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MG MGA - Installing the grill?!!

What is the trick to installing the grill?!!

How should I go about getting the right fit?

Then how do I keep the rubber bead on while I'm trying to bolt the grill to the car?
gerard hutchinson

Gerrard,
No doubt the experts will be along soon with some good advice but I think you need to clarify to them whether or not you have a Mk2 which of course has a different grill. I know that only too well as I have the Mk2 and some of the lower fixing bolts seem to be unreachable.
Graham M V

You can glue the bead to the grill with weatherstrip adhesive. I had to dissasemble my grill (remove the slats) and gently reshape the surround to match the shape of my car ('62 MK-II). Then I reshaped the slats to fit back into the grill. It was not a fun job, but it can be done.

Ed Bell

You can glue the bead to the grill with weatherstrip adhesive. I had to dissasemble my grill (remove the slats) and gently reshape the surround to match the shape of my car ('62 MK-II). Then I reshaped the slats to fit back into the grill. It was not a fun job, but it can be done. My grill is a reproduction from Moss, bought in 2001.

Ed Bell

with the slats and shell separated, you can mold the shell to the body by using just your hands to carefully bend and massage the metal until it lies more or less tight against the nose. then reassemble leaving it a bit loose and slip the molding in all the way around, holding it on with masking tape until you tighten the grill to the car. While tightening, hold the grill flush with one hand while snugging up the bolt with the other. This requires patience! Lots of beer nearby helps.

If the nose has ever been damaged, it may not ever lay completely flush - so some compromise is required.

JIM in NH
AJ Mail

Hi Guys
I used hot glue to hold the beading in place. I have restored a few MGAs and the is invisible and simple.
Best regards
Bruce
B Jackson

Two things, 1) A MKII grill will fit a 1500 or 1600 if both the grill and the front clip are correct. 2) Make very sure that your hood (bonnet)latch is working perfectly before you install the grill. There is no easy way to open the hood once the grill is installed.
David Werblow

All good advice!! I think I will need to use some type of adhesive to hold the bead in place while I bolt the grill down.

David - The hood latch works perfectly when I test it over and over. But I had the hood shut for a week and the latch would not release!! As I recall I installed the parts without a thorough cleaning and lubrication. What did you do to make sure the latch released everytime?
gerard hutchinson

Lesson learned - my hood latch releases fine, but then still broke.

The nut and lockwasher worked themselves off the long bolt that holds the l-shaped rod connector where they round the corner. Replace this with a nyloc nut and washer to be safe.

See an earlier thread about installing an "emergency release cable" which I plan to to this winter. link:

http://www.mgexperience.net/phorum/read.php?2,1632004

JIM in NH
AJ Mail

I used short pieces of duct tape to hold the beading in place.
The answer to the broken bonnet ( hood) latch is to change the mounting bolts at the top. My friend with the twincam in our club ( now sold to Oz - the car not my friend)did this to his carsome years ago. Instead of screwing the bolts in from underneath the bonnet he fitted longer ones to the top of the grill first and then slipped a polythene sleeve over the end ( cut from a length of plastic pipe). These means the grill can then be pushed into place in the bolts holes first ( the plastic stops it rattling)and then the bolts at the bottom fastened. Now the grill can be removed easily without opening the bonnet.( I must do it myself sometime before my bonnet catch fails )
Cam Cunningham

Go to the Moss USA website, and they have detailed instructions to download for installing the grill.
Gary Lock

This thread was discussed between 13/11/2011 and 15/11/2011

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