front and rear section

[pimms]

Hi all,
I am trying to get a good fit for my ( Hawk ) front and rear section.
The front section seems to fit ok, but only when i keep it down by hand. It springs a bit up becuase it is blocked in the center neer the windscreen. Is that normaly so? Do you need the X1/9 catches to keep the section in shape or do i need to heat it up a bit to get a better fit :confused:

I got the rear section nearly there ( wide asch ), but on both sides the wheel arches point a few cm inwards, same Q: heat them up to get them in shape :confused: If so do I need to be aware of certain things, while heating?

The belt tensioner seems like a mechanical part, do i need to replace it?

Thanks

[mudhut]

hi Pim

The 24V cam belt tensioner is mechanical. I would replace it as the bearing can eventually break up. Also replace the belt and idler wheels. This is what I will do as it is much easier with the engine out. I will do the same to the serpentine poly-v belt, tensioner, idlers and water pump.

[roger001]

That looks like the modified tensioner fitted to 12 V engines as a replacement for the older oil fed variety.

[strat6v]

Front section.

Firstly, put a central reference mark from the nose, up the middle of the louvres then to the screen surround area and one on the centre of the scuttle. Sit the nose onto the ally panels and centralise it, now line the pencil marks up at the back. Forget the fore/aft bit just yet. Now gently push down either side on the nose and check that the near horizontal line on the door tops carries through something like on the nose section. Mine didn't so i trimmed the tops of the ally panels by quite a bit so it sat lower. When i was happy with that i then moved it back till i could get a sensible panel gap that could be evened out. Trimmed the gap etc. One thing though, the left hand side probably won't line up with the bit on the tub/arch just in front of the door, where the panel catch fits. I had to build that out with glass by about 3mm. Then you will probably find that the door will line up better too!
If you are at abingdon then i will demonstrate what i did, probably easier to show you than explain it.

John.

[rutthenut]

There was an article in one of the newsletters a couple of years back that gave Gerry's recommendation on how to line up the panels.

Also, I found that the centre part of my front panel was a bit close for the 'gutter' section on the grp bulkhead section. No harm in thinning it a bit to reduce contact.

Another point is to consider putting some form of strengthening on the undersides of both panels, an inch or two back from the edge. I think originals had something of this sort - doesn't need much to do it, essentially bond a bit of grp over something to give a bit of structure so that the flat area of the panel won't flex so much. Look at Abingdon and I'm sure some of the other cars there will have examples to see how...

J.R.

[mudhut]

Thought Pim had a 24V :confused:

But a search has now revealed that the engine he took out was a 12V. Sorry if my comment has confused the issue.

[pimms]

Front section.
If you are at abingdon then i will demonstrate what i did, probably easier to show you than explain it. John.

Good idea, i will be making a list of all things i have to look at in Abingdon.
Thanks all for your comments see you next week :)