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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - How to install vinyl shift boot in my 73?

Since I have a gaping hole under my shift lever I bought a vinyl shift boot. How do you install it? I was thinking that it is screwed down with small sheet metal screws (and possibly cup washers) and then the carpet covers up this edge.

It is surprising that this vinyl can take all of this heat.

I was thinking that I should install some foil heat/sound shield before installing the carpet. Should this only go over the hump or should I install it on the entire floor? Do I glue it down? If so, what do I glue it with. I want to make sure it is a glue that does not catch on fire if it gets hot (the right stuff for the job).

Do I glue the carpet down too? I have seen some carpets installed that way.

Does anyone have any pictures?

Thanks,
Rebecca
R Harvey

there is supposed to be a thick rubber boot inside / underneath the vinyl outer cover.
David Smith

Hm, when I asked Moss about that they said, that too and then they said, "oh, wait, you have a 73 so there is nothing except for the vinyl boot". Do you know where I can get this inner rubber boot? Moss does not seem to have it.

Thanks,
Rebecca
R Harvey

well thats strange... moss was telling the truth, that will make for a fun trivia question

Personally i would use the rubber boot to keep out heat and debris

its part #64 (680-890) and no the part in the photo does not look like the real boot.

http://mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=29287&SortOrder=82

Prop
Prop

http://www.victoriabritish.com/icatalog/sm/full.aspx?Page=80

look at #6

its the part not listed in 3rd place its made out of rubber...you will most likely have to ask the board if anyone has a spare or go to ebay and have a look

good luck


Prop
Prop

how hot is your engine that you are worried about your carpet catching fire? (!)

in answer to your question about insulation: there are several makers of dampening material that you can install under your carpet. Normal factory type stuff is a "shoddy pad", made up of recycled fiber (mostly cotton, treated with a flame retarder). The aftermarket stuff is usually a (thinner) dense butyl sheet covered with aluminum on the "top" side, and an adhesive on the other.
B-Quiet, and Second Skin, and Dynamat are common brands for this kind of thing.

Some folks like to coat their whole interior with this stuff, which adds greatly to your vehicle weight, but will sure work to keep out noise and heat.

Most folks apply some of it judiciously to key areas (metal panels that resonate loudly, panels with exhaust directly opposite, things like that). Because it is a convertible, I would think that coating a whole interior would be wasteful overkill, but the folks who have done it say that it really is a noticeable improvement.


Norm

Norm Kerr

Rebecca -

I still don't know what year of midget you have, but on my 1500 the gearstick aperture is sealed by a rubber "draught excluder" that fits beneath the vinyl boot.

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

Yes. The moss catalog shows one for the 1500 but not for mine. I will improvise.

I have some dynamat that I was going to use for the sound/heat shield. What do I glue it down with?

Rebecca
R Harvey

look at the righthand drawing at the top of this page
http://tinyurl.com/34bsa3p
you want part #130 and I would think v difficult to bodge something that curvy.
David Smith

David, you are absolutely right. Yet another example of the UK Moss catalog being much superior then the American one.

Rebecca
R Harvey

You'd be better using the MGOC catalogue (only a few errors)

see - http://www.mgocspares.co.uk/acatalog/MGOC_Spares_1275_213.html#l17

you want part 17 - Support- Gear lever gaiter AHA9722, no longer available so you'll need to look for second hand/used

If you find any new or NOS please let me know as I need one

Let me know if you can't see the links I've put up

http://www.mgocspares.co.uk/acatalog/sec_midget.html

you can download the catalogue from the website

For parts you could buy the Parts List book - http://www9.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgocregalia&id=152611277474644&mode=item&itemid=0016&cat=Parts%20Lists
Nigel Atkins

Rebecca, surprisingly the tunnel doesn't seem to get that hot, but adding some foil backed insualtion won't hurt. I'd insulate down to about 1" above the floor pan, leave that gap to prevent any moisture that might get into the floors from wicking up in the insualtion and starting some corrosion. Be careful when you positition the seal or gaiter and make sure there's no restriction on the lever and that it doesn't place any tension on it. It doesn't take much tension on the lever to cause it to pop out of gear when you get off the throttle. BTDT.
Bill Young

If you can find a second hand rubber boot, fit it. in the meantime however, i don't think any harm will come from jsut fitting the vinyl boot for now other than it might be a little bit quieter with the rubber. I mean really, there are no moving parts (other than the shift lever obviously) that are covered by the shift boot, the oily bits are all below the tunnel opening, right?

p.s. you should have a metal frame that screws to the tunnel to retain the vinyl and rubber boots, so from top down its: frame, vinyl, rubber, tunnel.
Chris Edwards

Yeap I'm with Chris you could easily run without the rubber cover

The parts and fitting order that Chris mentions are items 17-20 on this page- http://www.mgocspares.co.uk/acatalog/MGOC_Spares_1275_213.html

As I've said the rubber cover (gear lever gaiter) will reduce the noise and in the winter it will reduce the cold draught

Perhaps in summer you may get a cool draught thro' but when you stop for junctions I wonder if the heat from the engine, gearbox and exhaust comes thro' there instead

By the way the Parts books and on-line cataloges are very useful for wrking out which oder the items are fitted but be warned sometimes they are drawn in the wrong order or side - all part of the fun and learning experience
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 24/06/2010 and 25/06/2010

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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