PeteH

Hi The Haynes Vitesse/GT6 manual, gives Toe in Front for all models as 1/16 to 1/8inch (1.6 to 3.2mm) In the unladen state. I assume it will be the same for the Herald?. (The Haynes WSM for that is out in the garage and it`s bloody cold and raining!) If that is of any help?. Pete

OK. Update. To-day I`ve had it working. Literally single finger steering. cobbled together cables to a battery and tried it out. Don`t know if the Vid Clip will upload?. But the pics of the final install:- Swapped the Lower original U/J, for the updated one ex Rimmers. MVI_6354.MOV

Yes as I said earlier. Do Nothing, you worry. Do something and you worry more!. It`s not so much the "can of worms" existing as the consequences of opening it?. As for ISOFIX, i do appreciate the fact that it is a standard. The fact the motor industry make much of it in sales blurb, is as much part of the issue.

Hi Update on this:- So I did the deal and the Package was duly delivered (eventually, as the first unit got "lost" in transit. How the hell you can lose a 25Kg Package? it but the carrier did!). Got around to trial fitting this last week and it`s looking like a real goer. I`ve dropped one of the MX5 seats in loose and the driving position looks good and feels right. with some room for adjustment. and importantly clearance for the feet and the Pedals. Next job is to fabricate holding brackets and a Torque Arm which I think will connect to the RH frame through to two bolts holding the Dash frame. Pete

Hi. The point I was trying to make, is that whilst "we" are more that likely very capable of design and fabrication. We are hidebound by bureaucracy often, in efforts to make sensible modification to improve safety. There have been even more moves in recent times to restrict what the competent DIY `er can do. In my experience, what actually happens is the even more "stuff" then tends to get "done" on the Q-T, and never reported!. In the end it becomes counter productive!. Part of "Nanny State".

I am intrigued by the ingenuity of the construction used for the Vitesse, My concern would be that whilst It looks the business. There is the fact that as a "One off", it is "untested". And that is the area of my greatest concern. Not at all that someone is trying to protect his own, which is admirable. It should not be the case, but we are all aware that this is now, like it or not, a "litigational" environment. And if any thing does not "conform" to some ISO XXXX. It can even be deemed illegal, leaving those who are trying to create a safe environment for their kin, in a Grey area ref Insurance, as they are only too likely to jump on such things as the "excuse" to refuse cover or even payout. It is IMV so very frustrating that we should even be discussing such things. But that is the "environment" we are now living in!.

Who is being carried in the rear?. IF it is children under 12. You may run into issues around not having "Isofix" points?. There is a whole can of worms, to be unearthed in that situation?. I, as a Grandfather, fully appreciate the "anything being better than nothing", scenario here, but having worked in the UK`s, 1990`s then burgeoning "Elf and Safety" "INDUSTRY". There are people out there with nothing better to do than "invent" the next source of cash flow from such sources. One example is the "Tow Bracket" industry. Pete.

I am a great believer in putting steel back in, Even though my welding skills are not the most neat.!. With time on my hands, especially with recent lockdown, I chose to fabricate most of the panels I replaced. Its surprising what you can achieve with hammers, a bag of sand and some formers made from old worktops!. Body filler can then "disguise" the cosmetic failures but the underlying structure is sound!. So far I have only had to purchase two front floor wells as they where too deep to fabricate in any sensible manner.

Hi Definitely confusing. In my case I have to decide just how to adapt MX5 bases to work. Having done a loose trial during the breakdown, I also need to raise them up to 2" to get the seat squab to the "right" height.? Pete

Hi As I have the Vehicle stripped out, maybe the Photo`s will help. The floor under the carpeting appears to be "level" between the mounting points. So the Underframe will IMV, lie level too, it will therefore be the use of "Packers" which influence the final positioning of the Seat. Offsetting the front mounts is not something I had considered. In my case it is my intention to retrofit MX5 Seats.

Hi I was (am) having this issue too. Trying to solve Bonnet/door gaps whilst accommodating the front bonnet height!. Not helped IMV by having had to put acres of new steel into the Front tub!. and along the Door Cill area. In theory the plates should not need extending, BUT? the practicalities dictate. AND I have yet to trial fit the front valence!.

One issue with Reds particularly, is that over time they "fade", and colour matching is difficult. Some paint suppliers can now match a colour to a sample which can be useful if you are not doing a full respray? . Then, their is the Old "Ford Blue" syndrome. Some 80`s Fords came out of the factory with the same Colour, only in 26 "shades"!.

Hi 2 Half Nut`s?. = One Full Nut + 10 min work with a Hacksaw?. Pete.

Hi, Unknown, But seems logical?. However the forgoing will be useful when I get to putting the Front brake pipe back in, save me agonising over just where it should go, as that would seem to be behind the heater box. That is the problem with not having stripped the whole of the car one`s self. It had already been attacked by the time it came to me ie; "kit of parts". Pete

Hi I have the 13/60. and the same 2 clips. I had assumed they where for routing the Brake Pipe.? Shown as Y1 in the parts catalogue (P38)? However as I did not remove said pipe. (kit of Parts!) I am not positive?.

As you say, it would seem logical.? Your white 13/60, sounds like a throwback to what the yanks used to do with their "custom" jobs back in the 60`s. filling all the seams and gaps even Welding up Doors and climbing in over the top of them ("General Lee" style).

My issue there would be that if the B-H`d tips back the door will foul either front or rear. The gaps lower down are already quite small, 3rd pic down on Tuesdays posting shows how small that gap already is, and I haven't yet offered up the Quarter-light or Glass?. Pete

Trouble might be the area there looks a tad more fragile?. getting it braced, to stop crushing, might be more of a challenge?. Fortunately, I took the boot lid off (unlike most of the rest, which came as a "kit of parts"), so I know that should fit OK.

Getting the "shuts" to look half decent, is akin to playing 3 dimensional Jigsaw building!. Move one and 3 others are out of kilter, rectify one of those and 4 more errors appear!. I may have a "play" with the packing under the tubs later on, Using scrap laminate at first, then when I`m happy with the result I`ll turn and drill some alloy "washers" as permanent Packing. And then, start all over again when I get access to the driver side!. I am (even) tempted to weld some steel to the edges of the gaps and Finish with filler (horror!), I may resort to that if this saga goes on too long!.. Pete

Hi Well an afternoon of Pulling and adjusting various parts has had some success. The Cill stood up well to the pulling with a wooden block for support. The remaining issue is the gap between the bonnet and the door, the Bonnet is at it`s highest setting at the front and is flush with the scuttle at the top, I am wondering if Either the door has been replaced with another (white) one? or has been re skinned at some point with the resulting apparent discrepancy. I have tried adjusting the door, but doing that to satisfy the front/bonnet gaps, makes the rear door gap worse!. I may try adjusting the packing under the tubs to see if that improves things.

My "plan" in the loosest sense, would be to put the spanstrap around the body of the car and via the open (opposite) door and back to itself, Its more than long enough. Time will tell whether that will be successful!. Maybe even later this afternoon. Pete.

Hi. This is what I have, to get a line on the door, without losing the line on the bonnet or the bottom of the Door I needs to move in about 3 to 5mm at the top. I have a 10tonne rated "Spanstrap" somewhere which I might try first. and the hopefully, if successful, I can do similar with driver side?.

Hi. Thanks for the measure. Whilst I appreciate it is only a guide. It does give a clue as to if the amount of steel I had to replace in the floors and Cills has distorted other parts. One of the issues, I suspect, is the probability that the doors have been replaced or re-skinned sometime in the past?. The profile where it meets the Bonnet, for example, has discrepancies. I have done a partial repair to the bottoms only, but which still does not guarantee accuracy. Slitting and re-welding the bottom of the "B" post, will/would be a last resort, but perhaps worth consideration.? Pete

Hi The panel gaps alignment:- nt are:- As you can see some work needed yet!. Thumbs.db

Hi I was thinking (Never a good idea!) that If I "overcooked" it it would be harder to get back in line. Hence the ask for any particular dimension to work to. I still have the Driver side to set up. But it`s too close the the garage side to work on until I move it, and that requires me moving the Motorhome from in front of the garage door!, and the trailer behind it and the car in front of them both!. I suspect the more "desirable" dimension would be the Bottom of the B post on one side to the Top on the other as being both equal?. (within reason). Bearing in mind at some point the "pram" cover has to go back and fit.