Trunk/boot lid

[Jim_Newman]

It's no big deal but, when I prop the lid open, it sags on the right as if it's too flimsy. It appears that some cross braces should have at one time been present to stiffen things up. Or maybe DHM/BMC thought it was no big deal too. Can anyone post a picture of the inside of the lid so I can see for myself what it should look like.
As always, thanks for the help.

 

[Rob Glasgow]

I just measured my BT7. With the boot lid up and the prop rod in position, the drivers side measures roughly 31 inches from the lid deck to the top of the lip at the bottom of the trunk opening. The passenger side measures 30 inches. My boot lid has two reinforcing panels, one at the top and one at the bottom. When I used a stick to prop the boot one in the middle of the lid (under the handle) the passenger side is still 1/2 inch closer than the driver side.
I think after 52 years, the lid just sags normally on the passenger side. That small sag aside, she is still a beautiful girl.

 

[Lin]

Hi Jim,
Does this help?
Lin

 

[John Kuzman]

Lin -

You have a PM.

 

[pkmh]

Lin,

Your trunk looks very nice.

If you don't mind me asking, I have purchased and still need to install a new rubber seal as you have at the underside of the boot lid. When I removed my old one, I saw that the seam was at the left side midway along the edge of the boot. Is that the way it came out of the factory, would you know?

Second question: I see or what appears to be an interior light. If true, then is that an item you added for I do not have in mine? Just curious about that, too.

Thanks,

Paul
BJ8

 

[AUSMHLY]

The seam goes in the middle of the lid, under the latch area.
Healey's didn't have courtesy lights anywhere. Not in the boot, the engine compartment nor the footwells.

Add them where ever you like. Nice job Lin. Is that the same light used for the license plate?

 

[Jim_Newman]

Thanks guys. Her lid sags about 3cm on the right so I guess she's not <span style="font-weight: bold">too </span>out of shape for her age. Lin, my trunk lid is exactly as yours so I guess there are no cross braces. Thanks again for the insite.

 

[Keoke]

The seam goes in the middle of the lid, under the latch area.
Healey's didn't have courtesy lights anywhere. Not in the boot, the engine compartment nor the footwells



Please add them as you go along----Keoke---- :laugh:

 

[Lin]

Paul,
Others have correctly directed you on the location of the seam in the seal. As to the boot light, I installed courtesy lamps in the footwells of the interior. Amateur installation when compared to Roger's. However, what I did that is a little different than others, is that I used a modern key fob that has button switches to control my lamps in the interior and the boot, I can either push a button on the fob and just have them come on for forty seconds and then that fade out, or I can switch them on and they stay on until I turn them off. It is a nice feature that can be used when you are approaching the car to enter. When I did this, I had committed to myself that I would not drill any "new" holes in the car, so that if I ever wanted to drop all of my modifications and go "original," it would be an easy transformation. As it turned out, I wasn't 100% pure, but I made the effort. Looking back on it now, door jamb switches would have been fine. Oh well!

At one point, I also considered using a mercury switch operated lamp that was going to be mounted in the boot lid, so that when you opened the lid, the mercury moved in its tube (like a thermometer) and switched on a pair of lights. I ultimately rejected that approach because I felt the lamps were too far away from the boot and just didn't provide enough light.

Since the lamp in the boot is visible, I decided to use a license plate lamp and just took off the chrome surround, because it blocked out the dispersion of the light. It all looks "period" correct even though as stated by others the Healeys never put a lamp in the boot. This modification has turned out to actually be useful as I have had several occasions when I needed to root around in the boot when it was pitch black outside.

Lin

 

[pkmh]

Paul,
Others have correctly directed you on the location of the seam in the seal. As to the boot light, I installed courtesy lamps in the footwells of the interior. Amateur installation when compared to Roger's. However, what I did that is a little different than others, is that I used a modern key fob that has button switches to control my lamps in the interior and the boot, I can either push a button on the fob and just have them come on for forty seconds and then that fade out, or I can switch them on and they stay on until I turn them off. It is a nice feature that can be used when you are approaching the car to enter. When I did this, I had committed to myself that I would not drill any "new" holes in the car, so that if I ever wanted to drop all of my modifications and go "original," it would be an easy transformation. As it turned out, I wasn't 100% pure, but I made the effort. Looking back on it now, door jamb switches would have been fine. Oh well!

At one point, I also considered using a mercury switch operated lamp that was going to be mounted in the boot lid, so that when you opened the lid, the mercury moved in its tube (like a thermometer) and switched on a pair of lights. I ultimately rejected that approach because I felt the lamps were too far away from the boot and just didn't provide enough light.

Since the lamp in the boot is visible, I decided to use a license plate lamp and just took off the chrome surround, because it blocked out the dispersion of the light. It all looks "period" correct even though as stated by others the Healeys never put a lamp in the boot. This modification has turned out to actually be useful as I have had several occasions when I needed to root around in the boot when it was pitch black outside.

Lin

Sorry I didn't get back sooner but thanks Lin for all your good advice. Much appreciated.

Paul