Piglet Posted August 8, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2022 Brilliant mate! Yes the video worked and the PDF file will no doubt get referred to several times. I'll be making a start on the hood asap and will deliver blow by blow accounts. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted August 8, 2022 Report Share Posted August 8, 2022 The rubber retaining channel is I assume the bit that holds the header rail seal to the hood frame. It’s in three parts as it breaks where the hood catches are fitted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted August 8, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2022 Thanks Josef. Added to the order list! Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted August 9, 2022 Report Share Posted August 9, 2022 Yes, the header rubber holder rivets to the hood header rail after the hood has been glued around the main rail. It will be important to make sure that the 3 pieces are in a straight line when fitting as there will be no sideways play in the head seal rubber when you come to fit it and if they are out of line, the rubber seal will be dreadful to fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted August 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2022 Went to get the new coil fitted today and it transpires the shock itself is bent. Oh dear. So I may as well get a brace of them. Not sure whether to get stock ones or something more modern. On a plus side the lad at the garage suggested a local marine shop where I might get the soft top put on. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted August 9, 2022 Report Share Posted August 9, 2022 Well that explains why it looked bowed! I wonder how on earth the shock got bent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted August 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2022 And it probably explains the heavy steering! Torn between the stock shocks and something modern though. Do these ones need coils? Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted August 9, 2022 Report Share Posted August 9, 2022 Beware the Gaz adjustables. The ones I have played with went solid at 5 clicks. The chappie had set them all miday, and couldn't work out why the car was suddenly horrible. So adjusted back down to 2 clicks, which felt very similar to the old shocks that had been taken off. Owner very happy.... Unless you intend keeping the car for years and/or driving it hard, I would be saving my pennies and buying std shocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted August 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2022 Thanks Clive. I do intend to keep her for as long as I can drive but perhaps no track days! Stock it is. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted August 10, 2022 Report Share Posted August 10, 2022 KYB shocks have had an excellent write up on here.. if you can get them. Ended up putting a set of cheap 'Munroes' on the rears then finally got a KYB set after waiting for stock for ages. Still in the boxes. Another job on the list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefly Posted August 10, 2022 Report Share Posted August 10, 2022 +1 for KYB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted August 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2022 I'm sure they're excellent but I got a stock set from Paddocks yesterday! Also got some used but serviceable rear quarter panels and the moulded wheel arch covers from Spitbitz. I'm in the process of restoring them now. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted August 11, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2022 Spitbitz parts...one needed recovering as it had paint on it that would not shift! The other just needed a few staples and a clean. However, looking at them side by side I'd better cover the other one to match! The wheel arch ones look shabby but just need a respray once they are fitted. Alex 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted August 12, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2022 I'd thought I would make a template of these quarter panels just in case someone wants to make them. These are drawn on 4 A4 size paper. I could take a pic of each piece to make things easier. All you'd have to do is print each pic to an A4 size and voila. A template. Alex 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted August 18, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2022 I've made a start on fitting the soft top frame. The newly refurbed quarter panels went in just fine (the wheel arch ones are just as problematic as the vinyl ones). I managed to get 4 bolts in and realised I don't have any of the countersunk screws so I ordered some from Paddocks yesterday and I was very surprised when they arrived today. So tomorrow I hope to get it finished and then maybe try to fit the hood myself. I have the little tool for fitting the pop studs and an awl for punching holes. I did order the correct glue too but when that arrived it was leaking everywhere so they are sending out a replacement. Fingers crossed I can do this properly. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted August 19, 2022 Report Share Posted August 19, 2022 Take your time, assume nothing, masking tape where you are going to measure (so you don't mark the hood/paintwork) and measure three times before you..punch, drill, rivet etc. Fit outside, hopefully in the sun as this softens/stretches the hood and aids everything. Tape around areas where you don't want glue in case it spreads too far or you spill some and cover everything inside..you will drop that tool, and that rivet will go down into the most inaccessible place...it is the law. Oh...and....good luck. Time and patience are your friends, along with whoever is within earshot when you need help quickly!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted August 19, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2022 Thanks BW! Hitting snags already. The frame doesn't want to fold out properly. I oiled every pivot point and then one part of it fell out. I managed to coax it back in (a hammer is handy sometimes) and then had trouble fitting the 4 bolts and 2 screws. I thought initially they might be too long but double checked on Rimmers website and they are correct. After a couple of hours of getting nowhere and also getting very hot I decided to stop before I threw a ratchet at someone. I shall try again tomorrow. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted August 19, 2022 Report Share Posted August 19, 2022 24 minutes ago, Piglet said: Thanks BW! Hitting snags already. The frame doesn't want to fold out properly. I oiled every pivot point and then one part of it fell out. I managed to coax it back in (a hammer is handy sometimes) and then had trouble fitting the 4 bolts and 2 screws. I thought initially they might be too long but double checked on Rimmers website and they are correct. After a couple of hours of getting nowhere and also getting very hot I decided to stop before I threw a ratchet at someone. I shall try again tomorrow. Alex Alex, I checked the frame, and they are "tricky" if not attached to the car. If off the car the plates that bolt to the car need to be in the correct position, otherwise it jams up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted August 19, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2022 Clive I know the frame itself is fine! And I thank you for it. It's me and my cacked handiness. Plus it looks the biz now it's been powder coated. Hopefully some positive updates tomorrow! Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted August 20, 2022 Report Share Posted August 20, 2022 There is plenty of clearance behind the threaded plate that the hood frame bolts to, so longer bolts wouldn’t matter (and they’d have to be reeeeally long to foul on anything!) Indeed I actually used slightly longer than specified ones as the thickness of my trim panels was making it difficult to get the bolts started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted August 20, 2022 Report Share Posted August 20, 2022 Alex - Stupid idea time. Just wondered it any pivot points have been powder coated causing the frame to bind when trying to open. Obvious point, make sure that the frame opens a closes smoothly before fitting the hood. Just some obvious thoughts over breakfast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted August 20, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2022 Not a stupid idea as I thought of that too. Unless we're both daft lol. After more oiling the frame moves perfectly now. However this part refuses to stay in place. The only thing I can think to do is take the frame off again, clamp that bit in place, drill a small hole through the back on put an R clip in it. I'm sure this isn't the first time this has happened. if anyone has a suggestion I'd love to hear it! Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted August 20, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2022 Looking at the pic. If I could get that part out completely I could replace it with a domed bolt and nut... Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Truman Posted August 20, 2022 Report Share Posted August 20, 2022 I have a Spit Mk3 frame loose in the garage & the two pivots on my B post bracket are very loose/worn so I'm interested in your fix, I'm not sure a dome nut would clear other arms frame bits when erecting the roof. My rivet is solid in the bracket but the arm rotates around it so I would have thought your rivet should just pull out/through the arm as the hole in the arm has worn? The rivet should be solid in the bracket yours appears to be loose. I realize your frame is recently powder coated so you don't want to tack weld or braze the rivet in the bracket but could you drill down the centre of the rivet then with a punch expand the end of the rivet to lock it in the bracket hole again. Also can't see on yours but there should be a loose spacer washer on the rivet between the arm and bracket. Saw a good method of localizing heat in say the end of a rivet on utube today the chap used a hardened steel concrete drill shaft ground to a taper put in his drill and inserted into a small dia pipe then started the drill where its rotation got the pipe red hot and flared the pipe, on your rivet with a hole drilled in the end it may get the rivet hot enough to reform it using a drift to re-flatten the rivet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted August 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2022 Peter that was invaluable advice and certainly something I wouldn't have thought of. And it worked! So the frame is back in place for the third and hopefully the final time. Another thing that was bugging me was the lack of reversing lights. The bulbs seemed fine and I couldn't see the switch that is meant to be on top of the gearbox. Then I had a light bulb moment. There are 2 toggles switches under the dash. One works the map light, the other, no idea. The previous owner of four years never worked it out but it does draw power when it's turned on. So keys in, switch on, look behind me and YES! Reversing lights! Alex 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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