[Mgs] MGA GLOVE BOX

[Max Heim]

I used to have a pull-out stereo unit in my MGB. The removable unit slid into a box the size of a stock radio mounted in the standard location. I rigged an MG radio blanking plate with clips so it would snap in and fill the hole when the stereo was removed. If I had wanted to I could have used this little cubby for storage (one problem was that it had a lot of random holes in it that would let small objects fall out; another was the massive plug at the rear that ate up a lot of the depth).

But you could certainly build your own optimized box out of cardboard, plastic or sheet metal and do the same trick with the blanking plate. My “clip” was merely a wide piece of thin sheet metal bent into a C and secured by the regular pins, that relied on friction and spring tension to stay in place. But I could easily see a hinge system attached to the lip of the box, with a cabinet-style magnetic or friction closure, or even a spring-loaded hinge.

One problem with this space as a glovebox is that the opening is so narrow that you can’t reach inside it with your hand very easily. It would be hard to retrieve a pen that rolled to the back, for instance.

On my current MGB I took a different tack. Since I didn’t install a radio, I removed the speaker and grill from the console and cut out the plastic to match the chrome octagon surround. I put in a laminate back wall with a cigar lighter for my USB charger, and lined the bottom and sides with carpet. The resulting open cubby is tall and wide but shallow — just big enough to hold a sunglass case and my iPhone (which it conveniently supports in a vertical position, if I need to use the nav features), with a pair of driving gloves for padding.

Pictures here: https://www.mgexp.com/journal/Max-Heims-MGB-Journal.4100/Cockpit-Is-Done.16927/ <https://www.mgexp.com/journal/Max-Heims-MGB-Journal.4100/Cockpit-Is-Done.16927/>

I realize the MGA doesn’t have this feature…

--
Max Heim
'66 MGB

> On May 13, 2021, at 2:57 PM, Thomas Gunderson <thgun at comporium.net> wrote:
> 
> Anybody seen the radio mounting hole used as a glove box? Maybe the cover plate would flip open and a USB  or
> 12v port mounted behind the cover.
> 1957 MGA rst 1500
> 
> Sent from my iPhone X
> 
> 
> 
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