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MG MG Y Type - Starting handle

I have discovered the starting handle that came with the car is too short at 550mm long. The cranked handle fouls the bumper and cannot be turned, it needs to be at least 600mm long. Strangely the handle that NTG sell for the car is 550mm long, their MGA handle is longer and would work. Is it just my handle that's wrong?
I Anderson

The diagram is what was provided to me in a 2017 thread titled 'MG Y Type Starting Handle'. The dimensions are for a YA/YT and it fits.

I was able to obtain a starting handle from a local Y Type owner.

cheers Stuart

Stuart Duncan

That matches the one I have and that sold by NTG, but it's too short to work. That might suggest that the bumper is too far forward or the engine too far back! I'll take some measurements for comparison.
I Anderson

35mm gap between the rear of the bumper brackets and the body, 220mm from front of radiator to the rear of the starting handle bracket, 575mm from the dog to front of bumper and 10mm gap between the back of the engine block and the bulkhead. How does that compare?
I Anderson

My front bumper, radiator etc are off the YT whilst I have the engine is out of the YT, replacing crank seals and piston rings, so unfortunately I can not do any measurements.
Stuart
Stuart Duncan

The NTG starter handle is 100% correct. Measuring from the inside of the "arm pit" of the handle to the tip it should be 550mm long. The distance from the starter nut face to the carrier on the front bumper should be 360mm. Anything else, and you have something wrong! The engine will only mount in a certain position (or your gearbox and drive line will not meet the rear of the flywheel cover and sump. Do you have MG Y/YT bumper irons? Check with the drawings in Let there be Ys.

Regards

Paul
Paul Barrow

Mine is 550mm from the dog to the carrier, so clearly the brackets appear wrong. It looks like I either need to extend the starting handle or replace it. The MGA one at 600mm would suit.

Could it be that the front and back bumpers have been swapped over, the back bracket is a lot narrower!
I Anderson

Pretty sure your bumper irons may be incorrect Ian. Can you add a picture looking down on them?
Paul Barrow

Pictures of front and back bumper brackets.




I Anderson

I see your problem Ian - there should be no space or gap between the chrome bumper and the flat blade that goes behind it. That is your problem. Is that a Y Type bumper or one from a Ford Popluar? If you cannot get the blade flush against the bumper you have either the wrong blade or bumper.

The number plate should hang off Z brackets from the bottom of the bumper. See the Parts Drawings page on the website for a diagram.
Paul Barrow

Paul. Many thanks. I'll have a look tomorrow, I may be able to rotate the bar behind the front bumper to reduce the gap.
I Anderson

The closest I can get to reducing the gap may be by swapping the front and back chrome bumpers. The front has curve, whilst the back is a lot straighter.
I Anderson

I think you do not have Y Type bumpers Ian :(

Apart from a small turn at the ends, Y Bumpers are flat all the way across the car. They have a wider lip (top) from bottom but are otherwise the same as TD bumpers. Is there anyone close to you with a Y with proper bumpers or a TD so you can compare?
Paul Barrow

Paul. Thank you for your help on this query. Any Y or TD owners out there in Bristol UK willing to let me look at their cars?
I Anderson

Paul. I have looked at other Y and T Types on YouTube and can see the difference between mine and others. The front bumper is the right profile and length but is bowed when it should be straight! The simplest solution appears to be to get a longer starting handle. Thanks for your help.
I Anderson

Or get the bumper pressed straight Ian? Is it bowed symmetrically or has someone tried towing/pulling the car with it? A good body shop with a jig should be able to pull it straight maybe?

Paul
Paul Barrow

Hi All
My YB handle the important bit, the straight length is 620mm long you could get away with 580 much shorter and you would possibly bang your hand on the bumper.It is also thinner than the standard one to clear the badge bar.I do have another Y one which is only 555mm
long.
John YB0362




JC Jebb

Ian
are you sorted now? In your picture where the the bumper iron are bolted to the chassis extension it then curls round on its self across the dome nuts. the gap there between the iron is appros 65mm your gap looks massive. whats the gap between bumper blade end and the front wing?
John YB0362
JC Jebb

my handle was also too short
so I made a new one from a round steel
made it hot and bent
an aluminum tube at the end where you touch it.
Was easy to make and finished in less than 1 hour,
fits and works perfectly
FT Franz

Hi All,
Did some tests last night, with the correct bumper irons and bumper up againt the end of chassis exts ( no badgebar etc )a 550mm handle fits perfectly see photo
John YB0362

JC Jebb

Bought a Land Rover starting handle off eBay. It is 600mm long and just right in terms of length to fit my car with its mysteriously bowed front bumper. I had to file down the pins and the metalwork in front of the pins to better fit the dog.

I have a 550mm long starting handle in good condition if anyone wants one.
I Anderson

This thread was discussed between 18/08/2022 and 15/09/2022

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