New boot

[edd]

Hi all , I'm getting to know my stag and the first thing that struck me was a badly fitting boot. It has a new seal or recent I have done basic adjustment and lowered the catch inside to make a lower grab but the trouble is if you lower to much it doesn't latch on. So for now I have a boot at least 8 mm higher than it should be. My first idea would be to try without the seal. Does everyone know of this problem and how to solve ? Seeing as i intend on keeping this car for many years I'm thinking of finding another boot lid too as mine looks ok but has the tale tale small line one third up the boot I think it's inside rot which is surly imposible to get at ?
Look forward to any ideas

[milothedog]

Hi Edd, none of the boot lids fit well. some better than others but you rarely see a perfect fitting one. The other issue is the seal, none of the new ones do the job, the profile is to high and the rubber to hard. try and get a good used one is the best bet.

I have tried 2 different types from suppliers and sent both back and kept my original one.

Ian.

forgot to add, a good used boot lid is hard to find and command a premium !!!

[Guest]

I think that the main issue with bootlid fitting is when the seal is replaced, as the new versions seem to be thicker than the OEM version. It's not a problem I have but is well known, and I think one of the suppliers now sells a thinner one.

You could serch here or wait as I am sure someone wqill tell you the right supplier.

Ian

[edd]

Boot

Thanks guys. I did think it maybe the seal I'm not in a rush as I am just getting lots of info in advance of a rebuild I will keep my eye out and plan on going to a auto jumble in feb at the bath and west ground so will add it to my long list if anyone knows the best place for a second hand good boot or a new copy item its going to cost me but as in another post I plan not to add up my spend. If you did that on your house you would pass out
Much love edd

[SGN]

Hi Edd

Have a look here, for the seal.
http://www.ldparts.co.uk/shop/shop.php?c=viewproduct&pid=405&cat=39&sid=sid5c285 1304ccafda1c54cd86759b46329

Cheers
Steve

[milothedog]

Expect to pay around £200 + for a good used. there is a repo one at best part of £500 that apparently doesn't fit very well and the same applies for the GRP ones.

Ian.

[stag-phil]

Hi Edd

I have heard that the seal that LD Parts sell is much better than those supplied by other suppliers and may well go part way to solving your problem.

However, if you look at the part description, http://www.ldparts.co.uk/shop/shop.p...96d647585b59b5 at the top it says ‘in stock’ but if you scroll down it is ‘out of stock’

In any case it would be worth a phone call to Peter at LD Parts to find out the current situation and if his seal allows the boot lid to fit better.

Phil

[edd]

Boot

Thanks again guys. It's nice they have looked at a solution for the boot. I intend on getting all panels nice before paint. I may use my existing boot and give it a really good strip back to bear metal and treat and cut out rot then weld it looks ok and solid but I haven't started really picking yet. Gulp lol As for the grp ummm not for me and most prob not for many on this forum

[martin]

Hi Edd, boot fit is not down to the seal, that can make shutting it hard or easy, but doesn't affect the fit. You have some adjustment in the hinges, try loosening the bolts and moving the panel in the right direction, also the catch plate as you have tried. They are ALL a lousey fit, that's how they came out of the factory, you have no chance of getting it perfect without major surgery. Do the best you can, then forget about it. Have a look at lots of other Stags and you'll find I'm right, and that fact gives me no satisfaction. Martin.

[edd]

Hi Edd, boot fit is not down to the seal, that can make shutting it hard or easy, but doesn't affect the fit. You have some adjustment in the hinges, try loosening the bolts and moving the panel in the right direction, also the catch plate as you have tried. They are ALL a lousey fit, that's how they came out of the factory, you have no chance of getting it perfect without major surgery. Do the best you can, then forget about it. Have a look at lots of other Stags and you'll find I'm right, and that fact gives me no satisfaction. Martin.

I did watch a programme on B L a while ago where the paint shop was on the other side of the road and raining or not the body shells would be carted across. Paint falling of in sheets I like a challenge one of my pet hates is panels out of line and the boot is the only one on my car that shows like a sore thumb Why oh why did I fall I love with stags when I was 10 years old lol

[milothedog]

Hi Edd, , that can make shutting it hard or easy, but doesn't affect the fit. You have some adjustment in the hinges, try loosening the bolts and moving the panel in the right direction, also the catch plate as you have tried. They are ALL a lousey fit, that's how they came out of the factory, you have no chance of getting it perfect without major surgery. Do the best you can, then forget about it. Have a look at lots of other Stags and you'll find I'm right, and that fact gives me no satisfaction. Martin.

"boot fit is not down to the seal"

I'll beg to differ on that one mate,

it's surprising the effect it can have on the hinge end of the boot lid which then tapers off down the edges almost making it bow in the middle, I assume its down to the give in the hinges and mountings when the seal won't squash up anymore and the leverage you get when shutting the boot. And you run out of movement on the hinges to compensate for it.

There was a thread about dressing down the edge of the aperture but that's a bit drastic IMO.

I tried 2 different seals from JP's then refitted the old one because it looked so bad.

Ian

[edd]

Boot

I think in honesty everyone is right its a combination of poor after market seals and orinal poor build and the fact a stag is now 40 years old. Who knows if I even have the original boot fitted I think most of us has a adopted one or one replaced in the 80 s.
I did also this of lowering the ridge but it does sound a tad daft as the channel is used to clear rain water and I suspect a weld is there somewhere too
I will try without the seal on and maybe get my engineers blue out lol now that is over the top

[jleyton]

Hi Edd,

I was just about to say try it without the seal first but you just beat me to it.

Although I nearly always agree with Martin, I am pleased to be able to differ with him here as my boot fit is, I reckon, just about perfect.

I too will be at the Bath & West autojumble so it would be good to meet up there if you like. Hopefully, although unlikely, I'll have my car back on the road by then so I can show you.

Cheers

Julian

[martin]

Hi Edd,

I was just about to say try it without the seal first but you just beat me to it.

Although I nearly always agree with Martin, I am pleased to be able to differ with him here as my boot fit is, I reckon, just about perfect.

I too will be at the Bath & West autojumble so it would be good to meet up there if you like. Hopefully, although unlikely, I'll have my car back on the road by then so I can show you.

Cheers

Julian

GIT !
I got my boot seal from "you know who" and it's a goodun, soft enough, and a good fit, but I cannot get the lid to sit properly even after years of patient effort. If yours is perfect, it's a freak, I'm pleased for you, but it's a freak.
Obviously Ian's right, in that a hard fat seal will distort things, but the idea is to get the thing adjusted without a seal fitted, then tune as necessary. And my boot lid is the original. Martin.

[martin]

Just thought I would add this to clarify. Martin.Boot seal. (498 x 492).jpg