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MG TD TF 1500 - Door hinge screws

Hi
I would like to get a couple of new screw/bolts for the hinge to door pillar and hinge to door connections.
I don't want to buy the $60 Moss hardware set. Anyone know where I can get one or two new screws?

Tom
'54 TF
T Norby

Hi Tom,

I am currently fitting new doors and have bought some M6 countersunk, stainless bolts, locking nuts and washers from eBay for £2.20. I still need the wood screw but they are readilly available. OK metric threads and stainless steel are not original but they will do a well engineered job. Even though my door frames and metalwork are new (courtsey of Hutsons - absolutely superb products) the metal stiffener that fits on the inside of the door hinge frame is being reused. I have fitted thick plates around the bolt holes - on the old doors the bolts had pulled the stiffener into the wood and I am certain the original st up will encourage dropped doors

Jan T
J Targosz

Hi Tom,
one suggestion is that you drill and tap a plate to replace the nuts.This mean you can remove the hinges without messing with your trim at a later date.
I have found this very handy as my hinges have worn over the years when I have had to make bigger pins and re-shim the door fit.
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

Tom Norby doesn't state the condition of his car. If its in the restoration process, then by far the best system is to drill straight through, and place a metal plate on the inside, as well as one counter-sunk on the exposed side, and then to use threaded bolts and nuts, as against wood screws.

If such is not Tom's situation, the I do like Ray Lee's suggestion. Something I am going to consider for my own TF and PA.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A Clark

It's easy to make up a threaded plate for the bolts in the body but the ones in the door are at an angle and if a plate is made up with hole/threads at 90 deg the bolts in the door will bend as you tighten them.

Jan T
J Targosz

41 084d Screw, Washer & Nut,Door Hinge $1.65 Abingdon Spares. The taper and head size of hardware store screws won't fit in the countersunk area of the hinge.
George Butz

I purchased SS FH BSF screws in the UK.

I also purchased the Moss Screw kit but I did not use many. They seem soft to me.

I used the existing screw holes which were quite at variance from being normal to the posts. I made inserts that go behind the post, the entire length of the post and are 3/16 thick. Initially I threaded these. With the screw holes not being normal a threaded hole does not work. In order to tighten the FHMS the head must bend to conform to the angle of the screw. Trying to do this with a screw drive in the slot results in a messed up slot and a non fitting screw head.

I eventually drilled out the threads in the shop made backing plates and used BSF nuts along with special shop made beveled washers.

If you have existing holes and they are not normal to the post, I would strongly recommend drilling them and plugging with hardwood dowels and redrilling.
That effort is less than you would have working with the existing holes. In addition the screws with their, now deformed heads will not come out easily, ever, if needed and will mate with only one hole. You will need, in the future to either replace them or marke them for reinsertion into the same hole, in the same orientation.

Also yes the heads on modern screws are somewhat larger. I have not found the angle to be different, but when needed I fit the heads to the old countersinks so I may be changing the angle without noticing.

I have done this on 10-32 and 1/4" screws. First turning the head to the proper OD and then recutting the taper.

JA Benjamin

Hi All! I went to my local Fastenal shop and bought all in SS. They worked fine and look good. I double nutted mine. I was going to make the plates but found the bolts coming thru at different angles. Also I'm using SS screws on the upholstery so removing if need be will be easy.
RER Rosa

Thanks everybody, but George B gave me the simple answer I wanted. I have been repainting my car. No new wood. I don't want to install threaded plates, and do not need to do any new drilling.
I'll order a few new ones from Abdingdon.
Some of my screws were bunged up from the passage of time. I'd like to stick with the original type screw head, rather than switch to a phillips head. George, I am assuming that is what AS sells. I'll call and ask.

Thanks

Tom
T Norby

This thread was discussed on 22/12/2013

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