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MG MG Y Type - Scuttle Side Trim Panels

My YT came to me with no trim in front of the doors. The under dash sound deadening panel is easy to work out.

I have made a cardboard template of the Scuttle Side trim panel, but I am wondering how far these go up under the scuttle / dash? Also how far to they continue below the doors?
I have looked at LTBYs, but there is no indication of where they stop.

I took photos of this panel on a couple of YTs at TYme Canberra 2016, but my photos didn't include the very top of the panel. Can someone please post a photo of the very top of the panel or give me a measurement as to the location of the top of the panel.

TIA
Stuart
Stuart Duncan

Another question.
Did the Scuttle Side Trim panels sit on top of the front floorboards and behind the U shaped metal carpet retaining piece or between the floorboards and the metal body?

thanks
Stuart
Stuart Duncan

Stuart

If you are referring to the pieces under the dash on the sides of the car, they are the same as on a Y/YB if you have one locally you can view.

If not, post back here I have one out of the car I can photograph for you.

Best wishes

Paul
Paul Barrow

Paul
No Y locally, closest is on the other side of Brisbane. A good hour drive each way. Can you please post a photo with a tape measure showing the distance from the bottom to the top.

cheers
Stuart
Stuart Duncan

Stuart

21 5/8 inches or 55cm high

Paul

Paul Barrow

Stuart

15 1/8 inch or 38.4cm wide at apex of door curve

Hope these help you

Paul

Paul Barrow

Paul
Many thanks for the dimensions. Just one other needed - the distance along the floor edge.

Also where do the panels sit. On top of floor boards or between floor boards and body.

Stuart
Stuart Duncan

Hi Stuart

I'll get back to you on the base measurement if you need it but it is basically a smooth curve down the front edge of the door frame and extends forward up to the slopping toe board ... however long that is.

They sit in the gap between the floor boards and the sides of the car if that makes sense to you.

Paul
Paul Barrow

Hi Paul

Thank you for taking your time to answer my questions. I would normal send an email/SMS (or 2) to Tony, but he is holidaying in NZ.

Fitting between the floorboards and the body makes sense. I will just have to recut my front floorboards to make that gap. The distance along the bottom edge will determine how far the gap continues.

Concerning their location around the door frame, how close are they to the door frame (ie. level with edge of the P rubber or 5 or 10mm inside). I ask as your measurement is 15mm short on my template which sits level with the door frame edge (no P rubber as yet fitted) and is pushed hard forward against the toe board etc.

Stuart
Stuart Duncan

Hello Stuart

Attached find photo of side panel. It reaches right down to the inner sill and is sideways positioned by the floorboard.

Don't get confused by the little black corner at the very front. This is actually portion of the battery box.

If you still need a sample: I do have a template and can copy it to a sheet of paper - in order to be sent in an envelope :o)

Anton, YT 4220
Switzerland

Anton Piller

Anton
Thank you for your offer of a template. I have made one but had a few queries which your photo has solved.

> the panel sits level with the door opening, and
> the panel continues under the door until about level with the front of the seats.

Again many thanks to you and Paul.

Now to make the boards and buy some vinyl to cover them.

Stuart
Stuart Duncan

Start

The panels were made of Milboard and not of wood. They had large indentments to enlarge the space next to the axcellerator pedal. Check LTBYs :o)

Anton
Anton Piller

Stuart - after viewing Anton's picture let me know if you still need something else.

Paul
Paul Barrow

Paul, I now have enough information to make the panel. Thankyou for your help. I hope to see you at Tony's 75th Anniversary weekend.

My local upholsterer doesn't stock anything like millboard, but I have bought a sheet of bituminous injected cardboard, which I can also use as the Underdash /firewall cover. I am looking at using modern trim attachments (Fir Tree Buttons) in lieu of bolts and rivets. I know it not original but the areas are not easily visible.

I have also stuck Dynamat Extreme sound and heat insulation to the inside of the doors and front quarter panels, still to do the gearbox and tunnel covers, plus below the back seat. I hope this will reduce road and engine noise and heat. I am still to determine what insulation material to use behind the Underdash cover and under the carpet. I do not like the idea of felt or underlay that holds moisture.

Stuart

In time I will post some photos.
Stuart Duncan

Hi guys

I have seen a number of cars, but wish to confirm if the "side scuttle panel" butts up against the "under dash cover" or vice versa. (no mention in LTBYs)

As I am in the process of making the side and under dash panels, depending upon the order they are attached will affect the size of the second attached panel(s).

Stuart
Stuart Duncan

Hi Stuart,
The under dash cover went in the car first, before the wiring loom is installed & all the other control cables that pass though it.

Therefore the side panels fit under the under dash cover. Don't forget the recess for your foot near the accelerator pedal on the right side panel.

Sorry I missed your call, been trying to cut down the jungle that has grown in the past week !.

Cheers

Tony

A L SLATTERY

Tony
I know the feeling about a jungle. We only have a house block but the grass is growing so fast - lots of rain and now sunshine and warmth.

You state "the under dash cover went in first", then you state "the side panels fit under the under dash cover". This can only happen if the "under dash cover" doesn't go fully to the sides.

My photo of your YT shows the R/H side panel butting up to the Under dash cover and I think I see piping in between.

Concerning the R/H recess. As the Trimboard and bituminous card will not absorb moisture to allow stretching and the creation of a depression I will either cut a hole in the main panel and have a larger separate panel behind (as Bob Simpson and others have done) or put an extra screw in the panel and pull it back to the metal.

cheers
Stuart
Stuart Duncan

Thought I should share a photo of the my end result.

As I will be doing a complete re-upholster and paint
job in a few years time, this will not be the final panel.

The carpet is cheap from the local hardware store.

I will probably make another underdash cover when I reupholster the YT, as it doesn't sit hard against the battery box and bends are not the best.

Stuart

Stuart Duncan

Hi All,
I was contemplating reproducing the "shallow depression" in these panels. I have the images in LTBY's as a guide, but it is difficult to get actual sizes.
Tony, I thought you alluded to the possibility of using built up ply to form the indent. I would be happy enough to try this too. What I would like to know, is how deep is the indent, is the depth constant or does it taper out towards the fire wall. That last seems to fit with the framing inside the body at that point. In fact, there would seem to be no space to accommodate a depression at all towards the fire wall edge of the panel. There is of course no guarantee that my YT's body geometry is quite what it used to be, I do know there have been some serious repairs done at some time.

Has anyone done this with thermo-forming plastic, hot air gun and block? Moderate costs involved I think. The softening temperature is usually around 70 degs C. Easy to get, but maybe too low. Fire retardance can be ok, depending on brand.
Secondly, does the YT panel extend up with a projection towards the dash, or is it cut off as per the illustrations in LTBY's.
regards Kevin M
K G Mills

Hi Kevin
Attached is a photo of Bob Simpson's YT driver's side front panel. Sorry it is out of focus, but you can see how Bob has made the indentation.

Bob's YT (and his SA) is considered one of the top Y's in Australia.

I have found that by screwing the panel back (to the metal) gives me enough room to operate the accelerator.

cheers
Stuart

Stuart Duncan

Hi Stuart,
thanks for the photo. That looks great, and quite do-able.

I am still vague about the shape at the top of the panel., compare Anton's panel (beginning of this thread, with the LTBY's pic attached. (Hopefully not a copyright infringement.). Was the Anton version with the top edge projection back over the door edge finishing more or less at the dash board, correct for the YT?

To get as much benefit as I can from the indent, I will try recessing it more at the door edge. So a couple of fillets of ply, sanded off to taper from max thickness at the door edge to nothing at the fire wall then sit that on the inset panel.

Assuming this is vinyl covered, I surmise the sub-panel is covered separately, then brought up to the main one. Is that so?


K G Mills

Kevin
I don't think anyone is going to query how high you go with the panel under the dash. I went up enough so it covered all metal, bolts etc.

I have used Millboard as my backing material, but will use ply in future as the Millboard doesn't stay flat.

I was thinking along the same lines of using layers of tapered ply to make the indentation, but now realise the ply has to sit in the metal panel's hollow and will therefore reduce the size of the hollow you can make. I therefore think it may be better to make a mould and create a fibreglass or plastic indentation which can be attached to the ply sheet and cover all with vinyl.
cheers Stuart

Stuart Duncan

Hi Stuart,
thanks again for the help.
As regards the depth of the indentation, maybe it isn't actually the prime consideration.
If the depressed area is hard against the metal stiffener in the body , then that is as much space/clearance as one can have along side of the throttle pedal. The only depth lost is the panel thickness. (3~4 mm for ply say, not significantly more than the thermo-plastic option.)
So what I'll fiddle with, is trying firstly to get an indent panel to sit well in, then work backwards to find what shims I need between it and the outer main panel.
As to the shape at the top of the panel, I'll follow Anton's image.

Wish me luck.

(And can you explain something else I don't understand, just why do we do this?)

Kevin M

K G Mills

Kevin
I am not particularly concerned about the look of my YT, I just want a car that looks like the original. It has paint flaking and chips, seats are not original. I just rebolted the floor in, captive nuts on underside are missing, so used extra long bolts and used nuts on underside. (I am atleast trying to get bolts etc back to original (BSF and mad metric on engine).

Remember we are the current custodians of the car and our aim should be to leave the car in the same or better condition than when we obtained it, and still enjoy (the driving of) it.

There is a TD owner in Sydney (Peter Hehir (of The Sullivan's TV show)) who is pedantic about his TD looking original. Check the TD-TF BBS for his comments and questions.
cheers
Stuart
Stuart Duncan

This thread was discussed between 18/02/2017 and 16/02/2019

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