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MG MGB Technical - Tailgate issue

Hi there,

I am a new member, currently re building an 67 narrow tunnel GT.

My issue is with the tailgate opening itself. I think there have been many repairs on the car over the years, but I noticed after I got the car that the tailgate opening is not "square". That is to say the measurement from one corner diagonally to the other corner (I know that the opening has rounded corners but I carefully marked the same point in all four corners for reference) is about 5 to 6mm out of line when measured from top left to bottom right and then compared to top right to bottom left.

This is fairly obvious when you look at the gaps around the hatch itself when closed.

Have any of you had similar issues and how did you solve it? I have good welding skills so am not scared to resolve the issue by unpicking and moving the seam where the back panel meets the boot floor, as at the moment both rear wings and the little panels in the side of the boot are missing, or as it is a small amount perhaps re squaring the hole with a porta power jack. (before you ask the problem was present before I removed the rusty rear lower wings.) As far as I can see there is no accident damage hidden away.

I have been told that the build quality and body alignment of the cars was probably not the best when they rolled out of the factory so maybe its been like this since new, but it would be good to correct it.

What do you think?

Kind regards
Steve
S Brennan

6mm is just enough to be a nuisance
I wouldn't get into 'unwelding' for that just a little pump accross the corners, don't overdo it though it'll only be 2-3mm to get back 'square'
My neighbour is a windscreen fitter and has to pump quite a few cars that aren't quite right and some are quite expensive well known brands as well
If you're leaving the hatch on to do it , make sure the hatch is adjusted perfectly in line with the top and corners of roof and take the catch off ,then you can trial fit as you adjust the hole

willy
William Revit

I'd also hope that 6mm was far more than the body shop would send out. I had a similar issue with a Metro after a non-impact accident involving a severe skid and going sideways into an embankment. That was scrapped, but in your case going by what you say you are doing I'd use something in the 'tight' corners to push it back into shape. Replacement wings always need fettling to fit the shell anyway, so I wouldn't worry about that part of it.
paulh4

Hi William,
I was thinking the same thing....
had a measure up up of the squareness of the spare wheel box are and that is perfectly square i so its just the tailgate hole thats a bit skew. I set up a jack and some blocks of wood earlier and pumped it over so its back in square, and the tailgate sits perfectly. I will wait a few days and check it again, as I imagine it will settle back a bit and may need a little push again.

thanks again

Steve
S Brennan

Hi Paul,
yes I have had the wing thing too...
theres a good vid on youtube showing how ther make the bodies on jigs, think they put my one together in the car park!!! As you said 5mm is a bit much but I have looked at a few GTs that have turned up at the workshop opposite where I work, and most of the really old ones have panel gap and tailgate issues.

Anyway the pump out I did earlier seems to have fixed it, I only had to move it around 2mm, we will see how it settles over next few days.

Thanks

Steve
S Brennan

Interesting - any chance of a pic or diagram of where you put the jack/blocks of wood Steve? Could be useful down the track for others. John.
J P Hall

Good to hear Steve. Exactly what I would have done i.e. a jack packed out with a lump of timber in the closer corners.

Before I painted my roadster the crease in the driver's front wing was too high. If I lined up the door both sides it was cocked in the opening, otherwise one or other side of the door crease was stepped from its wing crease. I slackened all the bolts on the rear vertical edge i.e. in the footwell, put a piece of timber a piece of timber between the top of the wing that end and the carport roof, jacked the car up until it was in line, and tightened the bolts. Worked a treat.
paulh4

Good stuff Steve, well done,
and also I forgot earlier,

Welcome to the forum

If it does creep back and you have the trim out of the car--if you give it a little pump and then while the pressure is on, just go around the four corners and give them a bit of a thump with a hammer on the inside of each corner just to set them in their new positions
Cheers
willy

William Revit

additional weird thing is that only the driver side tailgate hinge has a spacer
Graham Moore

That kind of doesn't surprise me, engine mounts and rubber bumpers can have variable numbers of shims, my V8 bumper has three one side and two the other and that gives the best alignment to wings and bonnet. Tailgate and bumper shims aren't in the Leyland Parts Catalogue but they are in Moss Europe, for example.
paulh4

This thread was discussed between 22/11/2020 and 12/12/2020

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