The standard cars use a stay rod to hold the bonnet open and a manually propped boot lid or tailgate, requiring the stay to be located and positioned each time access is needed. The original bonnet prop is a simple rod that must be manually positioned in a locating hole and can slip if knocked during engine bay work, allowing the heavy bonnet to drop unexpectedly onto hands, arms, or head, and on cars where the bonnet changed from aluminium to steel in 1969 the steel item is noticeably heavier to lift and hold open. Gas strut kits replace the stay rod with a pair of struts that hold the bonnet, boot, or tailgate open automatically at any position in the opening arc and return it in a controlled manner on closing, eliminating the dropping risk entirely and allowing the bonnet to be opened with one hand when checking oil or coolant.
Bonnet Struts
A bonnet strut kit is available for cars up to 1976. The bonnet strut on LHD MGBs was repositioned on the right-hand side from 1976 to avoid fouling the brake servo, a detail that affects the strut mounting position on later cars. The struts are designed for the specific bonnet weight and geometry, providing enough force to hold the bonnet securely open without making it difficult to close.
Boot & Tailgate Struts
Boot strut kits for the Roadster are available in two specifications, pre-1972 and 1972 onwards, reflecting the different boot lid geometry between these periods, as the boot lid sealing arrangement changed at chassis GHN5-219001, moving from a seal on the boot lid to a seal fixed to the body, with the geometry around the hinge and prop area changing accordingly. GT tailgate strut kits are available for pre-1974 and post-1974 GTs, reflecting the different tailgate specifications across the GT production run, the rubber bumper GT from September 1974 using a revised rear body structure that affects the tailgate hinge geometry. All kits are supplied with the necessary fixings for installation.