13 June 2008 - Hood fitting....

Last few evenings have been spent sorting out the hood frame. Luckily I managed to find a good frame (see earlier updates) and this needed only minor repairs where the webbing strap sits at the front. This was welded and ground down, before painting with Smoothrite. All the hood frame comes apart fairly easily so it was pretty striaght forward to rub down and paint each bit.

The seat subframes that I made up also got the paint treatment. The frames allow the new seats to bolt to the existing runners whilst still allowing them to tilt forward. I am not sure of the MOT rules as they are not secured at the back, but that is what they were originally like so I cannot see it being an issue.

All the lights work now and indicators too, and all that remains is to find out why th edash bulbs don't light up! I think that may be an earthing problem or even blown bulbs. I did have an issue with the rear number plate light not working. This was down to the fact that the new loom only has a single wire to it and assumes that it will be earthed through the boot hinges. Unfortunately the paint is so think that it didn't earth, so I ran another wire to the light and earther it by the pertrol tank. Problem solved.

The fial part of the hood fitting will be done either tomorrow evening or at the weekend, as it requires heating the hood up until it is hot and then stretching it over the frame whilst gluing it! Should be fun! This is the key part, as it will be the first thing people will see.

Other things I have fitted include the rest of the carpets, and the rear seats and side panels. My wife, Jayne, has sewn these up, and has down a good job considering it was her first time at doing anything like this!