Lid on parcel box in 120 FHC

The alleged restorer placed the hinges on the bottom of the parcel box lid in our car. This means the lid can only open about two inches. In pictures of other FHC on the forum, the lid opens 90 degrees. Are the hinges supposed to be on top of the lid and under the covering?

Mine is original.
XK120 FHC parcel shelf 003

XK120 FHC parcel shelf 008

Was afraid of that but nice to know. Will your lid open past 90 degrees? There are two ways a standard leaf hinge can be placed to give a 90 degree opening. One, flat on top of the lid and parcel shelf. Two, a narrow hinge between the edges of the shelf and the lid. Not too sure which way yours are installed.



Not sure if these help

Phil, those are great pictures, but it looks like your lid does not open 90 degrees like Rob’s in the preceding pictures. Because his is still original, it seems that your hinges are on the incorrect side as well. Or, it was done both ways. The narrower opening still allows the tray to pivot forward. Every time I approach this car, there is a powerful urge to get a deerstalker hat, pipe, and magnifying glass.

Yes, mine opens farther than 90 degrees.


Nuts on the underside of the shelf flange.

Screw heads countersunk into the shelf wood, hard to see here.

Shelf wood is missing here but screw heads more visible.

So the hinges are installed flat but under the shelf flange and on top of the cover underside, so the cover flips over the hinge.

Rob, thanks for the detail. Our power and internet were down yesterday and could not get your images till last night. Because the parcel shelf and lid in our car have been covered, we may have to live with the limited opening unless Barrett can match the fabric purchased in 1982.

Could not tolerate the idea that the hinges were not properly done so, with the help of Rob’s pictures, took out the old hinges and corrected the situation. The alleged restorer had placed the barrel, or pivot point, of the hinge 1/4” onto the lid. This prevented it from opening properly.