Top boot tip from Mr Mayers

[chris.richard]

Chatting to Guy at Harrogate alerted me to a potential problem in the boot, so I had to rush home and sort it straight away!
The issue is that anything loose in the boot will fly into the side under spirited cornering, cracking the gelcoat or making a hole in the glassfibre. Answer is to line the insides of the boot ends. I've done it with 5mm plywood, cut from a cardboard template and bonded in by expanding foam which also provides extra ding resistance to the rear wing for those tank slapping moments!

Another weak point in the boot is the hinge mountings - newer cars have the area reinforced with a steel plate to spread the weight of the rear panel on the fibreglass, especially on hard landings. Mine doesn't have these yet, but should have by tonight!

[BAS]

That happened to one of my Starions back in my Land Surveying days, a ranging rod went through the inner lining and put a dent from the inside in the rear wing. Very annoying!!

[SUSIT]

No,no,no cant stand the thought of the extra weight particuarly behind the rear wheels - answer do away with the boot - :D :D

[rutthenut]

I've managed to get a couple of star-type chips on the rear panel too, through not having any lining to it at all. But then again, I've also had some bigger knocks from the outside - when racing, not on the road, I might add.

Wouldn't take as much as using plywood and foam to avoid the problem, some sort of stick-in rubber matting or soundproofing would probably do the job.

Looks as though you've also run the mounting bolt for the spoiler through the wooden panel too, which could help further on spreading the load if/when you get any helpers pushing the car along...

[guy mayers]

The other favourite star crazing spot is between the boot lid and the louvre panel - caused by closing the rear panel having left a spanner on the rear crossmember..... Never done it myself but I have seen a few.
I think the boot strengthening plate was something offered by Gerry for the early cars when the boot floor was found to be thin at the base to cure bounce. I've never had the need to fit anything to mine and after 14 years of abuse on the road the car still doesn't have any stress cracks.
Guy