space with Vice-Grip to pinch the cage enough to re-capture the square nut.

In the Service Parts List the number of shims is specified as "A/R" (as required). I believe the car was designed to use nominally one shim each side (two total). With production variations in the car bodies and windscreen assemblies the number of shims required could vary from 0 to 2 each side (0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 total). My car incidentally assembles nicely with no shims, but don't bet on it. If your car needs the shims and you leave then out the result could be distorted windscreen and possibly broken glass.

During installation, drop the screen assembly into place and see if it will wiggle slightly from side to side. If so, then insert a shim on one side on the inboard side of the post and try it again. If it still wiggles, insert another shim on the other side and try it again. Stuff in as many shims as you can get to fit in the space allowed without forcing it. Then when you tighten the mounting bolts you will have the least amount of distortion and stress on the assembly.
Barney Gaylord

Ok, with Barney's suggestion I was able to get to the captured nut with a vise grip and managed to remove it. In the end I had to break off the capture metal around the nut. It isn’t necessary to jack up the car, just turning the wheel a bit is enough to provide access to the splash panel. The toughest bolt was the little one at the bottom. Pretty cool to pull off a part of the car that had not been removed for 53 years. The sheet metal rust was not nearly as bad as I feared. Of course the windshield mounting bolts were a different story.

Considering the amount of torque required to turn the windshield mounting and the reduced diameter of the bolt I am quite surprised it didn’t break. About a 1/3 of the bolt shank was rusted away. The issues didn’t end there. The windshield post to frame screws are a course thread metal screw similar to those used for the bows in the soft-top. I am not sure at this point if I can even get them back to 10-32 let alone 2BA. She will probably have to go back together with the bastard screws until I get to a full tear down.

The remaining show stopper is that I have not been able to budge the right hand windshield post. I have removed the windshield frame and the left hand post. Based on the evidence of prying that is around the holes for the mounting bolts the windshield has been removed in the past and that it took some effort to get the post out. She is soaking in penetrating fluid tonight and tomorrow I may try to drill a hole in the bottom of the channel that holds to post to see if it can be tapped out from below. Heat will not be advisable for a number of reasons. Any other suggestions would be welcome.

John


jbackman

With regard to the picture and the bolts that hold the frame to the post.

The frame is chrome on brass but inside there is a removable steel tapping plate which can be replaced.

Regards...John
J Bray

I wouldn't worry about keeping the screws as Todd Clarke supplies chrome plated brass raised head countersunk - the one at the bottom is a bit longer than the other three. TC also supplies brass tapping plates (tapped 10-32 not the original 2BA)and stainless corner brackets which you will almost certainly need plus the small brass csk screws that hold the frame together.
If you plan on getting the frame/posts chrome plated start saving up - I had mine replated earlier this year!!..........................Mike
m.j. moore

This thread was discussed between 02/08/2012 and 12/08/2012

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