Hardware (nuts and bolts)

I have a nice shiny shell and shiny parts to put back on, but all the hardware is old and rusty. What are the most common sizes of bolts on the car for items like the master cylinders, pedal box, wiring harness clips, heater box, brake etc. etc. I think I want to just go out and buy some bulk nuts and bolts instead of trying to take an inventory of what I need. Anybody else try this? I'm thinking that 5/16-24, 1/4-28 bolts and #10-24 screws should cover many of the parts that I have to put back on? Anybody else try this?

id say you have a majority covered there...luckily i have a full hardware supply where i work. my company pays a flat rate to our bolt/screw supplier regardless of how much we use. so we as maintenance guys are free to take what we want

That's a good selection of thickness (noting that alot of the suspension fastners are 3/8" ) but there's untold lengths of each - how you go about deciding that aspect is the 'tricky' part when you bulk buy. Note that there are also quite a few 'specialist' fastners eg those which retain the steering arms to the hubs - I got these 'shiny' by having the heads chromed. Search will give you other options for 'shiny'. PS as most of my fastners are ARP ss I was quite pedantic about what I bought.

Ryan - sounds like a fun project, one I've always wanted to undertake. Those sizes sound pretty common. Barry is correct that they are often in different lengths. There's an ad at the top for sets of fasteners, though strangely they don't list MGB sets. You might want to contact them. I'm not endorsing the site, as I have no knowledge of them, only wanted to bring your attention. There have been several threads on grade 8 vs. grade 5 (one is here : http://www.mgexperience.net/phorum/read.php?1,1667440). Here's a link to an 18V engine bolt list, but you may already have an engine:

http://www.custompistols.com/cars/articles/18vbolt.htm

Ryan,

Two thoughts: First, do note that many of the fasteners on our cars are in quarter-inch measurements, like 1 1/4 or 1 3/4, and might be difficult to find, particularly in the hardware selection at Home Depot or similar where you're likely to find fasteners, particularly fine thread bolts, only in half-inch measurements. Certainly length is not critical on some fasteners, where an extra quarter inch wouldn't matter, but there are a fair number where it would matter.

Second, I see that Moss offers hardware kits for certain parts and systems. I don't know if the bolt head configurations are like OE (if you care...), and I know that it would be expensive to go this way, but at least it's an option, and I would guess that their hardware would be of the correct length.

Dick

Just to confuse matters even more, chapter 3 of Rick Astley's book talks of the effect of corrosion (a major concern to us owners)by mixing incorrect metals (anodic and cathodic), especially in relation to electrical circuits. He has a great table (Galvanic corrosion table) showing what to expect when mixing these metals. Apart from buying gold nuts & bolts, I'm kinda scared to do anything.

Ryan,

The common screw is a 10-32, not 10-24.

The head markings on the original fasteners are unique... and not at all like modern hardware. I like tumbling the fasteners and recently I've invested in zinc plating.

warmly,
dave

Hi Ryan,
I pretty much did this wherever the bolt didn't have a specifically engineered shoulder or unthreaded shank. You can buy boxes of 50 or 100 of the most common sizes you listed above in Grade 5 and use them in most of the spots. Like Dick mentions, there are many quarter inch lengths especially around and in the engine. I opened a Fastenal cash account.
http://www.fastenal.com/web/home.ex
I'm sure there's one around you, they're pretty much in every industrial neighborhood. They can get you any quantity of pretty much any specific length and that's where I bought all my Grade 8 fasteners. I also picked up quite a few at Bolts+.
http://www.boltsplus.ca/
They sell to the public without any kind of account.
Don't forget to also pick up boxes of nuts in 1/4-28, 5/16-24 and flat washers and lock washers to match. Get the washers at Home Depot. They're much cheaper.

Greg,

I forgot about Fastenal, they are down the street from me. Great idea! I know Moss and others sell hardware kits, but I see only engine kits, suspension kits exhaust kits and body kits. I need fasteners for all the other miscellaneous parts.

Dave,

10-32, that sounds better, thanks.

Roger,

Good point about galvanic corrosion, I've got that in mind.

Thanks all,
Ryan

Ryan.

The following sizes will give you what you need for many of the simple fasteners.

1/4" x 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 1
and
5/16" x 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 1

Many of the bolts used on the car have tapered tips and/or specific shank lengths.

I messed around using new SAE bolts for years, but finally broke down and sent off buckets of original bolts to be cleaned and plated. Now I am completely spoiled.

I'll use new SAE nuts and lock washers, but my hardware drawers are now filled with hundreds of nifty re-plated pretty British bolts and set screws (threaded all the way).

BTW. The UK cut washers are also a different size than those normally found at hardware stores.

Having the correct hardware does make a huge difference on the end result of all your work.


ps. The transmission to engine bolts cannot be duplicated at a hardware store. That's why they are sold as kits by companies such as Moss. They are odd lengths and shank depth.

Hey K when you say nifty re-plated do you mean zinc or are yours like mine (where I haven't used ARP) and chrome plated - yep got them done in batches way back in the early 80s when there were lots of chromers around and not that expensive - they still look as bright as the day they were plated! (I know chrome and polished ss is not to everyone's taste - I've got enough dirty spares to go back to o/e if needed.) PS there's a special flat washer with ARP otherwise I've gone to flat ss washers (or chromed), ditched all the springys and 95% nylocs.

I use mostly grade 8 stuff, not orginal, but look at it, as a upgrade :), I don't need grade 8 in alot of places, it's overkill, but grade 8 comes in yellow cad/zinc plating, which I personally prefer over white zinc plating.