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 MGB Technical - B GT tail light carpets - the return of Mr Floppy!

Gents,

It took me a while to find some pictures on the internet to show which way round these tail light carpets go, but I cannot understand how the vertical piece stays upright. They just seem to flop about!

It presumably can't be glued as it has wires behind it (can't glue to those!). I've searched for clips, with no avail.

How should they stay in place? Or, does some one have a neat tip to make them stay put?

Also; with the two flat side pieces, presumably these do glue to the inside of the wing/fender?

Thanks, James
James Eastwood

The side pieces do glue to the inside of the wings. To hold up the vertical pieces there are nuts with large flanges on them that hold the carpet up. Whether or not they are still available I do not know
Iain MacKintosh

The later cars (at least) came with a piece of shaped foam to close off the tail light pockets to the open pillars above. The tail of the carpet tucked in beside the after-end.
Roger W

There is (was) a small rectangular, stepped, metal tab with a
3/16" - 1/4" hole on it that was washered to the upper stud that
holds the rear brake light assembly on to the rear fender.

A small plastic button (with an expanding stud) was pierced
through the top end of the carpet and was snapped in place
through the hole on the metal tab.

Not a perfect solution as the hole on the carpet would often
enlarge itself in due time (after warranty) and the carpet would
flop down and become a minor aggravation.

Daniel Wong

I was missing the bracket on my 67 GT. Bent a piece of metal into an L drilled a hole in each side of this and attached the short end to the top taillight nut. Then put the carpet up and put a small hole through into the other hole in the bracket.

Used a black plastic push in button (panel fastener) works well.
Bruce Cunha

After finding one of the original brackets on the V8, but not having any on the roadster and given up scratching my head which way round they went and how they stayed up, I made my own: http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/bodytext.htm#carpet
PaulH Solihull

Paul,

Outstanding, thanks, I shall get some made up! It never ceases to amaze me how much more enjoyable MG ownership is with this forum.

James
James Eastwood

Hi James,

The interior is the principal area that needs my work - with apologies for taking a shameless shortcut, I'd be very grateful to hear how you get on with having these made up, once you're at the fitting stage. Looking at my pretty sparse boot area I see a similar challenge in my future!

Kind regards,

Piers
Piers Colver

Piers,

Sure all completed now. They are quite small when finished, and I also used a press stud on the bracket with the appropriate clip on the carpet. The plastic fir tree type push through thing that Paul described can be difficult to remove and not very original looking even if they were original.

Once the carpet is in place it does hang a bit and is still not a perfect fit, but is a 95% improvement, particularly when the other piece of carpet is fitted to the inside of the rear wing.

Good luck.
James Eastwood

Late entry, but Velcro could be your friend.

Herb
Herb Adler

James,

Thank you very much - I'll wait for warmer weather (-1 and snowing is a bit much) and give it a bash.

Thanks again and congrats on getting it sorted.

Piers
Piers Colver

This thread was discussed between 12/03/2013 and 21/03/2013

MG MGB Technical index

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