Neil Clark Posted July 22, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2022 Getting the rear wheel arch trim done was a bit of a struggle but once that was done it all came together. Still got the parcel shelf etc to re-fit and the radio blanking plate but finally starting to feel like a complete car. Now I need to drive it around a bit to check that my work on the steering has been worthwhile. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted July 22, 2022 Report Share Posted July 22, 2022 The trims look nice and neat. There must be some variation of them on the Mk2 I think as I was under the impression there was a thick trim around the inner lip of the top deck, which may have been why I made some incorrect comments on your thread about them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted July 22, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2022 There seem to have been a lot of little tweaks to the rear compartment between versions but I was able to check that this was correct for the Mk1. The back panel in front of the fuel tank is, as you can see, a bit tatty at the top because the place where I stored that panel for the last 2 1/2 years was often boiling hot and I didn't realise that the glue would be affected. It's held with Velcro strips so easy to lift out and work on to tidy up. The PO has fitted press studs at the bottom of the back panel which it looks like will engage with the hood press studs when it's stored on the back parcel shelf. Do you have those? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted July 22, 2022 Report Share Posted July 22, 2022 My new back panel did come with press studs near the bottom, but the original one that came with the car didn’t have these. I can’t see they serve any purpose on the Mk3 so I assume Newton just make one trim panel to cover Mk1-3 despite there originally having been detail differences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted July 23, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2022 It looks very much like that. Magnifying the Mk1&2 and then the Mk3 pictures on their website it looks as if the press studs on the Mk3 panel are smaller but I can't see any other variations. Maybe it was for securing the tonneau if rolled up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Cooper Posted July 23, 2022 Report Share Posted July 23, 2022 There should be one press stud at the bottom of the rear panel on the Mk 1 & 2 and it connects with a popper on a short strap on the rear 'seat' pan. This acts as a crude hinge to allow the rear panel to open for storing the hood which fits in the space in front of the petrol tank. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted July 23, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2022 That makes sense Adrian thank you. I recovered the boot panel I inherited with the car and found that it too was bit of hand cut hardboard. The glue had separated from the vinyl so we re-glued and fitted it they afternoon and it looks OK. The spare wheel is brand new and unwrapped but it all seems to fit correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Truman Posted July 23, 2022 Report Share Posted July 23, 2022 The Mk1 &2 have a short leather strap & buckle top centre to hold the roof frame bows which slide into the rear of the wheel arch's and the top of the frame is held securely by the strap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted July 23, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2022 Peter just to clarify, do you mean that the strap for the roof frame bows would be held by the centre bolt at the top of my back panel? 21 minutes ago, Peter Truman said: The Mk1 &2 have a short leather strap & buckle top centre to hold the roof frame bows which slide into the rear of the wheel arch's and the top of the frame is held securely by the strap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Truman Posted July 23, 2022 Report Share Posted July 23, 2022 Car not here but at the daughters whose got Covid so ain't going there! but from memory the top centre screw in the boot rear panel also holds the strap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted July 23, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2022 Thanks Peter. Yes, avoid the Covid. My daughter has had it three times despite vaccinations and being extremely fit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Truman Posted July 23, 2022 Report Share Posted July 23, 2022 Here's a pic from pg20 of the Mk2 Handbook, poor photo as a copy of a copy but you get the idea, if wanted I can attach a photocopy of the full handbook, its 4Mb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted July 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2022 I get it Peter! Brilliantly helpful, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted July 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2022 My neighbour a few doors away tells me that his elderly Dad, having seen the project under way here and said nothing, admits that he used to work on the Spitfire assembly line in his youth! Next time he's down to London I will try to get him to sit for a cuppa and chat and then write it up. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted July 24, 2022 Report Share Posted July 24, 2022 Neil - Better still ask him if he minds you recording the chat. Most phones have decent recording facilities these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted July 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2022 Good point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted July 25, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2022 On 24/07/2022 at 00:47, Peter Truman said: Here's a pic from pg20 of the Mk2 Handbook, poor photo It's a great solution! I made the strap out of Velcro. The hood folds neatly into the space between the cockpit back panel and the fuel tank. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted July 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2022 Had a happy day bumbling about locally. I need to re-seat the steering rack clamp plates on the bushes because I can't have set them closely enough to the chassis sides and the rack started to slide very slightly left and right when turning the wheel. Timing is a little out and needs doing but when the car picks up the engine is lovely. Spoke to several people on the phone about the core plug leak repair without much progress. Then I went to a place I had heard about less than a mile away, tucked in an old industrial yard. Found a spotless, beautifully organised workshop with an elderly Rolls Royce being worked on and a couple of more modern cars. Found we have a mutual friend but neither of us knew of the other. Clearly know what they are doing, they'll do the core plug at the back of the engine in September as they have a waiting list, and their estimate is really sensible. As I left, they said "look after her". If they work out I've a couple of jobs need doing on the B GT soon too. The MG / Triumph place I like, I trust and I used over in Twickenham when the B GT was stolen and damaged is so very busy (and not cheap) that it will be great if they turn out to be as good as at first sight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted July 28, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2022 The steering rack clamp plates turn out to be either aftermarket "home made" or from another model. The slots were too short. Of course I couldn't find my hub splitter and tried tapping the track rod ends out. One was fine but I have a very dodgy left elbow, missed the bottom of the other TRE and damaged the thread beyond repair. Hopefully, after a lot of filing the extended slots seem enough so I've re-assembled it and, thankfully, have a spare TRE in a storage box. I've also got the core plug now and a handbrake cover that seems to fit. The passenger parcel shelf I inherited had just looked wrong, made up of bits of an original and Gorilla tape and had to be ripped out when I dismantled the car. I've splashed out on the right item from Rimmers but it's not right, being too "deep" for the knee rail and even pushed hard against the back of the battery box sticks our 1" or so. If I bodge it I won't be able to get to the fuse box etc without destroying it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted July 28, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2022 Good point, eventually I will learn from my mistakes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted July 28, 2022 Report Share Posted July 28, 2022 I’d guess that the Mk1 glove box was slightly different to the later ones? The fuse box is inside the passenger compartment right? As the Mk3 has a fuse box that projects through the bulkhead it might be that the glove box was made slightly larger. The repro ones I bought fitted fine, or at least as awkwardly as the old knackered ones! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted July 28, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2022 Yes, fuse box and flasher unit on the bulkhead. Not sure whether to cannibalise it or send it back and make something up.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted July 28, 2022 Report Share Posted July 28, 2022 They’ve not sent you a LHD or squaretail one by mistake have they? Can you post a photo of where the fuse box sits? I can probably guesstimate based on the Mk3 if it looks like the glovebox should be different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted July 30, 2022 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2022 Thanks Josef - I've been away up at the Great British Car Journey in Derbyshire and couldn't check the forum. I've already started cutting up the box! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted August 1, 2022 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2022 I made up a passenger side glove box using the new one supplied by reducing the overall depth. Rather than trying to get it to fit the screws holes for the bulkhead, and in case I need to access the fuse box etc I secured the back with Velcro strips. Looks fine. I've a few more details for the interior (replacing the door seals and final fitting the carpets) but it really does look like a decent job now. The steering rack is much more secure now - I feel the car is going where I want rather than being like a dog on a long lead looking for lamp posts. Proof of the pudding will be at the MOT when I get it there. I always feel better once I've passed that hurdle, no matter what the car. Tried to set the timing (mentions in the Technical forum) without much success but the core plug leak rate increased so I decided to park it up 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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