JP Posted October 11, 2022 Share Posted October 11, 2022 So the strip down has started and the next step is to get the dash out. I want to strip the car down into as few large chunks as possible. Is it realistic to try to remove the dash, scuttle, instruments and wiring as one unit?If so, any tips? This isn't covered in the Assembly Guide. I have heard that the scuttle assembly is only held on with the 2 large bolts through the stanchion on each side. Is that correct? If so, can I undo those and expect to lift off the entire dash and scuttle assembly, disconnecting wiring as I go?All tips gratefully received, please.James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrightpayne Posted October 12, 2022 Share Posted October 12, 2022 Simply, no.the scuttle and vertical panel will come off as one piece which gives access to the wiring / gauges etc.The two parts of the scuttle assembly are riveted together - many have replaced the rivets with rivnuts and bolts which makes access to the wiring far easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JP Posted October 12, 2022 Author Share Posted October 12, 2022 Thank you. Will investigate further. The C7CAT rebuild website is proving a very useful reference source.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tazio Posted October 13, 2022 Share Posted October 13, 2022 When Ian( Wrightpayne) and I did a couple of rebuilds as he said the scuttle and it's front panel came off as one, then we pulled the dash including all instruments and wiring, including the fuse/relay panel off as a unit, just made sure we labelled and wrote a wiring list for all the loom connections first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JP Posted October 13, 2022 Author Share Posted October 13, 2022 Tazio, that is very helpful. Looking at the new scuttles on the CC parts page, it looks as if nothing other than the heater goes strictly through the scuttle front panel. The pics look as if there are cut outs on the bottom edge for wiring etc to pass under the front panel.Quick wiring question too - is the main loom all one piece, or is there a connector that allows the rear section to be disconnected from the front before it disappears downs the tunnel? Or will I have to disconnect all wiring at the rear and release the loom from the clips / zip-ties under the tunnel before attempting to remove the dash with wiring complete?The reason for my rebuild is strictly the chassis condition only. Everything else is fine and so I don't need nor want to strip everything down to the last component and Arch are content for me to deliver a skinned but stripped chassis to them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed White Posted October 18, 2022 Share Posted October 18, 2022 On a very similar note, does anyone have any details on the conversion that makes the scuttle top removable, while leaving the front panel on the car, for ease of inspection of wiring etc? I've seen it done and it seems very sensible, and something I fancy on my rebuild. I asume you just rivnut the scuttle top and leave the front fastened to the chassis.TIA Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted October 18, 2022 Leadership Team Share Posted October 18, 2022 Ed, I made up a 15mm wide ally strip that matched the profile of the full top edge of the bulkhead panel, it needs to finish just short of the chassis top rail to enable the return on the lower edge of the scuttle to pass underneath although that will be clear when you get started. Similar material to the bulkhead itself is ideal.This new strip was then clamped to the cockpit side of the bulkhead to enable 4mm holes to be through drilled to exactly match the position of the original rivets, the strip was then removed and the holes re-drilled in the strip to take M4 rivnuts, IIRC the size is 6.5mm.With the 24 rivnuts in the new strip, a little silicon sealant can be added in the spaces between the rivnuts and the strip refitted to the cockpit side of the bulkhead, the sealant bonding the strip in place, M4 screws can be used in the original bulkhead holes to clamp it all correctly while it dries.Job done, the scuttle can now be secured with M4 screws and will be exactly located as previously. If you fit rivnuts directly into the bulkhead panel the scuttle will be incorrectly pushed forward slightly hence the reason for the extra strip.Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrightpayne Posted October 18, 2022 Share Posted October 18, 2022 Stu,You can get 'thin sheet' rivnuts that leave very little protrusion. Lot less of a phaff!!I think I used M3 bolts on mine, flange socket heads as my full scuttle was painted and these covered the unpainted bit exposed when drilling the rivet out.IanPS could be M4 - not near car to check! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrightpayne Posted October 18, 2022 Share Posted October 18, 2022 Also had to modify the fia resistor bracket... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed White Posted October 26, 2022 Share Posted October 26, 2022 Thanks both, cheers, Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JP Posted October 30, 2022 Author Share Posted October 30, 2022 So this weekend's plan was to get the scuttle and dash off. The engine is out and the wiring is all disconnected, but I've stalled at the scuttle stage.3 of the 4 hex head bolts that hold the stanchion on to the scuttle - and I believe secure the scuttle to the car - are seized solid. 2 of them are so tightly locked that my hex key socket is twisting and one of them is moving and feels as if a rivnut on the other side might be spinning (is there a rivnut?).I think the dremel will come out to fix this and hopefully I will not trash the stanchion. However, I'm not sure what the bolts bolt into. Will grinding the heads of the bolts solve the problem or will I still have problems removing the scuttle from the remaining threaded part of the bolts?Any suggestions gratefully received...James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drumster Posted October 30, 2022 Share Posted October 30, 2022 Have you taken the knee trim panels off? If riveted on then simply drill them out and use self tappers to refit.Once the knee trim panels are off you'll see what you're dealing with. It'll either be a large scuttle retaining bracket with 2 captive nuts or simply 2 nuts. The scuttle itself is secured to the chassis by 2 nuts on 2 vertical studs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JP Posted October 30, 2022 Author Share Posted October 30, 2022 #12 - No - but I will - thank you.I'm thinking that when I rebuild, I may use a lot of self tappers rather than rivets for refitting panels...The strip down is getting quite frustrating - almost every fixing is corroded and the heavy use of rivnuts rather than threaded holes or accessible nuts just adds extra aggro and time consumption. I wonder if mine was built before copperslip was invented...Anyway, all the better once it's done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JP Posted November 12, 2022 Author Share Posted November 12, 2022 Productive day today! Got the dash out complete with all wiring, ECU etc intact. This was the plan to avoid too much labeling and scope for error on rebuild. As per advice drilled out the rivets between scuttle top and bulkhead which made the job much easier. My scuttle is not held on by the windscreen bolts, but instead just the two studs from the chassis which were really corroded. I now know how much better PlusGas is than other variants for freeing seized fastenings!Here is today's progress: So, on rebuild I definitely need a way to remove the scuttle top easily. Is there any reason not to use self tappers rather than rivnuts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted November 12, 2022 Leadership Team Share Posted November 12, 2022 Very well done, that's quite an achievement and should make reassembly much easier.Re self tappers, in my opinion they're more likely to work loose and enlarge the holes than using rivets or rivnuts.Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JP Posted November 13, 2022 Author Share Posted November 13, 2022 #15 - good point. I might just re-rivet. Easier to remove than a rivnut if the fastening seizes and the nut end starts spinning...it takes no time to drill out a bunch of rivets an refit and, in reality, it's not going to come off very often, if at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldAndrewE Posted November 13, 2022 Share Posted November 13, 2022 If you want to reduce the possibility of the rivnut spinning try smearing some araldite (other epoxy resins are available) on them before crimping up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted November 13, 2022 Member Share Posted November 13, 2022 "I now know how much better PlusGas is than other variants for freeing seized fastenings!"I agree, but there's not much evidence out there.It's only just occurred to me that this sort of job offers the opportunity for a blinded trial!Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JP Posted November 13, 2022 Author Share Posted November 13, 2022 #18 - probably to late now - I'm now down to stripping the front and rear suspension and steering and then it's off to Arch.But I would say, that I've been soaking some fastenings in WD40 for weeks now with no joy, but I managed to find a can of PG this week and fixings that were stuck fast yesterday have freely come undone today!No doubt someone will be along shortly to tell me that they are exactly the same save for the name... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted November 13, 2022 Member Share Posted November 13, 2022 It won't be me!: - )Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtBuddha Posted November 23, 2022 Share Posted November 23, 2022 I too have pondered self tapping screws, but M3 sized Allen head bolts with copper slip into rivnuts should not seize over time. They're not structural, aren't holding two critical items together and therefore don't need to be done up too tight.Also, if you remove the bolts holding the steering column clamp in place you can simply lift out the flat sheet of aluminium that is the bulkhead to gain greater access. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted November 23, 2022 Member Share Posted November 23, 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayjackson1950 Posted November 23, 2022 Share Posted November 23, 2022 The problem with Rivnuts is that they can spin when trying to remove n the future.My rear wings are fixed with these, as the picture. Unfortunately, I don't know what they are. I have tried various searches on the web but can't find them. So if anyone knows what they are I would appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted November 23, 2022 Member Share Posted November 23, 2022 Is that rivetted to the panel with a threaded fastener coming through from the blind side?ThanksJonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamC Posted November 23, 2022 Share Posted November 23, 2022 #23They are anchor nuts. You've got fixed ones there, but you can also get floating ones which can be useful in making the accuracy of the drilling less critical.https://www.clarendonsf.com/products/nuts/anchor-nuts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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