Handbrake Gaiter Easy Removal AND Chassis Matters

[Colin]

Chaps - Sorry for bunging these separate issues in 'General' . . . 

1) With the more recent renovation, I bought a nasty shiny, ill-fitting (as ir turned out) handbrake gaiter which I want to remove without slicing it off/out. 

I have one I am hoping will be an improvement. What's the removal and reverse installatiin technique? Hairdryer heating? Will it catch on the button finger-shaped end rubber?? 

2) During said last renovation (not full - not body-off), certain chassis work was done but since then I have spotted other elements requiring attention. In the past (in my 35 yr tenure), front centre and rear outriggers have all been either replaced or repair sections let in, without the dreaded body-off scenario.

So the one specific area I can see a problem with at the mo' is outer join of front o/s outrigger to front o/s side rail. 

And I know the n/s 'B' post support bracket is in need of replacement.

I'm guess I'm just asking if such jobs are 'do-able' by someone with the nouse & experience without the purist restorer saying, "sorry chum, it's a body off job", given that the latest renov saw new carpets glued in etc etc. 

Thanks. As usual, all thoughts gratefully received.

Best, C.

[Pete Lewis]

generally the handbrake gaitor is stapled to a mill board thats screw to the floor and covers the cable and gives the carpet some support 

needs the carpet up to access the screws 

welding patches is someting the MOT is getting more fussy about depends where they are,  the are ways of extening the top flange so a top weld can be added 

otherwise things like out riggers and such will not be fully supported 

body of make this all a better option 

Pete

 

[PeteH]

I took the body off, my 13/60. Some of the previous "repairs" had no welding on the inaccessible upper sections of the various repair parts.

I`m no MOT tester, so it`s only my opinion per observation, but the structural integrity and main strength is in the chassis backbone, the outriggers and rails are less so, supporting the Tubs at the extremities. So whilst not desireable, I cannot see why the lack of (top) weld in those points would interest a tester beyond not being as O/E. It might/would make the body more "flexible" as a whole, but not necessarily dangerous?

Prior to being taken off the road by the P.O. This had a current MOT.

Any, defects in the chassis backbone of course would be a serious issue.

 

Pete

 

[Colin]

Thanks for answers to both issues;

Chaps,

Soz yet again that my phone had not alerted me to your responses.

Yep - body off, ideal. I'm not going down that route if I can possibly avoid it. 

Gaiter - OK - thanks - noted.

Moving on - in situ - I've rubbed back to clean steel, Jenolited the heater box then hand painted it. Adequate. The plenum behind it is as flat as a pancake. Someone remind me what it's for, please (sorry, Colin L). To what does it attach and its purpose? Sadly, I noted a bit of flimsy, soft bulkhead steel adjacent to it - but for me, the removal of the box will have to wait if I want to get to that and fit a repair panel.

Further, the 'foam' seal 'tween the box and into the car at the bulkhead is really dry and would probably crumble if I were to poke at it - but looking on the 'net, replacements are much thinner than the thing that's in situ.

Did the 1200 have a thicker unit? I must be losing heat through it. I could wrap silvered self-adhesive tape round - consolidate it and hope for less heat loss. But I guess even if I thought I'd found a suitable new replacement, the box'd have to come out in order to replace? Personally at this point, with any suitable replacement, I'd simply slice clean through and make the joint that way, using some kind of sealant to fix the slice.

Thoughts appreciated as usual! 

Best,

C.

[68vitesse]

I've seen pictures of chassis outrigger repairs with a metal plate on top then welded on the accessible edge and from underneath.

Like this.

Regards

Paul

 

 

 

[Colin Lindsay]

Originally the replacement outriggers had a long metal strip on the top edge; this was then bent in around the vertical faces of the main chassis rails and welded there, when the top was inaccessible.

If you're buying a replacement circular seal for the heater beware, some suppliers sell foam rings (which are spacers for plastic pipes!), not even close to the correct size and not even waterproof.

 

[Colin]

Thanks, both.

Good info as always.

Yes, Colin - those I've seen don't look right at all. Gonna have to go back through the manuals for the exploded diagram info.

Having never removed it or its component parts, the point at which it disappears through into the bulkhead is a big of a mystery to me. I assume in reality, I'd not be able to fit a 'correct' replacement without it all being dismantled?

68 Vitesse:- that's really good info too - especially the diagram - do you have a better resolution version I might be able to enlarge and use in my discussions with potential repairers. My e-address is no secret . . . 

Cheers, Both.

C.

[Colin Lindsay]

34 minutes ago, Colin said:

Thanks, both.

Good info as always.

Yes, Colin - those I've seen don't look right at all. Gonna have to go back through the manuals for the exploded diagram info.

Having never removed it or its component parts, the point at which it disappears through into the bulkhead is a big of a mystery to me. I assume in reality, I'd not be able to fit a 'correct' replacement without it all being dismantled?

68 Vitesse:- that's really good info too - especially the diagram - do you have a better resolution version I might be able to enlarge and use in my discussions with potential repairers. My e-address is no secret . . . 

Cheers, Both.

C.

I saw that diagram earlier, managed to screenshot it just now, so if Paul will forgive me I'll jump in and post it:

These outriggers have a strip for bending round and welding on the inside face of the main rail:

 

[Colin]

That's brilliant. Thank you so much. Extremely helpful.

Best,

C.

[Colin]

Well . . . Whilst still rubbing down & hand-painting the heater box in situ, I took these shots. You can see the 'foam' is properly crusty. And the plenum, flat as a pancake (ignore a fluid pipe in the pic)!