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MG TD TF 1500 - TF Glovebox locks?

would those of you who have put doors on the glove boxes of TF's please identify what kind of locks you used, and their source?
Best regards: Rod Murray
Rodney G Murray

Rodney-- Attached is a photo of the right glove box on my TF. Another thread will show the lock itself and the other information. My covers each have a piece of wood behind the cover, cut to fit the glove box. I glued some small rubber pieces to the edge of the inner piece to keep from scratching the paint on the box opening. On the cover itself I also glued some small rubber on the back, again to keep from scratching the paint. I did have to chisel out some of the wood on back of the cover to make room for the lock mechanism. As I recall there was a fair amount of time spent getting the locks to fit just right. The right hand box I keep locked while the drivers side box is unlocked so I can easily get to my sunglasses, etc.

Larry


LD Kanaster

Rodney-- The picture below shows more of the box lock. The plastic bag is the one that the locks were in however I bought them at a local hardware store that closing out the inventory. I might also add that the locks are chrome. The lock in the picture is a mailbox lock (not chromed) and is very similar. The difference between what I have and the mailbox lock is that the glove box lock is held in place with a threaded nut while the mailbox lock is held via a metal pin. Let me know if I can send more pictures.

Larry


LD Kanaster

Rodney-- Here is a photo of the backside of the cover. I forgot to mention that I added a couple of pieces of metal at the top of the covers to hold them in place besides the lock. I covered them with shrink tubing to protect the paint. I realize the woodwork is of poor quality but I figured that no one will ever really see it.

Larry


LD Kanaster

Hi Larry
You are right on, the inside is seldom seen, and the setup works well.
Thank you for the photos/info. Has anyone installed a glovebox door on hinges on a TF?
Best regards
Rod Murray
Rodney G Murray

I picked up pair at the hardware store. Fairly painless install.


MG LaVerne

I suppose you could do hinges but I would imagine it would involve some permanent modifications of the dash.


MG LaVerne

Dad made the doors out of 1/2" thick plexiglass with a very elegant hinge on the passenger's side. The driver's side simply pulls out due to the interference with the steering wheel. He used chrome desk drawer locks and replaced the top of the keys with the octagonal nobs used on the dash. They look good as nobs, but it is nice to have locks on the doors. Dad was an industrial designer and thought that the TF's open gloveboxes was the only flaw in an otherwise perfect design.
Good luck with your project.

Safety? Fast?
Scott Ashworth - '54 TF


S. R. Ashworth

Larry, Laverne and Scott many thanks for the photos/suggestions! All of the examples you show are very well done.
Scott, your father made his look like a panel that would have come from the factory:) Would you have a photo of the hing set up he used on the passenger side?
Best regards: Rod
Rodney G Murray

Rodney, here are a few pictures showing both sides. Good luck.


S. R. Ashworth

Another.


S. R. Ashworth

The key.


S. R. Ashworth

Driver's side door.


S. R. Ashworth

Driver's side opening.


S. R. Ashworth

Scott--Those covers are absolutely amazing. I am curious what the 'warning' note says on the passenger side.

Larry
LD Kanaster

Larry,
The warning is for an isolated negative ground receptacle, which was built into a substantial block of plastic attached to the rear of the glovebox, so that the possibility of shorting to the chassis was (hopefully) eliminated. It's for GPS, cell phones, etc. Honestly, I wish that we had just converted to negative ground early on. Now we have LED lights that have been rewired to positive ground, and a positive ground voltage regulator, so it's not so easy to change it now. Dad and I (apparently) tried to find the most complicated way of doing simple things ;). So, the warning label is to remind us not to do something stupid with the wires coming out of the receptacle.
Thanks - we were pretty proud of the way the doors came out.
Safety? Fast?
Scott Ashworth - '54 TF
S. R. Ashworth

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L E D LaVerne

This thread was discussed between 03/01/2015 and 04/08/2020

MG TD TF 1500 index

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