The door specification changed at several points across the production run, and many of the components are specific to the production period and body style. Understanding which door type the car has is essential before ordering locks, handles, quarterlights, or glass. The MGB GT V8 uses doors shared with the contemporary four-cylinder MGB GT. Each door is a steel pressing, an outer skin welded to an inner door frame, with a top frame supporting the window glass and internal mechanisms for window lift, lock, latch, and trim panel mounting.
The doors are heavy and require correct hinge alignment to close properly without sagging or rubbing.
Door Handle History
The earliest Roadsters from 1962 to 1964 used a pull-type exterior door handle, a distinctive feature that identifies these early cars immediately. From 1965, push-button exterior door handles were introduced on all cars, with a combined recessed black plastic door handle and locking catch set in a rectangular chrome-plated casing, a style previously seen on the BMC 1800 range. The interior door handle changed from the front top corner position on early cars to a centrally positioned handle on 4-synchro cars from 1968. The inside locking knob on the passenger door was discontinued in April 1965 when the improved door locks with push-button handles were introduced, and interior locking was integrated into the handles on both doors.
Door Assemblies & Glass
The door itself is a steel pressing, and complete door assemblies and separate door skins are both available. Doors from 1968 onwards for 4-synchro cars differ from 3-synchro doors in their internal hardware mounting points. The quarterlight assembly changed from chrome to stainless steel framing during production, and the quarterlight handle changed from a curved type to a straight type at approximately 1969. Drop glass, the main door window glass, is available in clear and tinted for both Roadster and GT, with the GT using a different specification from the Roadster.
Locks & Latches
Door locks comprise the external key barrel, the internal latch mechanism, and the connection rods between them, with latches engaging strikers on the door pillar to hold the door closed. Locks are available for both the early pull-handle type and the later push-button type, with lock repair kits, lock barrel assemblies, door lock striker plates, and shim packs for striker plate adjustment all available. Both locks and latches are wear items that gradually lose reliability through service, so complete renewal is appropriate where significant wear is present, while spot service can address minor faults.
Hinges, Window Lifts & Hardware
Door hinges are mounted at the leading edge of each door, with the door pivoting forward to open, and hinge wear allows the door to droop and rub at the rear edge, a common fault that should be addressed during restoration. Hinge pins, bushes, and complete hinges are available for all production periods, with the click-stop type hinge, which holds the door at a set opening angle, fitted from September 1976 and available for retrofitting to earlier cars. Window lift mechanisms, wind-up regulators on manual windows or electric motor-driven mechanisms on cars fitted with electric windows, raise and lower the door glass, and stiff or loose regulators affect window operation significantly. Door seals, drop glass channel seals, outer drop glass seals, door shut finishers, and door trim panels in the appropriate vinyl or leather covering are all available for both Roadster and GT.