Door latches

[edward ericson]

Having solved my brake light problem I turned attention to the doors. Really should have left them alone.

The strikers are worn, and it’s because only the secondary latch is used.

Got it apart to discover–yes–it does fit into the door nice and tight:

Only problem now: with the striker properly inserted in the latch, it doesn’t quite fit where it was. Also, the half inch of aluminum shims the builder used (to get the plate inboard far enough to use the second latching point only) necessitated longer screws–too long to fit in the space alloted behind the mounting plate.

Looks like some surgery is in order.

edsnova40247.8960416667

[edward ericson]

Clearly it’s got to shift a bit.

To relocate the striker properly I decided to use the existing shims as inside reinforcement for the fiberglass ?box? that secures the striker.

I drilled new holes in them

…and tapped them for the existing bolts.

This way the aluminum will add strength and maybe make it easier to reassemble this mess. I have no idea how anyone had the patience and ability to put individual washers, lock washers and nuts on all these bolts, given that I can barely reach in there even with my little girly hands. A real mechanic could never do it.

This assembly, by the way, is similar to what normal cars have (or had, last I checked). You could move almost any hinge or latch just by losening the screws; it would  move as far as the oversized holes it was in would allow, then you tighten it up and the plate on the inside would clamp it back down.

Anyway, I ground away the fiberglass ?lip? that seemed to be holding the striker plate back.

Cut a half inch off the bolts, ?cause I?m cheap.

Then put everything back together.

Didn?t work. Beveled the receiver hole just a bit, to no avail. Took the striker assembly apart, elongated the holes, reassembled.

It was still no good, until I added one more washer to the shaft on which that arrow-shaped receiver thing rides. Didn?t think the acorn nut on the other side would catch, but somehow it did.

I heard that satisfying ?snik? as the bolt caught the hole.

One side down.

One to go.

[Larry Murphy]

 Ed, Thanks for sharing your story and pictures. I’ll be making the same corrections to my car just as soon as I can .I’m glad that you got the problem solved.Now that you know what you are doing the other side will be much easier and since you paved the way it will be easier for the rest of us.

[edward ericson]

Hey Larry, just found another solution–belt and suspenders style. This guy wants 18 euros for it but it looks like something we could make in a vice.

here’s the text:

Additional door locks 
to secure the opening levers at many MG types.

price is 18,- euros plus shipping.

plase send your request via mail to Klaus Harthof, Olpe, Germany 
klaus.harthof (at) t-online.de	

edsnova40250.3629513889

[Larry Murphy]

 Ed, This is a neat idea, More German engineering. It’s very simple but would be effective. It doesn’t look too bad either.The home improvement stores sell metal strips that would be good for this purpose. Guess I’ll try to make my own.

[Paul Mossberg]

ED,

I’m not sure I see the value in Mr. Harthof’s product.

If you door is going to pop open, it will not be because the spring loaded latch moved. The male portion of the latch will simply pop out of the femail portion beucase of vibration.

The only thing the extra latch might do is keep you from acidently pulling back on the lever. Although from the picture, it looks like the lever still has room to move. So it might not even prevent that.

The mose important thing is to make sure the latch and striker are properly installed so that the male portion seats fully in the hole in the striker. If that’s done right, you door is not going to open.

My humble opinion, after 27 years of driving my Dutchess.

And for what’s it’s worth, I’ve never seen an original TD with any supplemental latch. And…these latches were used in many other British cars, possibly non-Brit also. Thay cannot be “that” unsafe!

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[K]

Looks like a surefire way of preventing the doors from popping open .
 The way I see it , The latch  is trapped between the door panel and the inside door release handle preventing the door from being opened unintentionally .  Also , is it just the VW powered  TD’s  having this problem maybe due to the floor pan flexing (Steel body shell missing). Just a thought .
                           Al.

[edward ericson]

I don’t believe the door was popping open before I fixed it. But it WAS rattly and gave me the impression it could pop open. Also, I don’t like it when things are put together wrong–even when I do it. So I fix, so I fix.

Still got to get to the passenger side on mine. It’s not as worn as the driver’s side. I won’t be buying the accessory latches, or making them, but I thought they were interesting anyway.

[Paul Mossberg]

Hey Al,

OK, major “duh” on my part. I see it now (after your comments!).

Those latches have nothing to do with whether or not the main latch holds. But if it does pop, them form a block to keep the door from flying open.

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[Larry Murphy]

 Hey Gang, About 14 years ago when my grand daughter was 3 years old ,I was taking her for a Sunday afternoon ride wnen she leaned forward , grabbed the door handle and pulled it.. It was a cool day and I had the side curtains in place and that kept the door from flying open. It happened so quick that I had no chance to respond. I see these latches as just a little something extra just in the event of something unforseen happens.Before Ed found these the only other thing I had seen was a dead bolt on the door that looked really tacky but would be very effective.

[Paul Mossberg]

Wow. Scary story Larry. Glad it ended well!

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

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