Re-assy questions

[aex125]

AEX125 is back from the painter and I am beginning the re-ass'y process and have some questions about how things should go back together.
   1. Which direction do the bonnet locks face? In other words, is the hinge placed towards the windshield or the front of the car.
   2. For the door weatherstripping, does it attach to the body or the door?
   3. I recently ordered some new tailight gaskets and the ones that came are much thinner on the edge than the ones I want to replace. Should I be using the thicker or thinner versions?
   4. One of the phenolic pieces that go between the windshield wiper wheel box and the body is broken. Is there a source for these or does one need to buy an entire wheelbox?
   In many pictures I have looked at I have seen things done different ways wrt to the above and am wondering what is considered correct, although with these cars I realize there may not be a correct as each car may be different.
   TIA and wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season.
   Jay

[Bernie]

Jay, 1). The bonnet locks on my BEX494 have the hinge towards the windscreen. They left witness marks in the aluminum so it wasnt hard to tell how they mounted.
   2). Weatherstripping is usually on the door, and on the body for the boot & bonnet, BUT, you'll see it both ways. My door seals are on the body as I couldnt keep them attached to the door especially under the front top edge that "slides over" the cowling on each side as you close the door.
   3). I hand cut rubber gaskets for the taillights and like them better than any repo's I've seen.
   4). Cant really answer your question, except to say that windshield wiper units are readily avail & fairly cheap. An MGA unit should interchange.
   
   Seasons Greetings,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Bernie

[aex125]

Thanks Bernie,
   Your comment on the door weatherstripping (if placed on the door, it may come loose) is something that I had not considered, so maybe I will also go with gluing it on the body. When you cut your tailight gaskets did you use flat rubber? I test fitted the 2 gaskets I have and found that with the thicker one I was able to follow the body contour with no spaces, but with the thinner version I have gaps that are not filled. Thanks also for the possible MGA connection. I may try to find one of them or may try making one out of Nylon as that may prove to be less brittle.
   Jay

[bex316]

Hello Jay,
   
   Just a note regarding the bonnet locks.
   On my car BEX316 the hinges face to the front so just opposite to Bernie's car. For me, that's more natural because it means the lock covers open in the same direction as the bonnet itself. Maybe the factory never thought of it like this but I'm sensitive to those little things.
   In the Original book by Rinsey Mills BEX1033 also has them the same way and this supposedly is a very original car that was never totally restored. On the other hand in the same book is shown AE24 (which is restored) that has them the same way as BEX494. Unfortunately I can't really figure out how they are fitted to RS5020 that's also pictured several times and is another quite original car.
   I scanned the complete Brooklands Books volume for a suitable picture but couldn't find one. That's a shame because most are period pics and thus more valuable regarding originality than more recent pics.
   
   Merry Christmas to all!
   
   Jerry

[A-Snake]

quote:Originally posted by aex125
   
Thanks Bernie,
   Your comment on the door weatherstripping (if placed on the door, it may come loose) is something that I had not considered, so maybe I will also go with gluing it on the body. Jay
   

   
   Jay, Perhaps Bernie had an issue with the weatherstripping on the door either due to the weatherstripping being too wide, too thick or applied too close to the end of the door so that it 'hits' the cowl too soon. Putting it on the door is the original way. It also makes it easier to keep the door jam area clean and polished. [:I]
   Just my .02 cents[]

[pjbowman]

Jay - my car (AEX127) has the hinges facing towards the front of the car. Also, the original sales literature shows the car with the hinges in this same orientation, so I believe hinges forward is correct.
   
   Peter

[pls01]

Jay
   My Ace (BEX 375) has the bonnet lock hinges towards the front of the car.  Probably better because they don't tend to blow open.  I can image that on a hand made car they could be originally installed either way.
   
   The weatherstripping attaches to the doors.  For the bonnet and boot it attaches to the body
   
   I don't know which phenolic pieces you are describing.  My windshield wiper motor/box has rubber feet.
   
   Peter

[aex125]

Thanks for the responses everyone and I guess the hinges were installed either way, but since AEX127 had hinges forward I'll go with that direction; I also don't want that extra wind resistance if they open up at high speed ;)I'll also be starting on the weatherstripping tommorrow so I'll check both locations (door vs body) and see what looks like it will work best. Peter, the phenolic piece I was looking for is the piece that is between the wiper wheelbox (not the motor) and the body. There is a wheel box for each wiper (the cable goes through it at each wiper) and it is also just below the chrome escutcheons that the wipers attach to.
   Jay

[Robin A Woolmer]

For phenolic piece try ' www.s-v-c.co.uk ' they sell wheel boxes
   
   Robin

[Bernie]

Jay, The flat rubber I used for the lights is nearly the same thickness as the repo rubber gaskets. I cut them using an Exacto knife from my model airplane years. My body is realtively flat around the lights so little gap is visable. This car was stored for 43+years with no body damage in the rear. I would think that my bonnet locks are probably on backwards considering what all the other responders have reported. I'm just going by the small witness marks left in the aluminum.
   
   Regards, Bernie
   Warm weather cant come soon enough!