[Robsee]

Thank you all very much for taking the time to give me such helpful replies and especially the detailed ones. I was quite overwelmed by it all.

I got my head under the glove box with torch in hand yesterday trying to locate the three bolts that remove the whole lot Johnny referred to in his post. Prior to that I had taken out the two bolts at either side of the botttom of the glove box RR had referred to, actually there was only one as one was missing. I gently pulled the bottom of the glove box so as not to break anything in the direction of the front seat in order to see behind and lo and behold the glove box came free and dropped, nearly onto my face. I have no idea how it did n't do that on my previous attempts to remove it??

So it was a relief as I now have the adapter nut for the wheel lock nuts available.

Here's a pic of the glovebox in situ



and for good measure the glovebox and dash showing the new type of dash on the model. The oringal seats were all fabric, the previous owner replaced them with these half leather ones but only in the front. Should have removed that cushion before I took the photo.



There are plenty of Rover 25 gloveboxes and lock free latches on ebay but I prefer a locking one and need a flanged screw too. Further good news is that it looks like Rimmers has the lock in stock here https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-GRID002961 and definiltely has the flanged screw. The tumbler is slightly recessed on their lock so I've emailed them with my car details and added some pics of my lock hopefully for confirmation it is the right one. Looked at getting a new gear stick gator from them but don't like the idea of forking out £54!

Stuck the tape measure in the pic before a realised that the dimensions of the bolt are taken as the length of the thread excluding the head and the diameter of the thread.

Thank you very much again for all the help, much apprecaited!

[Robsee]

Well, it was all going well until I got this from Rimmers:

We can not supply this part it`s no longer available

from MG Rover. On the web site it supersedes to a Land

Rover part number - I believe this is not the same as the Rover, sorry

It looked so right as well!

Going to circulate my requirements on a few online breakers. Some pics of the lock below.

[crepello]

I have doubts about what Rimmer's told you. I have had 'L'-suffixed Land Rover parts which have been functionally identical to their Rover predecessors, though cosmetically, as with spark plug covers, they may have a different logo.
It would be needless and insane for some to be functionally equivalent and some not, inviting chaos along the supply chain.

A problem with FNC100050 is that it seems to be the latch body minus the lock barrel, which is illustrated separately but not listed - usually 'code' for NLA.

If you click on the part number, Rimmer's reveal what other vehicles use the part, namely the MGF

The MGF glove box: https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-GRID019046
Where the lock barrel and key FNB10013G is still available, quite inexpensively: https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-FNB10013G



Does that look like yours?

[Robsee]

Crepello, thank you very much for taking the time to help me out.

I relatively recently replaced a broken driver side door handle and it was compatible with a later Land Rover model. The thingy mejiggy rod had snapped inside.

I cannot see the barrel of the lock as it is still in the latch assembly but the latch assembly is obviously the same. I thought about gripping it in my workmate (don't have a vice) and tapping the barrel out from the rear (3rd pic down above) with say a piece of metal or to avoid damaging it a piece of dowl/wood with a diameter less than the barrel. Then I thought that with it being locked it would not slide out without getting damaged and what have a got to lose until the missus made an interesting comment and that was this.

If the glove box key on post 96 Rover 216's and possibly on the compatible MGF's were not the same as the ignition key i.e. one could not replace the key using the key code for the vehicle (which I have) perhaps they made all the locks to work off the same key? In this case I would just need to buy the key and barrel for £5.48 and end up with a spare barrel? I suppose I could buy the key and barrel and if the key did not work I could buy the latch assembly the only downside being two shipping charges.

Any thoughts please.

[220 GSi turbo]

I think it is very unlikely that all keys will be the same, as Rover used to offer the option of a 'number specific' replacement lock at around 6 times the cost of a random one!

However, if you buy the new barrel and key from Rimmer Bros, you may be lucky enough to use the key from the new one to 'jiggle' the barrel of the old one sufficiently to get the barrel out. (Tip: carefully unclip the plastic surround from your old latch: it will make it easier to withdraw the old barrel. If that doesn't work, you could attack the old barrel from the rear with various drill sizes: this should destroy the internals enough to remove what's left

[Robsee]

Thanks Paul.

Separated the plastic pieces on the front from the alloy casting late last night and two odd-shaped pieces of brass fell out of the slidable side/bit of the casting. (see pic with the non-slideable piece re-attached and the pieces of brass on the top of the slideable piece)

The odd-shaped pieces of brass are presumably some sort of fixings to hold the slidable plastic bit to the casting. Haven't got a clue how these go back in to hold them together, it was too late last night to try and fathom it out. Anyway, took a chance and ordered the barrel and keys from Rimmers today.

When I receive them I will proceed in the manner suggested by Paul and let everyone know how I get on.

[crepello]

Those brass bits are one of the lock plungers. They sit as a pair in a slot in the barrel with a spring forcing the side ears apart. (Looks like you've lost the spring!) When a key is inserted in the central slot, it slides each pair against each other against the spring pressure, and if the key is correct, they are pulled sufficient to retract to the circumference of the barrel, which can then rotate.

It looks like the the rebates in the die casting are what the protruding plungers lock into. I would expect that there is in fact nothing in there restricting removal of the other fingers, so there's likely a mechanical retainer similar to a circlip retaining the barrel in place.

My knowledge comes from having stripped a Valeo lock from my R8 door in order to replace the tiny 'letter-box flap".

[Robsee]

Thanks for the detailed description Capello. errr... I think I know what you mean. I didn't see any spring jump out when I dismantled the plastic pieces nor did I find it on the desk where I did it or on the floor under the desk. I'll probably find it the next time I decorate.

Looking down the narrow gap between the barrel holder and the barrel there looks to be two brass clips approximately halfway down the barrel, one in the12 o'clock position and one at 6 o'clock. The gap is incredibly small so I've no idea how you would get anything down there to remove them and if you could there does not appear to be any space for the clips to expand, if they are clips.

Anyway, I have bought a lock-free one off an ebay seller for £9.99 including delivery to be going on with. I have also circulated the Breaker portals, some Rover specific breakers and some of the big breakers yards up and down the country with my requirments. That way if one is available then it will already be pre-assembled. If I cannot get one immediately then I am sure one will come up in the not too distant future.

Thanks again, everyone!

[crepello]

Thanks for the detailed description Capello. errr... I think I know what you mean. I didn't see any spring jump out when I dismantled the plastic pieces nor did I find it on the desk where I did it or on the floor under the desk. I'll probably find it the next time I decorate.

There is an entity known to railway modellers as "the carpet god". It demands periodic offerings...

[Robsee]

Thanks for the detailed description Capello. errr... I think I know what you mean. I didn't see any spring jump out when I dismantled the plastic pieces nor did I find it on the desk where I did it or on the floor under the desk. I'll probably find it the next time I decorate.

There is an entity known to railway modellers as "the carpet god". It demands periodic offerings...

great sense of humour, thanks!