Boot (trunk) details

[rsk289]

I've finally sprayed the inside of my boot silver this weekend, and I have Nick's spare wheel mount kit ready to fit and the jack clip with spacers etc.
I need to know how to get the last few bits right for this - i.e., the strap for the hood bows and how the jack handles should be retained. I have Nick's hood bow strap and lift-the-dot fastener, but not sure exactly where they should go. Also for the jack handle - was there anything to hold this down, and where should it go if there was?

Thanks
Roger
(leafspring 289 street car)

[mickmate]

Hey Roger I'll get you some good reference pics of the last couple of details. I have a batch of the jack handle clips made up and the nuts for them.

[A-Snake]

Originally Posted by mickmate

. I have a batch of the jack handle clips made up and the nuts for them.

Roger, Remember the same clip & wingnut is used for the hood bows on the opposite side of the boot.

There you go Nick, you doubled you sale 8-)

[rsk289]

Thanks guys, duly ordered - could someone show me where they go?

[1985 CCX]

Drop me an email, have some great pics too big to post and you need full size

[rsk289]

Just a couple of pics to show how we're doing:

[LMH]

Originally Posted by rsk289

Just a couple of pics to show how we're doing:

Very nice!

These may help:



Larry

[rsk289]

Very useful pics, guys. I have Nick's strap for the hoodbows, as shown in Larry's picture. These come as a pair - but I can only see one in the picture. Where does the second one go?
...and, in Larry's first picture, there is a tubular piece in the corner of the trunk looking just off vertical. What is this?
Roger

[Dan Case]

There was only one strap.


Radio antenna. (Which is normally closer to vertical.)

[rsk289]

Thanks Dan, as ever. Radio antenna? Don't think I'll be needing that then, the sound system's under the bonnet (sorry, hood)

[Dan Case]

An AM radio was a popular option. If the engine is running they are just a decoration. The only speaker is inside of the radio’s chassis enclosure and it points down. The radio sits barely above the transmission tunnel carpet.


Small speaker + speaker inside radio chassis + speaker pointing down + bottom of radio chassis barely above the carpeted transmission tunnel + engine sounds (engine bay) + road noise + wind noise + exhaust note + RF interference (most Cobras came with stock HP289 Fairlane solid core secondary ignition wires so every spark pulse generated a radio frequency “tic”) = useless radio 99.9% of the time.

[rsk289]

Originally Posted by Dan Case

An AM radio was a popular option. If the engine is running they are just a decoration. The only speaker is inside of the radio’s chassis enclosure and it points down. The radio sits barely above the transmission tunnel carpet.


Small speaker + speaker inside radio chassis + speaker pointing down + bottom of radio chassis barely above the carpeted transmission tunnel + engine sounds (engine bay) + road noise + wind noise + exhaust note + RF interference (most Cobras came with stock HP289 Fairlane solid core secondary ignition wires so every spark pulse generated a radio frequency “tic” = useless radio 99.9% of the time.

Exactly like the one in my old '58 Frogeye Sprite - and most other Brit sportscars of the period, come to think of it...

[750hp]

rsk - I love your number plate. Cobra guys will love it, while most people simply wouldn't understand..!

[rsk289]

Originally Posted by 750hp

rsk - I love your number plate. Cobra guys will love it, while most people simply wouldn't understand..!

Thanks - that's why I chose it. Being a RHD, it should really be 'COB', but that would be both ridiculously expensive and too obvious, in my opinion.

[LMH]

Roger, look closely and you'll see a threaded stud on the left side where the top bows are. The wingnut and clamp are not installed in the photo.
Larry

[LMH]

Anyone know where or if I can buy wing nuts like those? They have an indentation on the wings and I haven't seen those before.
How's that for obsessive!
Larry

[Dan Case]

I have never found exact replacements. (I have been hunting one original from a Cobra for more than ten years now.)


If you visit the Ebay® UK site you might find some close to what AC Cars used. Some of the larger dealers should have something close.


The originals were made by die stamping the form in brass, a little machining, and finally they were chrome plated. The size, ¼ BSW, is not very common* now but the shape is. The shape is common as it is some sort of industry standard and many have a small numeral three on one side of one wing. The ones AC Cars used don’t look different than almost any other except they have a large numeral three instead of a small one and have a chromium plating finish.


*1/4 BSW threaded fasteners. The fastener hardware for the jack rods and top bows are the only BSW threaded pieces that I know of on a Cobra. The machine screws were long ones reduced in length, each screw is a different length, and further modified with a smooth radius on their cut ends. Each side received a modified screw, a spiral cut lock washer, two each machined hex nuts (chamfered only on one side), a formed sheet metal clamp, and a chrome plated brass wing nut. The steel screws and nuts only appear to have an as manufactured appearance (called “self color” in the UK). The lock washer might have a light phosphate coating. The finish on sheet steel clamps is highly variable. The intent seemed to be paint them with a glossy black but some originals have poor coverage. Some look like somebody had laid the clamps on a horizontal surface and passed by them in a single pass with a spray of black paint. In that type situation the black paint didn’t even cover all of the appearance side of the part. Some are painted on both sides.

[mickmate]

Hey Larry I think that the 3 is a protrusion not an indentation. I was thinking of sand casting a few. I have an idea on putting the number in there.

[Dan Case]

Originally Posted by mickmate

Hey Larry I think that the 3 is a protrusion not an indentation. I was thinking of sand casting a few. I have an idea on putting the number in there.

The numeral three is raised above the surface about 0.01 inch. (hard to measure)


Brass moves pretty easily. I was wondering about trying making a steel die with a recessed numeral. Make the die fit the shape of a wing. Buy some common ones with small numerals, polish off the small numerals, and either press or forge the wing in the die to press a raised numeral in. Finally deal with any extra marks the operation created before a nice chrome plating job. If that didn’t work maybe coat the wing center with some medium soft solder (tin-antimony maybe) and press a number in the solder coat before plating?????????

[LMH]

Thanks Dan!
I think you're right Nick, now that I look at it knowing that.

What does the "3" mean?
Larry