Some encouraging pictures which give us optimism that the inspection/acceptance referred to above will go well.
Here is the information I promised on the fasteners required, but first a word of caution: We have looked at a number of early Aces and as you might expect there is a considerable variation in fasteners. Obviously the passing years will have seen accidents, removals for racing, modifications from standard, fitment of the later type, lost fasteners from careless maintenance or simply because of the ravages of corrosion. All of this means that there will be cars which might now require longer or shorter bolts and screws. So you will need to take a careful look and spot any differences.
All the fasteners are BSF except the first item on the list. This is UNF because originally the early overriders came with square shanked captive nuts which dropped in to the rectangular mounting holes. These nuts were UNF which, at the time, was being promoted as the standard industry thread. Some of these nuts and clips have survived in early cars and they may swop over in to our reproduction overriders. The rest of us will have to make do with ordinary UNF Aerotight nuts.
8 off 5/16" UNF ¾" underhead with ½" thread
4 off 5/16" BSF 1¼" underhead with ¾" thread
4 off 5/16" BSF 2 ¾" underhead with 1" thread
8 off Aerotight nuts 5/16" UNF (unless you still have the special nuts)
8 off Aerotight nuts 5/16" BSF
16 off 5/16" plain washers
There are many suppliers of suitable fasteners and I hope experienced readers might make their own recommendations, here is a company who tell me they have the sizes, although some bolts may have to be replaced by screws:
https://www.namrick.co.uk/With regard to early Aceca fasteners I cannot be be too helpful, we will have to await feedback from the those who are carrying out the fitment. The variations here are complicated by the tubular bumper bar situation. I am sure that the cars without single or double bumper bars will be identical on the front to the Ace. On the rear the mounting bracket is different, but might well use the same fasteners.
I have noted Aerotight shake proof nuts above, but ordinary nyloc nuts will do the job, albeit they look a bit modern. I suspect that the original works fitment might have been plain nuts with shake proof washers and there would not have been a stainless steel fastener in sight either, although I shall use stainless in the interests of longevity.
Turning to the brackets and distance tubes this is what an Ace will need:
Two off Front Brackets
Two off Rear Brackets
Two off Short Distance Tubes
Two off Long Distance Tubes
I believe the Aceca will need the specific Aceca bracket on the rear, which may be identical to the later overrider Aceca bracket and may use the front bracket where no tubular bumper bars are fitted. I hope we will get the feedback already mentioned.
These brackets and distance tubes will be available via Keith Lessiter's existing bracket scheme. Remember to specify front or rear brackets when ordering less than a full set as the mounting holes have differently spaced hole centres. As an aside I suspect that some chassis will have left the works with the mounting holes at a different spacing, all part of the charm and not a problem as the bracket holes can be elongated to suit, should anyone find hole centres which were drilled by a more artistic employee.....
Keith has the details of his scheme in the back of ACtion or you can email him:
keith.lessiter@gmail.com
Further news after the inspection is complete
Barrie Bird