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MG MGA - Radiator felt pad

Hi Can anyone tellme where I can purchase the felt pad which goes between the radiator and bonnet or where I can buy the felt of correct size to cut my own Thanks
Brian Paddon

Todd Clarke sells it. It's a black strip of hard black felt 2" x 1" that glues to the underside of the bonnet between the two top hat sections.

However, I don't think it does a very good job of preventing air going past the radiator .

For one thing the bonnet underside is concave whereas the radiator top is flat and the felt pad is uniform rectangular section so the shape is not ideal.
Another thing is that, front to back, the bonnet presents a steepish angle to the radiator top and the felt could only contact along the front edge assuming the 1" thickness is enough which I don't think it is.

As it would be difficult to get hold of thick felt and then to shape it to the concave bonnet I thought a better material would be thick foam. I went to a local foam supplier not so long ago and they showed me how they shaped it using an electric hand saw cutter which seemed very effective.

Finally to get a really effective seal you would have to pay attention to the areas to the extreme left and right of the bonnet where the felt does not extend.....................................Mike
m.j. moore

But, while what Mike says may be true and will probably provide a better seal, the felt pad does work.
Gene Gillam

I bought one a few weeks ago from metal Mickey (sports car metal works) £14.incl pp.

You will find him on the web but tel number is 01753654144

As mentioned above, it's not a perfect seal by any stretch of the imagination but must be better than nothing!

Good luck, Graham
Graham V

Thanks Graham
I was suprised that looking for felt pads under the bonnets at the Mga day very few had them fitted. Were they only fitted to latter cars and does it help to force the air through the rad? Brian
Brian Paddon

I have had 3 MGAs, in the 70s and since 2001, none of which had/have the felt. I might just try it.
Shanerj

When fitting the felt pad, I used some double sided carpet tap on the bonnet side then rested it on the top of the rad ( on the front edge) then closed the bonnet. The tape allowed the felt to stick to the underside of the bonnet. I then marked the area, outlining with masking tape, then contact glued the felt to the underside of the bonnet after I was happy with the location. It seals as well as it is going too.
... CR
C.R. Tyrell

Brian
I have met the occassional owner who swears by them, others believe it gives a small improvement, and others think it does little or nothing. But at just £14 its not a big outlay. Or you can even make your own. Barney shows the dimensions.
Interestingly, if you take a look at the twin cam radiator, you will see it has an air seal fitted on the header tank.
Be a devil - go for it!
Graham
Graham V

Brian I used three of the felt pads that the spare wheel sits on in the boot stuck them together and they fit just fine

David Speak
D M SPEAK

Hi
Been to NTGtoday and picked up some more parts including the felt between rad and bonnet. Part no. T230. So now look forward to fitting it. Thanks all Brian
Brian Paddon

This thread was discussed between 26/07/2015 and 05/08/2015

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