[Mg-mmm] door safety latch

[Lawrie Alexander]

Don,

There is absolutely no need for any safety latch if the door is made to fit 
and close properly! If the hinges are tight, the door fits the opening 
properly and the body is solid, there will be minimal flex which would cause 
the door to want to come open. So, all you have to do is properly mount the 
striker so that the "pin" of the latch on the door fully enters the hole in 
the striker wedge when the door is closed.

The usual problem is that people assume the door latch pin is supposed to 
engage the notch on the wedge, and that the hole is there just for 
decoration (or to lighten the striker?!). In fact, the notch is the 
factory's "safety" and the hole is for the latch pin. When that hole is 
properly aligned (by carefully fitting the striker assembly to the A-pillar) 
the pin goes in so far that there's no bump on earth that would cause the 
door to fly open.

Cheers,

Lawrie
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <DB35PA at aol.com>
To: <mg-mmm at autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 7:45 AM
Subject: [Mg-mmm] door safety latch


> Gents,
> I have a friend who owns an MGT-D with a "flying" door. He's trying to
> restore and is resisting using any standard "gate latch" hardware for
> something more period correct.
>
> Anyone have a source for a set of safety latches? I'll be helping him
> replace the broken hinge, refit the latch... and repair body damage 
> incurred.
> Luckily, no one left the car at speed, but he did get quite and ear  full
> from wifey!
>
> Don B.
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