The MGA bodyshell carries a substantial number of holes, apertures and pass-throughs, for steering column, pedal box, wiring looms, control cables, heater, fuel and brake lines and battery cradle ventilation, each of which is fitted with a rubber grommet, bush or sealing collar. Renewing the body rubbers as a complete set during a restoration is much more efficient than chasing individual items as they are missed during the rebuild. This category covers the body rubber sets supplied as variant-specific kits and the additional grommet packs for the heater shelf and other miscellaneous areas.
Body Rubber Sets, Variant Specific
Six body rubber set variants are produced, reflecting the differences in bodyshell apertures across the MGA range: 1500 roadster, 1500 coupé, 1600 roadster, 1600 coupé, 1600 Mk II roadster and 1600 Mk II coupé. The differences between these sets are mainly driven by changes that occurred at known production breakpoints, for example, the rear bulkhead on 1500 coupés was perforated to accommodate the spare wheel protruding from the boot, while on 1600 and Mk II coupés a solid rear bulkhead was fitted with the spare wheel relocated fully into the boot. The grommet pattern around the rear bulkhead therefore differs between the 1500 and 1600 onwards coupé sets. The 1600 Mk II also carried other detail changes at the rear of the body (rear lamp plinths, boot lid release routing) that are reflected in the Mk II-specific sets.
What the Set Includes
A complete body rubber set covers the standard pass-through points on the bodyshell: bulkhead grommets for wiring, heater pipes and cables; pedal box grommets; steering column grommets; floor pan grommets at the gearbox tunnel and around the propeller shaft; rear bulkhead grommets (variant-dependent, see above); and the smaller grommets at body apertures on the inner wings and front bulkhead. The set is intended to renew the entire grommet specification of the car in one purchase, rather than ordering individual items.
Heater Shelf Grommet Set
The heater shelf, a pressed steel shelf fitted to the engine bay side of the bulkhead, on which the heater unit and certain ancillaries sit, has its own dedicated grommet pattern for the heater control cable, water pipes and fixings that pass through it. A specific Heater Shelf Grommet Set is supplied separately to the main body rubber set, addressing this area where the heater is being removed and refitted as part of an engine bay refresh.
Additional Grommet Pack
The Additional Grommet Set covers the smaller items that are not part of the main body rubber set or heater shelf set, typically smaller-bore grommets used at miscellaneous points around the body, sometimes fitted as a result of dealer-installed accessories or owner modifications. Supplied as a useful supplementary pack for rebuilds where the bodyshell has been stripped to bare metal.
Restoration Context
A complete body rubber renewal is almost always undertaken as part of a restoration where the engine, gearbox, dashboard, heater and wiring loom are out of the car. Fitting the rubbers as the bodyshell is reassembled (rather than after) avoids the need to remove and refit components later to reach awkward grommets, particularly those at the rear bulkhead, the inner wings and around the steering column.
Where a partial restoration is being carried out, the additional grommet pack is the most useful smaller purchase since it covers the items most likely to be found missing or perished.
Ordering Considerations
Two points should be confirmed before ordering. First, the variant, 1500, 1600 or 1600 Mk II, and second, the body style (roadster or coupé). Mismatched sets contain grommets that won't be required and may lack grommets that are. For coupé owners specifically, identifying whether the car is a 1500 (perforated rear bulkhead, spare wheel through aperture) or a 1600 onwards (solid rear bulkhead, spare wheel fully in boot) determines which set is correct, since the rear bulkhead grommet pattern differs between the two.