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Date |
Event |
15/05/2005
4hrs
Rear Dumb Irons |
The holiday to Los Angeles and Hawaii has come and gone. I must admit
to not thinking too much about the car whilst I was away. Since
my return, over a week ago, I have not been able to do any work on the car until today. A
combination of jet lag, family commitments and work is my excuse.
Today I fitted the RHS rear grommet for the rear dumb iron. I have to say
this is the most tedious and time consuming job. With a combination of
slow careful work coupled with frequent trial fits I managed it. The
whole problem with this job is that you are fitting a circular grommet
at an angle, over the chrome distance piece. This created on oval hole in
the bodywork. The grommet then has to be stretched in to place and fitted.
I've left the grommets in place in the hope they will stretch in to place
and become easier to fit.
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16-17/05/2005
4hrs
Rear Dumb Irons |
Now that I have fitted the grommets and the distance
pieces it was time to work out the length of the distance pieces required.
When the dumb irons are assembled on the cat the upright part is supposed
to be vertical. I removed the grommets an the distance pieces
followed by the brackets. I decided the the distance pieces would be better
fitted if they butted up against a plain nut rather than the weld joining
the round bar and the flat plate. I threaded a nut (A) as far down the
bar as it would go. This will act as the butt stop. I measured
from the end of the bar to the plain nut (1) (to determine the overall
usable length of the bar (L)). I refitted the bracket to the chassis.
I then threaded a plain nut and washer on to the bar (2) far enough down the
bar that it would not interfere with adjusting the dumb iron vertical
position. I hung the dumb iron on to the bar whilst I did up the
chassis securing bolts. Finally fitting another plain nut and washer
(3) to the bar to secure the dumb iron. The garage floor slopes, so to
gauge the true vertical of the dumb iron I jacked up the font of the car
until the chassis was level as measured on a spirit level. Holding the
spirit level against the upright I tightened the outer plain nut (3) until
it was vertical. Then I tightened the inner nut (2) against the dumb iron to
clamp it in position. The distance between the face of the dumb iron
and the face of the first nut (1) is the length of the spacer required.
The trick is to remove the dumb iron by undoing nut (3) without disturbing
nut (2) and the plain washer. Once this is done measure from the end of the
threaded rod to the face of the washer (X) The length of the distance
piece required will be (D) = (L-X) . The actual figure will depend on the
positioning of the brackets and is like to vary from car to car and from
side to side I tried different ways of determining the length of the
distance piece and came up with a figure +/- 1 mm of (D). Repeat for
the other side Dumb Iron and bracket.
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18/05/2005 6hrs
Rear Bumper Spacers
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I had arranged with John Hopkins to take the spacers up
to his workshop, cut them to length and true them up on the lathe.
Following on from my decision to to butt the spaces up to nuts as
above. I assembled the dumb irons and distance pieces and rechecked the
measurements, before going up to see him. The morning was spent with me
cutting the spacers slightly oversize and John trimming them down to size
and boring the oversize holes to accept the nuts. on the lathe. The
result was very accurately sized distance pieces. Another advantage of
butting the distance pieces against the nuts is the the nuts can be used to
adjust the position of the distance pieces if necessary. This
afternoon I refitted the distance pieces, grommets and dumb irons,. On final
assembly the dumb irons are secured to the threaded bar with a chrome domed
nut. It was obvious that I would need to shorten the threaded bar to
tighten the dumb iron in place. I had about 50mm of bar protruding
from the distance piece. I measured the depth of the domed nut, the
thickness of the washer and the dumb iron. It came to about 25 mm. Two
plain nuts and a washer threaded on the bar and just over finger tight
against the distance piece, provided a suitable guide to saw the end off the
bar. Dressing the end of the screw thread with a file ensured that the
domed nut would thread on easily. I refitted the dumb iron tightened up the
domed nut and checked it's position. All very satisfactory. However I had a
slight gap in the join between the grommet and the body work (at about the 7
0'Clock position). It would need filling. I removed the dumb iron,
grommet and distance piece, mixed some body filler, applied it and left it
overnight to dry.
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19/05/2005
4 hrs
Rear Dumb Irons
|
I returned to fitting he dumb irons, grommets and
distance pieces. I reworked the the body filler and refitted the LH
grommet, distance piece and dumb iron. the result better but not good.
I left it while I worked on the R.H side. I removed the dumb iron and measure
the length of the thread protruding from the distance piece. I shortened it
to approx 25 mm as described above. I refitted the dumb iron.
Tightening the securing nuts and bolts of the dumb iron and the bracket
placed the dumb iron and bracket under tension. This pulled the
grommet out of shape and position on both sides, It was clear that
although I had taken care and many attempts to fit the grommets the holes in
the bodywork were not only misaligned but too big. All of this stems
back to the fact that the grommets are round and being stretched to an oval
to fit the slope of the body work which in turn compresses the inside of the
grommet at the top and the outside of the grommet at the bottom.
I considered fitting edge beading instead of the grommets, this would
mould itself to the shape and contour of the bodywork. Whatever the solution, I would need to fill the holes and
start again. This time I would use completely assembled and tightened
dumb iron to determine the position of the holes. I removed the dumb
irons and distance pieces and grommets. I wrapped each dumb iron in
cardboard to form a tube, securing it with masking tape I refitted the
distance pieces, dumb iron and tighten all the securing bolts. This pulled
the dumb iron and mounting bracket into its final position. I then masked up
to the edge of the cardboard tube to bridge the gap between the tube and the
bodywork on the exterior of the body. The masking tape follows the
contour of the body so that when the body filler is applied from the inside
a correctly contoured surface is presented on the outside, once the tape is
removed. I mixed up the body filler and applied it from the inside of
the body. It was left to cure overnight. These grommets and dumb irons
are proving to be a major stumbling block.
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21/05/2005
3hrs
Rear Body
Bumper Mounting |
The body filler had dried overnight. I know the holes are
going to be too small for the grommets but will be the correct shape.
I also know that the hole required for the grommets needs to be 3mm lager
than the distance piece all round. I marked a distance of 3mm from the
distance pieces, in small increments around the circumference, on the
masking tape. Joining these marks replicated the shape but 3mm larger,
giving me a good guide on how much to open out the holes. I removed the
distance pieces and transition brackets and suing the Dremel sanding drum
carefully opened out the holes to just inside the 3mm line. Frequent trial
fitting of the grommet, distance pieces and transition brackets I gradually
opened out the holes until the grommet fitted and the whole assembly fitted.
It is not easy fitting the distance pieces through the grommet on to the
transition brackets because the distance pieces must pass through the
grommets at an angle, but with care making sure the holes are not opened out
too far it eventually fits. I resembled the dumb irons and checked the
vertical position and the position of the grommets. At last I seem to
have and acceptable fit of all the components.
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22/05/2005
3hrs
Rear Dumb Irons |
Relieved that I had finally got an acceptable fit I had
to remove the dumb irons today for a number of reasons. I painted the bare
metal in the bottom mounting holes to prevent rust at a later date. I
mixed up some body filler to touch up the edge of the hole for the grommet
in the RHS. This was cosmetic really I broke a small piece of the edge
when I removed the masking tape, which didn't show but I felt it needed
replacing. I drilled the RHS dumb iron to accept the fog lamp. I
trial fitted the LHS over-rider. It looks like I've got to make a slightly
longer fixing stud for the top mount.
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23/05/2005
2hrs
Rear Bumper
Over-riders |
I found some long set screws to fit the over-riders. I
cut the heads off and these to make some studs of just the right length.
I reassembled the LH dumb iron securing it with bolts, plain & spring
washers to the chassis bracket. I secured the dumb iron to the distance
piece with domed nut, plain and spring washer. I checked the vertical
position with a spirit level and all was OK. I fitted the
over-rider using domed nuts, plain and spring washers. I evened up the
hole for the RHS distance piece and rechecked this for size by fitting the
dumb iron without the grommet. Satisfied, I fitted the transition bracket
distance piece and grommet. I refitted the dumb iron the same as the LH
side. When I cam to fit he over-rider I discovered the fitting kit contained
2 longer studs, the same as I had made earlier. Clearly the kit should have
contained 1 long and one short. and had been mixed up in packaging to supply
2 short in one package and 2 long in the other. So my stud making had really
been a waste of time. Finally I have dumb irons and over-riders fitted.
I will need to make some slight adjustment to the boot lid because it
slightly rubs against the over-riders when it is being closed. Also the RHS
dumb iron and over-rider is closer to the body work than the LHS. I know
they are equidistant from the chassis so the discrepancy must be in the
shape of the body. This can be sorted at finishing time, before
painting.
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24/05/2005
1hr
Fuel Tank |
Rechecked the markings for the fuel tank and the filler neck hole. I
covered the hole in the fuel tank with masking tape . I
Drilled a pilot hole to determine the centre of the proposed cut out was
over the tank neck. Drilled a 2" hole in the body to accommodate the
filler neck. the hole is slightly too far forward but can be adjusted to the
correct position
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27/05/2005 3hrs
Fuel Tank Filler |
I tested the position of the hole with a steel rule
held vertically against the edge of the bodywork . The 2" hole I drilled for
the filler neck / adapter was, at its front edge directly over the fuel tank
neck and central. I cut a 2¼" diameter circle as a pattern out of
cardboard. Positioned it over the hole centralized with the fuel tank
aperture and drew around it. I opened out the hole, using the Dremel,
to just inside the line, making sure the hole was still centralized on the
fuel tank. I trial fitted the fuel cap neck to ensure the hole was perfectly
round. The neck of the tank is graduated and it could now be inserted
up to half way, I measured the final diameter if the neck and made
another template. The template was once again placed on the bodywork and
drawn around checking the final position was symmetrical with the
hole. Using the Dremel I opened out the hole until the filler neck /
adapter could be fully fitted. with the filler neck in place I measure
the length of hose required (75 mm) to connect it to the filler tank. I cut
the hose to length with a hack saw. I cleaned up all the body filler /
GRP dust with a vacuum cleaner finishing off with a damp cloth, before trial
fitting the hose. I trial fitted the filler cap to position the neck
and marking the securing holes. However I decided to hold off from
drilling the holes until I have made the Monza filler cap SVA compliant.
When this has been done, I will recheck the fitting and alignment of the cap
before finally drilling the securing holes.
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28/05/2005 3hrs
Fuel Tank Cap |
I removed the Monza filler cap. SVA regulations state
that the edges of all projections greater than 5mm from the bodywork
must be radiused to 2½mm. The Monza cap will fail this as
supplied in the areas of the hinge and hinge mounting, the ridge across the
cap and the rear of the cap that projects forward of the hinge. Choosing the
polished aluminium cap it is possible to round the offending edges with an
equalizing file. Then finish off with a combination of Dremel accessories to
remove any lacquer, scratches and finally polish. It is necessary to remove
the lacquer protecting the cap to obtain and evenly polished finish.
There is not much to say about this except work carefully and slowly and
lots of elbow grease with emery paper, wet and dry paper to achieve the
finish you want. You will lose the brushed aluminium effect but the
brighter finish is more n keeping with the rest of the bright work.
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Total hours this month = 33 |
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Total hours
to date = 1069 |
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