355 replies to this topic

[CocoPops]

The ones under the hinge aren't too bad... drill down through them, each under the sill to remove the knackered (un)captive nut and replace with a wing nut when refastening.

[JG]

I made quite a good (if i may say so) aluminum repair for Lee's front under headlight mount. can make you one if you like.

[CocoPops]

He did indeed. My lower pax side bolt tore the fitting through the fibreglass.

[jules_s]

I made quite a good (if i may say so) aluminum repair for Lee's front under headlight mount. can make you one if you like.

Thanks James....I let you know

It seems quite evident that despite copious amounts of copper slip last time on ALL the bolts, they've seized.

I'm guessing (with some clearly evident rusting) that pretty much all of the shims have rusted away and contaminated the adjacent threads.

Bit of a bugger but meh, it's a 10 year old car

The current plan (given the now non existent shims) is to saw through the lower bolts under the lights. I can then see what I'm up against. I'm guesing you did a once bent 'L' shape piece fixed through the top? I'm rather hoping to salvage what I've got (it's still pretty tight in there) but that largely depends on what happens when we try drilling out what is left of the bolts!!!

As for the other 4, the plan is to grind the heads of the bottom ones....doors off and drill the top two.

I can't help feeling there is going to mucho damage around the fibreglass getting the bolts out of the captive nuts though

Thanks to you and Lee for the pointers though

[SPLAM]

Jules if the ones around the door top haven't yet rounded off, get some penetrating fluid on them over the next few days or so, get a good new allen key preferably a decent length one and try and snap them free. May be worth just trying to tighten them a fraction first to break the seal . same with the bottom ones if the captive nut hasn't already broke free. Mine still never came out, and had to be drilled. Not the funnest job that hopefully you won't have to do. Before grinding the heads off it may be worth drilling through the centre of the bolt, it will help you centre the drill and if you still have to grind the heads there will be less material to heat up and damage the paint. Loads of water also helps, I also found leaving a couple of years between starting and finishing helped. Hope it goes well.

[ChrisS1]

I also found leaving a couple of years between starting and finishing helped.

[jules_s]

Jules if the ones around the door top haven't yet rounded off, get some penetrating fluid on them over the next few days or so, get a good new allen key preferably a decent length one and try and snap them free. May be worth just trying to tighten them a fraction first to break the seal . same with the bottom ones if the captive nut hasn't already broke free.

Mine still never came out, and had to be drilled. Not the funnest job that hopefully you won't have to do.

Before grinding the heads off it may be worth drilling through the centre of the bolt, it will help you centre the drill and if you still have to grind the heads there will be less material to heat up and damage the paint. Loads of water also helps, I also found leaving a couple of years between starting and finishing helped.

Hope it goes well.

lol mate @ the years....good to see you posting on here again

Me/old man had a good allen key/spanner long pry bar on the bolts over/under the door hinge via an allen key. And they aint going no-where. They've had penetrating oil in there for a week and so I don't think that'll help too much as the shims have rusted to feck.

And yes, i do have an atomiser full of water ready for such ball ache tasks after melting the rear arch liners last time lol...not that I really care about the paint any more

Sourcing some drills at B&Q (particularly a LH one) at B&Q morrow should be fun

[JG]

so, how did it go?

[davemate]

For your dask i would highly reccomend sending off the vents and getting them flocked. it really cuts down on reflection in the windscreen. I would use the place that Cliffie went to as he got his dash done for not much more than i pais for the vents to be done :S

[jules_s]

so, how did it go?

It didn't

4.5 hours working on the car on Saturday saw me utter agony on Sunday morning.

I'm still aching now

[JG]

Want a hand on Saturday? Happy to come up. with drill, dremel and angle grinder.

[jules_s]

JG I'll let you know if I may? Depends on the weather really, the car is outside with no cover available so rain = no no Oh, and I've fashioned a 2' long allen key so i'm going to attack the bastard thing on an evening this week And if you post an e-mail address I'll send you some PDF's of those drawing sheets I keep forgetting about lol

[SPLAM]

I've fashioned a 2' long allen key so i'm going to attack the bastard thing on an evening this week

That's the spirit.

[ChrisS1]

I would have offered a hand Jules but am away all this weekend. Hope you manage to make some headway on the little bugger!

[CocoPops]

I'll speak to SWMBO and see if I can can get a Saturday pass.

[JG]

JG

I'll let you know if I may?

Depends on the weather really, the car is outside with no cover available so rain = no no

Oh, and I've fashioned a 2' long allen key so i'm going to attack the bastard thing on an evening this week

And if you post an e-mail address I'll send you some PDF's of those drawing sheets I keep forgetting about lol

even rain doesn't really matter. I know a man with who has a gazebo.

[CocoPops]

even rain doesn't really matter. I know a man with who has a gazebo.

I don't think keeping your car dry is the issue though James

[JG]

i wasn't planning on going up in the vx if it rained

[jules_s]

<sub>James,

I'd be more than happy for the help if you can make it over

I'll forewarn you though; I'm a bit restricted in what I can/can't do so i tend to end up watching quite a bit of the time</sub>

[JG]

Thats no problem Jules, Pencil in Saturday.