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MG MGB Technical - Quick question re bonnet fixings

Don't ask a woman to help when it involves your MG.
I wanted to remove the bonnet to replace the soundproofing so loosened all the fixings, got myself and a friend to support the bonnet either side and then asked my other half to remove all the very loose fixings so we could lift the bonnet.

Well...……………. most of the fixings ended up on the floor or somewhere in the engine compartment; I know, I should have known better.

Found most of the nuts bolts and washers but not sure if I have got anything missing from the bonnet stay where it fixes to the bonnet.

The Moss catalogue and the MGOC diagrams are different.

Can someone please tell me the correct order of bits at the top of the bonnet stay?

(1979 MGB)

Cheers

Adrian
AdrianS

Adrian,
first the help, see - http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/bodytext.htm#bonnetstrut

Now the bollocking - I hope you're joking about moaning about your wife's help. She is the sensible one not wanting to fart about with an old car. If I were her I'd ask why you want to replace the soundproofing was it to hold the heat in in summer or keep the cold out in winter, don't you want to hear the sound of the engine, isn't that part of having an old car(?). Why do you need to remove the bonnet to replace the soundproofing anyway(?). Why did you need a third person(?). Why didn't you photo, draw or note the position of all the fittings before and during the work, sounds like you didn't properly prepare for the work. Good job I'm not your wife!

I have exactly the same, I don't prepare properly then also need the help of my very reluctant glamorous assistant, often to find the fittings I dropped. And yes I have worked on a B bonnet, with a mate, while the ladies very sensibly stayed indoors leaving us to fart about.

Man up, blame yourself not your wife - or at least have the sense not to moan about your wife out loud, in print, on a public forum.

Never expect a man to properly plan or prepare a job. :)

Nigel Atkins

“...or at least have the sense not to moan about your wife out loud, in print, on a public forum. ”

Particularly if there’s a chance she might see it!
Dave O'Neill 2

I very much doubt any wife would see anything written here but I'd never chance it, moaning to her face is one thing but moaning behind her back I'd imagine to be a very foolish move especially if you've ever made any mistake ever that she knows about or could find out about.

You know when you could be overstepping the mark and digging yourself into trouble when you get "the look", if you're passed the look your in trouble stop digging immediately, back up, apologise and hope it's not too late.

Nigel Atkins

Thankfully she doesn't read posts on this forum!
I explained carefully to her what she had to do - just cant understand how she managed to drop so many bits on the floor doing such a simple task! I did express my feelings at the time to her!
Anyway, I have found one bolt, one spacer and a lock nut for the top bonnet stay fitting.
Just wondered if there are meant to be any washers fitted which may be hiding in the engine bay.
AdrianS

That depends on how it was fitted before (see also link to Paul's site and Moss).

That's not to say it might not have been fitted differently before or with different fittings. If the set-screw/bolt is long enough and doesn't catch on any thing you could add washer(s) if you want, I like to use washers to spread the load and mark-up the paint less when possible.

I find it extremely easy to drop fittings, usually into inaccessible cavities or totally lost on the ground until my wife comes out and spots them immediately.

Nigel Atkins

As you will see from that link there can be quite a variation in how they are fitted but still function as they should, even down to which side of the bonnet tab the strut is fitted.

Both stepped spacers are needed to put the strut inboard of both brackets to space the strut away from them and prevent the strut rattling about on the bolts. However you can get away with a 1/4" washer inside the upper strut hole if that end if the strut is positioned outboard of the bonnet bracket. Stiff-nuts (or Nylocs) allow the struts to pivot without the nut coming loose.

Flat washers instead of the stepped spacers are used at both ends of my boot lid strut as the strut is round the other and the flat side of the strut goes against the brackets in both cases.

Tip: Disconnect the strut from the bonnet before undoing the hinge bolts!
paulh4

Now Nigel is your new forum wife! Always able to spot something wrong in a microsecond!

That is his Marvel comics superpower activated! lol!
S

If only I was good enough to be anyone's wife, unfortunately I have a male brain so will always be at a disadvantage.

Having put that to me there does seem to be a difference in male and female logic - and then there's my wife's logic which usually is of a very high standard but sometimes is just so different that it's well beyond my comprehension, I know it must be right but I can't work out how.
Nigel Atkins

lol!
S

This thread was discussed between 27/03/2019 and 29/03/2019

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