Early Gt6 / Spitfire rear tail lamp fixing screws - size?

[Colin Lindsay]

Mine have gone very rusty and stained the red lens on the back of my GT6, so I want to replace them in stainless. It's the little screw at the top. I can't find the size, only the part number 511801 which is 'screw, lens fixing, 2 required'. 

Does anyone have the exact spec off-hand so that I can order same in stainless? Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

[Mad4classics]

Mine measure up as 2BA x 1/2" cheese head slotted for the genuine Lucas L672, if that's any help. Careful, a modern repro unit might be M5 !!!

Originally I have a feeling these may have been cheese raised head slotted; but I'm not certain.

Cheese head slotted 2BA stainless are easy enough to find, but a quick search for cheese raised head slotted 2BA doesn't return any hits.

David

 

[Colin Lindsay]

Thanks David, I was too lazy yesterday to go out and measure... now I can have an online search and see what comes up. It's whichever fits the backplate, which is original, it just needs to go through the red lens and screw into the metal bit behind. Possibly these guys in 1/2 inch:

https://www.spaldingfasteners.co.uk/2ba-a2-stainless-steel-cheese-slotted-head-machine-screws/

I wonder which postage option I should go for, when the screws total about £1...

[Rabbit]

Colin, these are available  on Ebay in brass. Postage should be about £1 as they will go in an envelope small. Got these on my Spitfire III.

[Mad4classics]

5 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:

I wonder which postage option I should go for, when the screws total about £1...

Next working day naturally !

🤣🤣

[Colin Lindsay]

26 minutes ago, Mad4classics said:

Next working day naturally !

🤣🤣

That means they may never arrive at all...

[Colin Lindsay]

Well they arrived, 48 hours for the cheapest option!

Bought from Spalding Fasteners, they fit the threads and look the part. (Sorry Rabbit, looked at the brass but decided the colour change was a step too far!)

Only problem is that they tighten fully at an angle and not up-down or horizontal to suit my OCD...

 

[Mad4classics]

6 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:

Only problem is that they tighten fully at an angle and not up-down or horizontal to suit my OCD...

There's a solution to that; raise the front of the car until the screw thread is horizontal before tightening down - problem solved... 🤓

[Dick Twitchen]

On 27/05/2021 at 09:53, Colin Lindsay said:

to suit my OCD

Relax and sleep easy, both of my 'original' ones come to rest at the same angle after 44 years.

Dick

[Peter Truman]

Colin the ones on the daughters Mk2 Spit are chromed brass Phillips head look OK and not as deep a head as cheese head bolts. maybe their aftermarket. I think the ones on our Spit are the same as the Herald/Vitesse rear light covers screws.

could always use a S/S Allen head angle doesn’t matter then, I assume you want originality?

[Colin Lindsay]

13 hours ago, Peter Truman said:

I assume you want originality?

Nope, I just wanted something that held them on without rusting! The last pair I had left rusty streaks down the red lens and even on to the bodywork. As long as I don't park beside another Mk1 those will do fine.

[dougbgt6]

On 27/05/2021 at 09:53, Colin Lindsay said:

Only problem is that they tighten fully at an angle and not up-down or horizontal to suit my OCD...

A little tap with a hammer, go on, you know you want to. 

Doug

[Pete Lewis]

Dougs other site has a lot of clues about angles and tight fits 

Pete

 

[Colin Lindsay]

1 hour ago, Pete Lewis said:

Dougs other site has a lot of clues about angles and tight fits 

Pete

 

Just because it's not straight up and down doesn't mean it's lacking anything... as the old Physics Law goes: the angle of dangle is directly related to the heat of the moment. Or is that biology?

I'll leave them alone and just claim the slot is straight but the whole car is at an angle.

[Peter Truman]

Sorry Colin we don’t appreciate the issues your damp wet climate causes you as our cars are garaged and seldom get taken out in the wet and definitely not salted slush I think I’ve only had to cut thro one bolt in 47 years and that was because a Sprint sub frame bolt lock nut seized it started then locked electric saw sorted that in 1 minute.