MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

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 MGB Technical - Door Construction

Here is the Question:What year did they start installing steel reinforcement channel bar's in the MGB doors.I puschased a used driver door(suspose to be a 1972 door)and they have the steel bars in the door,however iam the orginial owner of 1972 MGB and my orginial door's just has the "sound deadening" pad on the inside of the door's.Anyone have this imformation????Thanks much,Rich O
rich osterhout

I think it was '74, as my replacement '74 doors have the bars. My '71 had no bars either.
Jeff Schlemmer

Rich,
the reinforcement channel came up in summer 1974 (RB cars) only for cars dedicated for the US market.
Ralph
Ralph

According to Clausager North American 73 model year cars had strengthening door bars. See Clausager pages 17 and 148. My 74 chrome bumper car assembled in Dec 1973 has door strengthening bars.

Clifton
Clifton Gordon

I have a bar in the door of ny car built in Dec 66. It's a pressed channel of steel plate about 1/2 way up and as that door is still stripped out I will take a pic and if someone can host it I wopuld be intersted to hear if this is the one in question.
Stan Best

Stan,Sure, would like to see it. post the pic,Rich O
rich osterhout

I'm hoping to use the inner mecchansims from a 78 RB in a brand new door for my 74 CB, I had assumed they would swap straight over but now I'm not so sure - will they ?
Liam

I haven't checked everything but locks, rods and regulator mechanism all have the same part numbers from the start of MkII production, so a 78 mechanism should fit a 74 door. The later doors did have an additional anti-burst catch for North America, but that is a later external addition.

I would have said that if a 66 car has doors with a reinforcing bar they are late-model doors, or a PO added them. But I can't see a reference in Clausager to them ever being fitted to RHD cars. However from the 77 model year on all LHD cars were built to North American spec. My UK 73 and 75 cars don't have them, but I suppose by the same reasoning they could all have been changed for earlier models without the bar.
Paul Hunt 2

Liam,what is the "CB",i understand the RB?I have the 1972 MGB(with no reinforcement) in the door's.I ordered in England in 1972,and it was shipped backed to USA as a USA car(side marker lites all all)however not ALL parts are 1972 specfic parts.I think some were 1971 left over parts.Rich O
rich osterhout

Sorry Rich - it's Chrome Bumper.
Liam

My '73 has the bars.
Greg Bowman

The door parts, glass, mechanism, locks etc. All of the inside parts are interchangeable. The quarter lights do have some differences, chrome vs stainless steel ect. But they still will interchange.

I used the door insides from a 1980 B along with the parts off of my 68 B to rebuild both doors. The winding mechanism on the driver door 68 was faulty and the 80 winder went right in. I exchanged the latches using the 80 latches on both sides. The only difference here was the 80 had anti-burst pins that I did not use on the 68 doors.

Removing the inner parts from the 80 doors was much more difficult due to the crash bar. It reduces the space for tilting the glass and winders. I would assume that installation would also be more difficult on a crash bar door than a non crash bar door. All of the parts went in smoothly using Peter's DIY MG book as a guide.

Cris
Cris DeYoung

Just got in from checking around the car and putting on the door handle for it's MoT tomorrow. I will photograph the bar and e-mail. AFIAK the doors are original except for re-skin on o/s. If the car passes I will tell you!
Stan Best

My JAN 73 built MGB has the door bars as well. It was built for the US market.
Lyle Radebaugh

Slightly o/t car passed its MoT test.
Stan Best

This thread was discussed between 14/02/2006 and 17/02/2006

MG MGB Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGB Technical BBS is active now.