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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - TF Bonnet Prop

Finished making a pair of bonnet props for the TF today. They appear to work without catching anything. Will post another photo showing the prop closed down.

Jan T

J Targosz

Here is the stay in the closed position

Jan T

J Targosz

Very nice. Are you planning to make these for sale?
Jack Long

Those look fantastic! I also wonder, do you plan to produce them for sale, or would you describe the materials and process?
Frank Bice

Only problem I've seen with bonnet props is, I've seen none that hold the bonnet if the wind hits it. There should be some type of catch to grab the upper latch plate along with being secured at the base. JMHO. PJ
Paul S Jennings

Hi Jack and Frank,

It's not worth me making up the props since postage would be expensive for the necessary long packages and the parts cost was only £6!

It was easy to make the parts and I attach another photo showing the component parts. I bought two 8mm x 600mm stainless rods from eBay for £6 to make the props. The "P" clips were simply bent from pieces of brass plate I had under my bench and the two collars made from brass tube but ordinary washers would do. I simply peened the end of the rod over to secure everything. The "P" clips need to rotate so the securing bolts need shoulders to allow this and at the same time clamp the bonnet side. I screwed a nut and large washer on a 6mm bolt and turned the hexagons off the nut. If you don't have a lathe you could easily do this with a file. I made a template from a welding rod to get the prop angles correct but did have to heat the rod to get the sharp angle.
To secure the loose end of the rod I initially tried a terry tool clip but found an 8mm one too flimsy so I made ones from plastic recovered from an old storage box lid. This was easy to bend after being warmed with my hot air paint striping gun. I fixed this to the bonnet side, on a small steel plate using aluminium rivets. The photo was taken before I had drilled the plate for the rivets. I used pop (or nail) rivets but knocked out the nail and peened them over by hand so both sides are nicely finished. The heads are in the raised flange are are totally invisible with the bonnet closed.

I was anxious to have a decent propping system since the corners of the bonnet top on my old TD had stressed fractured and it was extremely difficult to get a clean weld with the fatigued metal.

Hope this helps.


Jan

J Targosz

Paul,
"I've seen none that hold the bonnet if the wind hits it."

The "straps" on mine came from Abingdon Spares and keep the bonnet from going all the way over.
(I installed those before I made the props.)

The props I made are installed from the "front" of engine bay. Did that so they would not be in the way to work in there.
I have a small budge cord zip tied to the prop that holds the bonnet tight against the prop.

Not as elaborate as many I have seen....but really cheap and easy to make!

Materials:
1~Fiberglass electric fence pole from Tractor supply.
(Cut in half)
1~Spring from TRC. (cut in half).
Covered the pole with black shrink tube and dipped the tip in "tool handle plasti-dip". (also avlb @ TSC.)
The spring I selected had "eye-hook" on both ends and is attached with the bonnet side mount bolts with slightly longer bolt & nut.
The spring lets me fold the props flat along the inside of bonnet side panels, behind the latch, when not in use so they are there when I need them.

Like I said....not nearly as fancy as what others have made...but cheap & easy, and have worked well for about 15 years.

David Sheward 55 TF1500 # 7427

Another shot...

David Sheward 55 TF1500 # 7427

One more: In "stored" position.

David Sheward 55 TF1500 # 7427

This thread was discussed between 26/01/2015 and 27/01/2015

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