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MG MGB Technical - BGT Boot hatch latch

I am doing a lot of tidying up job on the BGT before the summer and was going to replace the loop for the boot hatch.
The original is split and doen't fit the bolt holes and shape very well so bought a new one and this doesn't fit either.
Now a bit mystified and wondering if the two captive nuts or the area have been modified in the past?
Had a look around the net and there doesn't seem to be any good pictures of the captive nut area, without the loop fitted.
Does naybody have a picture of the hatch loop area without the loop fitted to see if it looks like mine?
Neckieman

When you say it doesn't fit, in what way? Hole spacing? Or positioning of the staple on the rear panel relative to the latch?

A pal had the latter problem and I had to modify it to fit, as here http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/bl2.htm#10
paulh4

BTW, and FWIW, my screw spacing is 1 1/8", and the nuts are welded, not captive i.e. caged .e. some scope for positioning on either of mine, all the adjustment is catered for in the slots in the staple.
paulh4

Are saying is that it bolts on but doesn't "Catch" the hatch?
The rear panel with the spot welded mounting plate is not the most rigid structure. Have a close examination of the shut line between this panel and the hatch. On one of my GT's I had to pull the panel rearwards a touch (not difficult) to get a good shut line and lock action.
Allan Reeling

I'll upload a picture later today. The nuts are welded on but the latch does not fit flush to the mounting plate as the nuts stop it doing so. The previous latch had been tightened down and the force has split the mounting part of the latch.
A pic is worth a thousand words and will be uploaded later
Neckieman

Sounds like the plate the staple bolts up to is buckled ... I'm assuming the nuts aren't on the wrong side! The pic will be interesting.
paulh4

1st Pic of bracket

Neckieman

2nd pic of loop. It looks to me if someone has welded or reinforced the nuts and caused the problem, i just can see a pic anywhere of what it should look like.
Its been like this since I bought the car and has never been very secure

Neckieman

Here is a photo I've just taken of mine. I hope it helps.


Mike Howlett

It looks like some work with the grinder is what is needed. plus maybe a tack weld in the upper corners.
Neckieman

That is a distorted mounting plate. It's difficult to work out how it got like that. I think I would just cut it off and replace it.
Allan Reeling

As suspected the nuts are on the wrong side, maybe because someone stripped the ones on the back. Masses of weld round them because the force of the latch on the staple is tending to pull them off the plate instead of on to it.

Can you feel the original nuts round the back? Given the number of times the staple has to be removed I would have put additional nuts on the back, even though it would need a spanner to hold them while tightening the screws. Based on mine it wouldn't even need longer screws.

Personally I'd grind those nuts off and do that.


paulh4

The picture shows what should have been there and now I know that I can see what has happened to mine.
It looks like the original nuts have been completely removed and two nuts welded on the front, they stick ever so slightly out of the rear of the plate so obviously the holes were large enough to pass a whole nut through/
The choices are either complete removal and replacement of the whole plate or what I have just done, ground it so that the latch fits flush and tack welded the cracked corner after hammering it back.
With some paint you won't even see the issue and there is enough weld on the nuts that I don't think it will come off.
This will be an issue for the next time it gets resprayed, changing the whole bracket will show on the external paintwork if done at the moment.
Its just a normal PO bodge, coming across many of them at the moment and sorting them out, mostly.
The exhaust was a good one, it had two rear brackets from different years, one of which was used as a middle bracket which bent the hole exhaust down about 1.5 inches in the middle. The wheel bearings that each only had one .010 shim each were another.
46 years of bodges will take some time to find and sort, even on a car that is in generally good nick.
Neckieman

I fitted the latch, after painting etc, and it went on fine. However I have had a squeak coming from the tailgate since I got the car which turns out to be a slightly loose fit of the loack on the patch, letting the tailgate move ever so slightly back and forth when driving.
While taking the latch on and off to adjust one of the nut welds started cracking.
So looks like the only way is the right way, will have to cut the bracket off and put on a new one.
Neckieman

Now have the new plate and will fit shortly, thanks for those who sent pics. I need to repair it right after all.
Neckieman

This thread was discussed between 18/03/2018 and 05/04/2018

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