GT6 Battery Clamp

[Alan C]

Hi Everyone

 

I've decided to repaint the battery clamp bar as part of my GT6 fuse box upgrade. It's currently satin black and I was wondering if this is the correct colour? I seem to remember it was silver in the dim & distant past.

 

Cheers

 

Alan

[dougbgt6]

Mine car was 5 years old when I bought it and the clamp was satin black. It got lost some years ago and was recently replaced with a shine stainless steel one when I realized no clamp is an MOT fail!

 

Interested to hear about your fuse box upgrade, the original is a very poor design and I have something better to replace it. However it's only a maximum of four fuses and I'm wondering if I should go for something with a few more. I would love to know what you've done and maybe some pictures?

[John Bonnett]

Mine car was 5 years old when I bought it and the clamp was satin black. It got lost some years ago and was recently replaced with a shine stainless steel one when I realized no clamp is an MOT fail!

 

Interested to hear about your fuse box upgrade, the original is a very poor design and I have something better to replace it. However it's only a maximum of four fuses and I'm wondering if I should go for something with a few more. I would love to know what you've done and maybe some pictures?

 

 

Upgrading the fuse arrangement is something I would heartily recommend. The standard system of twenty Amp fuses is a recipe for disaster. Imagine, in the event of a short circuit, what will happen to the low capacity cables in the loom before a twenty Amp fuse blows.

 

If you look at the standard fuse box you will see that quite a number of different feeds come off the three fuses. It is quite a simple job to split these and feed them through individual and appropriately rated fuses. This will help in a number of ways including reducing the risk of an electrical fire, ease of fault finding and less chance of disabling the car.

 

There are a number of suppliers of everything you would need to do the job and two that I use and find very good to deal with are;

 

Autosparks and Vehicle Wiring products.

[Colin Lindsay]

Hi John; I never got round to replacing mine yet, not even after the kind advice you offered me back then…. definitely something I should do as a matter of urgency given the state of the old fuse box...

[Alan C]

Doig

 

I bought a sixteen way fuse box from one of the online auto electric wholesaler's. It uses the modern double spade type fuses which are far more reliable and easy to replace. I'm going to locate it on the bulkhead platform to the right of the battery box. I'm going to split the existing eight circuits so that each has one dedicated fuse.

In addition I have five other fuses inconveniently scattered behind the dashboard which I'll also transfer to the new fuse box.

I'm also going to use the remaining three fuses to give the horns windscreen wipers and overdrive a dedicated feed.

I'm lucky to have an old TR5 loom that I've stripped to get the right gauge and colour coded wire.

I'll post some photos once I've finished.. This could take a wee while since I'm on holiday and when I get back I've to finish my ongoing struggle to refit the windscreen stainless surround.

Wish me luck-I'm going to need it.

 

Cheers

 

Alan

[dougbgt6]

John completely agree with you! But being a lazy b****r I wondered if anyone who's done it can give some details. I'm happy with electrics, I've just installed this on my GT6. Extraordinary low price but reasonable quality and only a few mods required. 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111466280732?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[dougbgt6]

Thanks Alan!

 

There's a special tool for the windscreen surround.

[John Bonnett]

Doig

 

I bought a sixteen way fuse box from one of the online auto electric wholesaler's. It uses the modern double spade type fuses which are far more reliable and easy to replace. I'm going to locate it on the bulkhead platform to the right of the battery box. I'm going to split the existing eight circuits so that each has one dedicated fuse.

In addition I have five other fuses inconveniently scattered behind the dashboard which I'll also transfer to the new fuse box.

I'm also going to use the remaining three fuses to give the horns windscreen wipers and overdrive a dedicated feed.

I'm lucky to have an old TR5 loom that I've stripped to get the right gauge and colour coded wire.

I'll post some photos once I've finished.. This could take a wee while since I'm on holiday and when I get back I've to finish my ongoing struggle to refit the windscreen stainless surround.

Wish me luck-I'm going to need it.

 

Cheers

 

Alan

 

 

 

Alan, you might find it more convenient to buy new correctly colour coded cable because in my experience when re-using old cable even when the insulation is cut back, the copper is black and not great for soldering.

 

Also, modern thinwall cable is available, also colour coded which has several advantages.

 

Autosparks have a good website and will supply all you need.

 

regards

 

John

[Alan C]

Doug

 

First of all apologies once again for misspelling your name- bloody predictor text!!

Yes I'm assuming by special tool you mean the modified coat hanger. I'd got to the point of having stuffed the coax cable into the windscreen seal's groove and forcing out the lip. My first attempt with the coat hanger tool almost worked but I ran out of time. I then hit another problem when SWMBO told me that she had binned all our wire coat hangers some time ago. So I'm now in the hunt for another one to allow the construction of the mk2 version of the special tool. I'll post some photos on the Forum if I finally get the stainless strip fitted.

But all this will have to wait until next week when I will be back from my ski trip to France.

 

Cheers

 

Alan

[dougbgt6]

Alan,

 

That's OK I used to work with a bunch of Russian engineers who mispronounced me Dog. But, it's best not to argue with Russians! The tool I was referring to is mentioned here, there is a link within this link.

 

http://www.triumphspitfire.com/Windshield.html

 

Doug

[Alan C]

Doug

 

Thanks for the link. That looks like just the job. I can reshape the tool from my existing coat hanger to suit. I even have a spare wooden handle in my toolbox to finish it off. I think I'll try a comparison test- one half of the strip with the coax and coat hanger and the other half with just the tool.

 

Cheers

 

Alan

[Colin Lindsay]

John completely agree with you! But being a lazy b****r I wondered if anyone who's done it can give some details. I'm happy with electrics, I've just installed this on my GT6. Extraordinary low price but reasonable quality and only a few mods required. 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111466280732?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Never saw a mobile phone with twin headlights before… 

No Instructions or tools are provided for this listing.This is NOT an easy job for someone who has no technical skills with Disassembling or Assembling Cellphones/mobile phones So only purchase this item if you know how to install it.We will not be held responsible for any damages to your cellphone/mobile phone that you may cause during the changing of replacement parts.  

[dougbgt6]

A cut and paste listing then.

 

Installation was however quite easy, for a man of my candelabra.

[Alan C]

Latest update in the stainless steel trim saga-despite having both "special tools"(thanks Doug) I only succeeded in mangling the windscreen seal. So I've now removed the windscreen, which is an easy job if you're binning the existing seal.

I'm now glad I did since there was a lot of rust hiding under the seal on the lower part of the windscreen recess. It was especially bad in the lower corners-a natural water trap.

So after a session with the Dremel and jenolite it was looking much better. I also took the opportunity to clean out the area between the top of the seal and the roof seam-another notorious rust spot on the GT6.

I'll post some photos once I've finished-whenever that happens! It started out as a small repair to the screen surround and changing the stainless trim for a better one.

 

Cheers

 

Alan

[dougbgt6]

Well done Alan, I suspect this is what awaits me! I have a water leak on the lower corner, passenger side. The rubber is, well, no longer rubber! It's rock solid and covered in cracks, I hope it's just the rubber but experience says get the wire brushes, rust cure and zinc paint ready.

[John Bonnett]

These lower corners are a serious water trap and a good mod would be to put drain tubes in.

[Alan C]

John

 

I've thought about doing the very same thing. Although the logistics of fitting drain holes and a pipe underneath each one seems extremely difficult without taking out half the dashboard.

This has already turned into a 'right said Fred' job so I'm loathe to make it any bigger.

Has anyone else attempted this before?

 

Doug

 

Taking the windscreen out is the only way to go. A new seal is only £25. Compare this to the many hours I wasted trying to fit the strips with the windscreen in situ and it's a no brainer.

You'll be amazed how much crud collects in the windscreen recess.

I used a Stanley knife to cut the screen out from the seal. This allows you to lift the screen out single handedly. The seal remaining on the.surround can then be pulled off .

I'm now at the stage of sanding down the filler I ran along the recess. I also found that a thin bladed screwdriver finished off the top rail repair very nicely. My next problem is matching the paint in the rattle can to the scuttle.

 

Cheers

 

Alan

[John Bonnett]

John

 

I've thought about doing the very same thing. Although the logistics of fitting drain holes and a pipe underneath each one seems extremely difficult without taking out half the dashboard.

This has already turned into a 'right said Fred' job so I'm loathe to make it any bigger.

Has anyone else attempted this before?

 

 

Cheers

 

Alan

 

 

I too baulked at the job Alan but what I did do was fill the whole area with Waxoyl just before the fitter put the new screen in. Obviously not a lasting cure as the drains would have been but I hope this has bought time before remedial work is needed.

[Alan C]

John

 

I've been thinking about the drain holes again and may have come up with a solution.

Drill a hole large enough to pass the pipe through from the top and then form a recess all the way around the edge, similar to a sink drain recess.

You would need to source a steel or brass pipe with a flange on the end. This flange would sit in the recess with a silicone seal between the mating surfaces. The flange could then be contoured using something like JB Weld. You could even pre-fit a flexible tube to the end of the pipe before it is inserted through the hole. This tube could be routed into the engine bulkhead via one of the wiring loom holes. Simples!

We'll not quite, I need to source a small bore pipe with a thin flange. Any ideas fellow Forumites?

 

Cheers

 

Alan

[John Bonnett]

John

 

I've been thinking about the drain holes again and may have come up with a solution.

Drill a hole large enough to pass the pipe through from the top and then form a recess all the way around the edge, similar to a sink drain recess.

You would need to source a steel or brass pipe with a flange on the end. This flange would sit in the recess with a silicone seal between the mating surfaces. The flange could then be contoured using something like JB Weld. You could even pre-fit a flexible tube to the end of the pipe before it is inserted through the hole. This tube could be routed into the engine bulkhead via one of the wiring loom holes. Simples!

We'll not quite, I need to source a small bore pipe with a thin flange. Any ideas fellow Forumites?

 

Cheers

 

Alan

I've been thinking along the same lines Alan. I wondered if a concave flare on some copper brake pipe would do the job with a light countersink in the screen channel.If the copper were fully annealed the flare could be flattened so that its edges were more or less flush and then It could be epoxied in and as you say piped out through the bulkhead.

 

John

[Alan C]

John

 

This is getting spooky! I've just come in from the garage after looking at flaring a piece of brake pipe. It looks like a definite possibility. I think forming a recess around the hole is the key to ensuring the drain is at the lowest point.

A brake union could be temporarily fitted under the flare and it could then be hammered flat while the pipe is clamped in a vice. This should increase the size of the flare and also reduce it's thickness.

Unfortunately this will all be delayed due to an impending French ski trip.

 

Cheers

 

Alan

[John Bonnett]

John

 

This is getting spooky! I've just come in from the garage after looking at flaring a piece of brake pipe. It looks like a definite possibility. I think forming a recess around the hole is the key to ensuring the drain is at the lowest point.

A brake union could be temporarily fitted under the flare and it could then be hammered flat while the pipe is clamped in a vice. This should increase the size of the flare and also reduce it's thickness.

Unfortunately this will all be delayed due to an impending French ski trip.

 

Cheers

 

Alan

 

 

Great minds Alan, that's what it is. I'm sure it will work.

 

Interestingly, on my project which uses a MK3 Spitfire screen frame the water trap is not there. The profile is quite different.

 

Do hope the skiing goes well and look forward to hearing how our idea pans out when you get back.

 

John

[Alan C]

John

 

Blame Michelotti, being Italian he has an inbred love of all things rusty!

The windscreen recess seems an unnecessary complication where a flat windscreen mounting with the seal sitting proud would avoid this hassle-your Spitfire Mk3 for instance.

Another rust trap is the rear hatch recess-again with no drain holes. I might look to modify this if the windscreen drain holes prove successful.

 

Cheers

 

Alan

[Alan C]

Another update. I've tried making a drain pipe with larger bore clutch pipe. Using my flaring kit and then a drift and hammer produced a sizeable thin flange which would be more than adequate for the job in hand. I'll post all the photos if this turns out to be a success.

 

Cheers

 

Alan

[John Bonnett]

Another update. I've tried making a drain pipe with larger bore clutch pipe. Using my flaring kit and then a drift and hammer produced a sizeable thin flange which would be more than adequate for the job in hand. I'll post all the photos if this turns out to be a success.

 

Cheers

 

Alan

I'm confident it will work Alan and following your remarks I'm going to put drains in the tailgate. I'm just a bit concerned about sealing the pipes given the relatively small seating area and the possible leverage should the pipe be knocked. I wonder whether brazing the copper in might work. That would certainly be strong enough.