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MG TD TF 1500 - Alternative Method of Securing Door Lock Strikers

Came across this today:

www.mgmagicclassicmotorparts.com/door-lock-set-smooth-travel-complete-2-doors/

Interesting fit up concept, however the use of pop rivets is not a clever solution.

I do see some merit in this approach, the striker backing plate fasteners are no longer under an impact load to wrench them out of the A Pillar every time the doors are closed. There should be no need to precisely rebate the A pillar to obtain the required striker penetration to get that second click milestone, however there is the need to create a slot for the new brackets to locate.
G Evans

Copied the method described to fabricate the angle brackets depicted on the web site schematic with a few design changes. I slotted the holes that are used to fasten the striker mechanism so I had fore and aft adjustment and used phillister head s/s screws and nuts to attach them.

Outcome is I have a drivers door that closes with two finger pressure and complete rigidity in the mounting of the striker. Some bog and paint will hide the fasteners used to attach the angle brackets to the panel.

G Evans

Did you take any photos?
Mort
Mort 50 TD

Checked out the site Graeme & discovered that the Smooth Travel is the standard lock for the M.G. TD replica. My approach was to use the original TD Silent Travel hardware but to modify the fixings so as to eliminate the wood screws. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

I neglected to communicate the most vital element that I learnt during this exercise. It is critical that the fabricated attachment brackets are bent to the specified 93 degrees. This is vital to obtain full latching of the components as the door is traveling thru an arc.

To achieve this with the conventional hardware the A pillar rebate would need to be angled, the striker tapping plate bent or packers used.
G Evans

Mort

Apologies for the delay, these are the images you requested.

G Evans

Image 2

G Evans

Image 3

G Evans

Image 4

G Evans

Worth considering.

This is the best modification I have incorporated on my TF. My local roads are like goat tracks I am no longer having doors that fail to lock after I drive it or fly open.

Because the rigidity of the mechanism is so sound the door flexes as the lock latches pulling it into the A pillar.

Graeme

G Evans

Keep in mind that restoring the door latch mechanism (whatever than may entail) to how the car left the factory will give you a car with doors that stay latched on even the worst trails. Some seem to think everything about these cars were trash when they left the factory, like the wiring system, door latch system, etc. Truth is many of the trash specimen's of these cars around today are the result of easy-fix "improvements" made by people.

D mckellar

Graeme: I copied this thread when you initiated it back in 2015 as I planned to use it when I got to the door stage on my project... I'm finally there and still plan to use this for the striker in conjunction with modification to the lock side as done by Peter "down under" also! I have a couple of Questions... why the rivets/sheet metal on the inside of the striker pillar..... and how have you attached the 93 deg angles to the original striker plate?
Many thanks
Rod Murray 1954 TF 3006
Rodney G Murray

Hi Rod

If you look at the images the original striker plate is redundant and the striker is bolted to the 93 degree sheet metal angles.

No fixing is made to the wooden pillar, the sheet metal angles are attached to the metal striker pillar using the pop rivets shown in Image 3 in conjunction with the capping member. This makes for a very rigid structure.

Graeme
G Evans

Hi Graeme:
Thank you for the reply! I'm surprised that there is no attachment to the pillar... this because it would seem that the pop rivets would load the skin in shear every time the door is shut with no load transfer into the wood pillar as would be found in the original configuration. Over time I would expect the skin to "tear"... but maybe I'm might be missing something.
Again many thanks... Rod Murray TF3006 (starting to look like a car!)
Rodney G Murray

Hi Rod

Maybe a little more information is required. Although the striker brackets are not fixed to the wooden pillar they are supported in the rebates cut into the pillar. The strikers are therefore supported preventing rotational forces shearing the rivets.

Been using this method for over 12 months and still happy with the outcome.

Graeme
G Evans

Hi Graeme:)
Please excuse me if i am a little "thick" on this but how are the the 93 degree striker brackets that are not fixed to the wooden pillars but supported in the rebates. It would seem that the rotational force from the closing door wood all be vectored into the skin and the rivets?
best regards
Rod
Rodney G Murray

Hi Rod

If you study the diagram in

www.mgmagicclassicmotorparts.com/door-lock-set-smooth-travel-complete-2-doors/

you will note that the rear of the striker and the striker bracket are resting in the rebate and grooves in the wooden pillar.

This means that when the door is closed it is further forcing the striker and bracket to bear against the rebate and grooves made in the pillar.

The only force on the rivets is when the door is opened which is inconsequential or if you lean against the door.

Graeme
G Evans

Reactivated to communicate this solution for a member seeking a solution.

Graeme
G Evans

This thread was discussed between 12/11/2015 and 22/10/2020

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