Hood frame mounting plates behind the B Post

[JohnTee]

Evening, TR Register members.

I have just refitted (or attempted to) my 6's hood and frame after a spot of remedial work. The last owner seems to have been a "that;s close enough for government work" kind of guy and had the 6 bolts holding the frame (3 either side) mis-replaced with hex head bolts rather than countersunk screws, causing rubbing on the driver's seat (it's right back). I purchased a set of screws from TRTrader, a very helpful gentleman.

On fitting the frame, I first inserted the 2 bottom screws on either side to hold it in place, and then fitted the 2nd and 3rd to the nearside holes. All well and good. On attempting to fit these 2 on the off-side, no go. the threads locked almost immediately. Investigation of the old bolts revealed 4 were 1/4" UNF, which was expected, but the other 2 turned out to be 7/32" (No 12) UNF

So, to the point of the question and plea for help. Has anyone come across this problem before? No 12 Countersunk Screws seem to be rarer than they used to be in my younger days as an apprentice. Has any one ever replaced the floating plate, with 1/4" UNF threaded holes, before? Is it possible without removing the inner rear wing?

Thanks for any help and advice you can offer on this.

 

John

[mtrehy]

Doesn't make sense. 7/32 is significantly smaller than 1/4 and the bolts would have been very loose at best.Have you tried cleaning the original thread with a 1/4 unf tap? Failing that you could helicoil it easily enough, might need to cut a couple of coils off the helicoil if the plate isn't thicker than the coil but will work fine for that application.

 

There's many ways I'd go about repairing that before I thought about cutting into it!

[JohnTee]

Thanks for the response. Sadly, very little I've come across on this makes sense. Bodged is a word that springs to mind. 7/ 32 is 1/32 smaller than 1/4. Not much, but enough, unfortunately. I considered tapping it out, but a little worried about attempting it on a floating plate. I might have to try it, though.

[tr graham]

John

remove the frame then hold the plate in place with the one good thread using a short bolt and a nice wide thick washer , then gently run a tap through the other holes .

graham

[JohnTee]

Thanks Graham, but its 2 plates. Might work if I can find one of the old bolts. I thought it should only be one plate.

[mtrehy]

It really isn't this difficult to run a 1/4 unf tap in an existing hole.

[JohnTee]

That was the idea I was thinking of. Have to bite the bullet and give it a shot. Thannks for the ideas and the input. Much appreciated.

John