Hi,

Recently I acquired a frontbox (obviously LHD) for my 1997 MGF VVC.
After a bit of cleaning and prepping, it doesn't seem to fit as nicely as expected .... actually I didn't got it to fit at all.
(I removed the plastic shroud panel for the test fit). It just don't go as low as it should be. It looks like part of the airco is blocking it.

Can someone confirm they have fitted the frontbox on an MGF with airco (A/C) ?

Best regards,

Yes, I can confirm this for an LHD MGTF with A/C, it fits. But the box is seating on the dryer cartridge (or on its lead). You can protect the dryer assembly f.e. with a little styrofoam (I do so).

Thank you for the confirmation.

Are there any limitations regarding spare wheels and width ?

Erik, if you solved the problem that Peter described with the a/c ...
I've sqeezed in a 15" rim with 185/55R15 tyre (No a/c in mine). Wider tyre or 16" is impossible.

btw. take care with the wash jets... I'd recommend to glue a piece of rubber (10mm high) near the LH wash jet so it doesn't get pushed out from the frontbox cover. Heated wash jets are impossible though.

FYI


pictures and original instruction sheet
http://mgfcar.de/stau_box/index.html

wherein .. the instruction paper is not quite clear regarding the cut out section in No. 2
You need to remove much more material from the bonnet cover than shown on paper.
Also the rubber blocks on No. 4 are fine but add another on near the LH wash jet.

What is the purpose of these rubber blocks? I recently bought a storage box that I intend to fit into my green MGF (with A/C), but those blocks didn´t come with the box.

They prevent the washer jet on the drivers side from getting pushed out of the front lid and the other one holds down the box cover about in the center.

See the instruction sheet that's linked to the above web side.

Standard supplies with the box were the instruction sheet and two hard foam blocks, but the shown location where to fit them is shown poorly in that instruction sheet. So put one behind the driver side wash jet and the other one to the lid frame.

Thanks for the clarification, Dieter. Unfortunately I do not have these rubber numbers because I bought a used box. Anybody out there, who can help meet out?

But I can confirm, that the box fits perfectly. Even with a/c.

Maybe my suggestion is helpful. I would buy a piece of foam insulation like this with a suitable inner diameter. Every DIY-market should have them. Then cut off a ring of e.g. 2 cm length and glue it around the washer jet. If the jet is still pushed up, take a longer piece. You should have enough of it, since they sell them with an standard length of 1 meter.

Sounds good. Thank you, Reinheit. I´ll have a look at it and report.

But so far I didn´t recognize the washer jet to be pushed out. Maybe I haven´t driven enough with the box in the front compartment.

... at any time you'll fill the box to a very high level or woun't refit it into the right position cause of beeing in a hurry ..

Then it will happen ...

So this will probably never happen to me I bought the box primarily because it is quite rare and fills in the empty space under the front lid. And to avoid butter to melt when I take the F to the grocery store

Nevertheless, I will fit rubber blocs in one way or another.

I just want to mention,

yesterday I ordered a frontbox from Cowacarparts.

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anz ... 0-223-1195

His supplier is reproducing these "rare" boxes in a rate of 3 per month.

I will give a report if I get the part. Delivery/production time 3 weeks.

Today I received the box from the Cowacarparts. Just in the promised time and quality. Thank him alot.

I just want to share some impressions of the box:





It seems so the part is made out of the Material "PUR" with a tool from April - August 1996.


One last question. Can someone show a picture how much to cut out of the front trim to fit this box?

I have an ordenary 185er Spare Tire.

"believe me, there is a website, it's fantastic, sooo fantastic, you don't believe, it's really huuuuge, really huuuge,
so much knowledge, you can't buy it for billions, no fake news, it's brilliant.

and who can imagine, the really secret words are: "frontbox" and "bonnet".

MAKE SEARCH TOOL AT DIETERS WEBSITE GREAT AGAIN"

or
using the search tool at Dieters website -> priceless.

or
"same procedure as every year? Miss Sophie ?"

or
read the 5th posting in this tread, priceless.

no, production date August 1996, adding on dot more, September, and another dot, October, .....

Well, I think my sentence and questions are still correct.

My box was produced with a tool from August 1996,you are right. But I wrote "with a tool from April - August 1996".

So the tool was used for 5 months and is 21 years old. This was my message. I care more about the question of tooling then the part, because I wonder how Cowacarparts Supplier can reproduce this boxes.

First I thought this is a some kind of reconstruction, now we know someone has the old tools and reproduce these boxes to OEM Spec. Similarity is quite safe.

According to my question for a picture of the cut front trim:

Of cause I read Dieters Webpage and found the installation picture there:

http://mgfcar.de/stau_box/frontbox.html

But in this thread I also read the sentence in Post N0 5:


So my question is directly regarding "remove much more material". I cannot find a clear picture of that, so I asked.

Despite this I added the Information that I use a random 185er spare tire.

Cowacarparts write and shows in his ebay offer that this box will fit with bigger spare wheel/Tires (205/215).

But Dieter wrote:

So the question of the extend of cutting of the front trim is valid and not content of Dieters Webpage. (imho)

To me, it looks likee the cover of the box was manufactured using the original tool - the box itself might be not. I guess you'll just have to get there by trial an error (the tire-thingy as well...). The important thing is, to keep the windscreen-wiper-motor save from rain. And yes, you'll have to cut out quite a lot there...

I fitted the box today.

First cut of the front trim I tried according to the OEM installation manual:

And for the first try very good, it fits.

But its seems to be not very even. Battery side sits a bit lower. Due to that fact of poor build quality or heavy loading there is a gap:

Check the lower seam where the box should rest in the spare wheel space.
The seam of the box should go behind the metal part... direction cabin.

Is it ?