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MG MGB Technical - Trunk Lid

I'm finishing a rebuild of a 1979 MGB. The car has been painted and put back together. My trunk lid is about an 1/8 inch to high at the rear deck. This is toward the front of the car. The lid closes fine and lines up with the bottom above the bumper. The side clearances between the finders and the lid are good. The only problem is that the portion of the trunk lid that faces forward is just a bit to high. Before I start playing with the hinge positions, can anyone give me some advice on pulling the forward part of the lid down about 1/8 inch while keeping the rest of the alignment. Do I need to go toward the back or front of the car?

Thanks,

Dick Field
Dick Field

Dick,
This may be a silly question, but have you checked that the contour of the boot (trunk) lid is correct by laying it in place after disconnecting the hinges?
If the car has been rear-ended at some time some slight damage may not have been corrected.

David
David Overington

In that time-honoured phrase "They all do that, sir", or many do anyway. It could be something to do with the stresses caused by the telescopic, at least, prop as mine was like that only on the left. I fitted a couple of washers between the hinge and the underside of the apron which improved matters.
Paul Hunt

Packers, immensely useful on a B to compensate for manufacturing errors/inaccuracies!
Allan Reeling

David, Paul and Allan,

Thanks, for the tips. I've had the car for over 25 years and the trunk fit better before the paint job. I've got some traveling to do and will try your suggestions when I get back.

Dick
Dick Field

I've heard that it is possible (and even necessary) to bend the boot lid v_e_r_y gently to get it to fit properly. I must admit mine is a little bit out and I've never had the courage to try!

Mike
Mike Standring

Mike - Horses and MGB doors but not bootlids which come in fine fettle. The hinges need packing.
R
Roger W

Mine needed packing, but even though the hinge corner is now flush, and the other side is flush all the way down the side, the left-hand side still sticks up a bit in the middle. Not that I'm going to try bending it though.
Paul Hunt

Have you replaced the rubber strip around the boot lid ?

I had problems similar to yours - the new rubber seal was not compressing as the original - more rubbish replacement parts !

Tracked down another source of supply and it fitted fine.

R.
richard boobier

Mine's the original seal, i.e. the sponge type with the impervious skin. The usual suspects seem only to supply the very inferior 'tube' type seal which as you say doesn't compress anywhere near as well. I've not had to buy them but the correct seal (for both the lid on the roadster and all roud the GT hatch) seems to be available as SRS 108 or SRS 1920 variously from Seals Direct, Martin's Rubber, and Phoenix Supplies.
Paul Hunt

Paul,

Good thought on the seal. I did replace it after having the car painted. I'll check it.

Dick
Dick Field

PAUL
That hump in the middle left side of your boot lid was caused by the lid being pushed down before releasing the stick.
3:0:5^110:0:5^127:0:2

As I inferred in my first post.
Paul Hunt

I just went through the same problem after replacing the seal I got from VB. It's a tube type.
As seen in the first pic, the boot lid is very proud. I installed two 1/8 inch shims under each hing and it is much better, as you can see.
BTW, the screws were long enough that I didn't have to replace them with longer ones, even though I added 1/4 inch of space.

Cleve Crews

Cleve,

This is interesting. When I take the seal off, my alignment is good. The seal is the problem. When you say under the hinge exactly what do you mean. Can you send a picture? Did you have to adjust the latch too?

Dick
Dick Field

Between the hinge and the underside of the body panel, i.e. to make the hinges and hence the boot lid sit that bit lower. You shouldn't have to adjust the latch just because of adding a couple of washers there. Do you have the correct foam seal?
Paul Hunt

Paul,

I have the new rubber seal for now.

Dick
Dick Field

Dick,
Here is a pic of where I placed the shims between the hinge and the body.
Hope this helps!


Cleve Crews

Cleve,

Thanks.

Dick
Dick Field

This thread was discussed between 29/09/2014 and 06/11/2014

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