DZUS for engine cover

I was thinking about swapping the bolts on the engine cover to DZUS ring fixings, 

I think it would of been a nice nod to the MGB battery cover.

Curious on peoples input.    

Nice idea access-wise, but not from a structural point of view. Two of the bolts are also used for the engine bay bracing, and, as the cover is designed to bepart of the structure and stiffened, DZUS fasteners wouldn't give the mechanical function that the bolts would.

I use a couple of Dzus fasteners on the drivers foot well fuse box, it was such a relief to get rid of those plastic things.
On the subject of the access panel, apart from the three hex headed screws under the speakers I’ve replaced the remainder with Allen headed screws, into the rivnuts I used to replace the pressed I threads. They can now be wizzed in & out with the wizzy gun, as the hex key indexes far better than a socket.
M

Very good point about maintaining structural integrity. 
I wonder, as a compromise, if it could be worth using dsuz to replace just the 2 most awkward to reach bolts, the real bastard knuckle skinners that are covered the speaker bar. Sadly these tend to be left out on quite a few cars because of the difficulty previous owners have in reaching them.  Maybe it could be argued that dsuz fasteners there would at least be better than empty bolt holes.

Try a ratchet spanner on those three under the speaker bar. Worked for me.

I hate the 3 under the Tbar I usually end up taking the Tbar out, I've tried a ratchet ring spanner but it wont fit over the bolt head because the lip on the cover is too close to the bolt head, next time I'm there I will try raising the bolt head clear by using washers and see if that works.
I'm not sure the panel is structural I thought it's purpose was as a firewall between the engine and passenger compartment but even if this is true you would still need a good seal for it to work. The panel on my early TF clearly shows the holes for the engine bay bracing are an afterthought being drilled afterwards not punched during production, I presume MGR were using up old stock MGF panels. This made me think that if the MGF panel didn't need those 2 bolts to fulfil it's purpose why don't I enlarge the holes to fit over the bolt heads on the bracing so saving having to remove/replace 2 bolts every time.

I use a cranked, offset ratchet ring spanner for those three, and yes, there should be washers under the bolt heads, standard engineering practice.

The bracing bars in the engine compartment, under the wheel well & behind heater controls were developed by Vehicle Handling Solutions to stiffen up the structure during the transition from f to tf, (possibly for the f Mk2).
The engine braces & wheel well we’re popular retro fits, less so with the heater brace as this needed welding in after a lot of the inside had to be taken out. Arguably this was the brace that made the greatest improvement.
I don’t think the original cover had the large holes, it can’t have as I remember working the 10mm holes, when I fitted a kit, although I recall the body was punched to accommodate.
Admission time; I didn’t fit the heater brace nor did I note any great improvement to overall rigidity.
M

Whilst I use a ring spanner and what seems an eternity to get those tricky rascles in, I did see an alternative where the holes were slotted out and Flanged bolts used where the cover was slid in and nipped down rather than remove those screws.

That sounds good. Have you made that change on yours ?

This post has thrown up a couple of really useful ideas, both of which would save time & effort. I consider changing to countersunk of the two brace bolts & this was on the cards next time I had a root under the covers but the elongating of the three bastard bolts under the t-bar is interesting.
The two M8(?) holding the brace might need their heads reducing in hight to facilitate the sliding rear wards for the plate to clear the slotted bastard triplets , so countersunk screws would obviate any faffing there.
I’m not sure & as I’m away taking in the Lakeland air, a proper look won’t happen until next weekend.
M