Spyder restoration - long time coming

[frankxhv773t]

I love the old style buckleless seatbelts.

If it's any help identifying your door card kick plates this is the one on an S reg Spider.

[peteracs]

Hi Frank

That is the one that I have good ones of and more importantly both left and right hand ones. They are now on the door cards!

Peter

[HFStuart]

Again they've not been fitted to either of my pre-F/L spiders.

Good luck being a concours judge for Betas!

[peteracs]

Hi Stuart

If you look at the back of the door cards there may be 5 holes which the kick plate pins fasten through?

Peter

[peteracs]

A bit of two steps back, three forward these last few days. I had installed the rear seats, rear door cards and seat belt retainers a few weeks ago and then realised that I had to remove them to fit the carpet retainers along the doors. I also realised the fixing bracket at the base of one of the door cards was I securely fastened onto the door card itself, so a couple of new rivets being the answer. I think the trimmer must have removed it and tried to fix it with a couple of plastic plugs which simply pulled out. I also realised I had installed these door cards incorrectly relative to the rear parcel shelf. The parcel shelf fits over the door cards and I had originally put the door cards over the shelf. Either way will fit, but the correct way hides a small section of the wheel well unlike the incorrect way. So all back together now, happy with that, but still have to take the brave pill and drill the fixing hole in the door cards.

Next up was the small trim panels and storage bins which fit in the foot well just in front of the doors. These are held in with self tapping screws of varying lengths and because of previous bodges, some varying hole sizes. There were multiple holes in some places to choose from as well, add to the really awkward place to get to for two of the screws, it took a while to fit, but the end result is not bad at all.

Next job is fitting the actual door cards.

Peter

[WestonE]

I am jealous of your progress well done!

Mine is back at the Paint shop having some faults fixed and the tricky custom rear bumper made.

I will have some great parts for sale when all this is done!

Cheers

Eric

[peteracs]

Hi Eric

Yep, lockdown does give me extra time to tinker and now it is snowing, so another day inside...

Peter

[peteracs]

Ok, I lied, after doing my domestic chores I had enough time to fit the seats, the door cards hopefully will come over the next few days!

Peter

[WestonE]

Looking Good! You will be driving in the Spring.

[peteracs]

Eric, let’s hope so!

Another day and I have got back to the door cards.

The pre f/l door cards (unlike the facelift ones?) are made of a fibre type of board which is moulded into shape. With age and water ingress on the back you often get areas where the fibre board is starting to or has disintegrated. Mine was not too bad, but where the board had gone soft I used some netting we had bought years ago for protecting plants from frost and applying a watered down PVA solution. This is a bit like fibreglassing without the mess and the result is pretty solid. The trimmer recovered them when he did the seats, so they match the rest of the interior. A couple of weeks or so ago I fitted the plastic/chrome kick plates, clips and the door lock surround. Today I had a go at fitting the drivers side one. It took a bit of time, but all went well, thankfully.

One thing I had decided to use on the base of the card is the stainless strip which holds it in place as well as the clips. The strip I used I think is from the later cars and curves up either side of the card, unlike the original which is just a simple strip which does not offer any protection to the lower edges. They fit, just need a bit of persuading. I managed to fit the door pull surround without breaking it, however the original ‘shiny’ original ones had missing lugs, so I used one from the later cars which is more of a satin finish, still looks the part, so happy with it. After that the window winder handle fitted.

The main L shaped door pull handle has three fixings, the lower two still had the captive nuts in the doors and take a self tapper type of screw. The upper one however, the captive nut was missing on both sides so I bought some cage nuts and Allan headed bolts to suit which fit well and give a solid fixing.

The final part fitted was the door lock knob. I am not sure, but I think the original may have been brown to match the interior, however I cannot find any other than the two black ones which I am fitting. As usual no idea when the others I know I had have gone.... The black ones however look fine, so all in all happy with the end result. I hope the passenger side goes in as well.

All that is left is the screw next to the door lock, I am leaving it and aim to do all 4 in both front and rear door cards at the same time, hoping I do not screw them up!

One issue which I have also known about is that the door seal is too big for to allow the door to shut correctly. Again another job I have been putting off as not 100% sure how to resolve it, but somewhere some of the rubber needs to go. I do however want to do it in a least obvious way given you look at it each time you get into the car.

Peter

[Neil-yaj396]

Peter

I'm pretty sure that the locking buttons on my pre-facelift car were black, not brown.

Keep up the great work. Hoping to see your car soon and glad it didn't end up as one of those never-never projects....

Neil

[GerardJPC]

Looks great.  Does anyone know where I could get some door cards, perhaps made to spec?

[Neil-yaj396]

Looks great.  Does anyone know where I could get some door cards, perhaps made to spec?

Gerard

I have some pre-facelift door cards. Bought for YAJ believe it or not! They would need some repairs but would be useable I think.

Neil

[peteracs]

Hi Neil

Now they are rare things!

Peter

[peteracs]

Another day and working through the jobs to do list.

Passenger side door card fitted, always amazing how much quicker doing something the second time is.

Finally fitted the front bumper. It has been sat waiting for some bolts which I ordered before Xmas and never arrived. I chased them up and guy sent out another set, so able to fit it. The lights were all tested whilst off the bumper, so glad to see they still work now they are fully fitted!

Last job of the day was to clean and final fit of the steering wheel. Looking at it I was in two minds about giving it a good clean, but having seen the muck which came off it, I am glad I did. After the clean treated it to a squirt of restorer and it now looks the part, even the horn still works, so good end to the days work.

Next job finish bleeding the brakes, not looking forward to it as suspect a few dodgy joints from my original flaring tool, but we will see.

Peter

[squiglyzigly]

Your patience to detail is outstanding. I like a tidy job but this is beyond me.

Keep up the lovely detail.

Ian

[peteracs]

Peter

I'm pretty sure that the locking buttons on my pre-facelift car were black, not brown.

Keep up the great work. Hoping to see your car soon and glad it didn't end up as one of those never-never projects....

Neil

Hi Neil

Thanks not too precious about it just curious, I just wish I could find the other ones I know I had.

I think it is important with these projects to have a realistic expectation and to have small targets to shoot for each day/period. I also enjoy these posts as gives you a sense of achieving something albeit a small thing.

One thing I learnt and have is patience with things, not so much with people. This has helped in my working life as a computer engineer mainly working on fix it side rather than on new kit.

Peter

[peteracs]

Your patience to detail is outstanding. I like a tidy job but this is beyond me.

Keep up the lovely detail.

Ian

Hi Ian

I think you underestimate yourself given the recent job on the steering column.

The journey has been an interesting one. At the start I was going for a quick tidy up the car to get an MOT, but when I started to do a few jobs, I found it almost therapeutic to have a go at restoring the best I could. I was inspired by a few folk, mainly on the LMC site where there are some outstanding restorations from folk who are not mechanics/restorers by trade, but try to achieve the best they can. I have learnt quite a lot in doing the various jobs on the car.

I was at one time a member of the Stratos Enthusiasts Club and always remember one guy who had built a replica over a couple of years and then put it up for sale, stating that it was the building of the car that he was really interested in, not the owning or driving. I can now understand how he could think that, though that is not my view, I do want to own and drive it.

Peter

[GerardJPC]

Neil, many thanks for your reply re door cars.  My reference to door cards was vague and inaccurate, sorry.  I need not the cards themselves but the inserts to match the seats.  The yellow seat fabric in my car has split and sun-perished.  I have found a temporary solution by buying some good quality bespoke vinyl covers that fit well over the seats (a woman in Turin makes them to order).  I need to get some matching vinyl to cut for the door inserts.  A trip to a haberdashery may be in order once the lockdown ends (circa 2097).

[Neil-yaj396]

Neil, many thanks for your reply re door cars.  My reference to door cards was vague and inaccurate, sorry.  I need not the cards themselves but the inserts to match the seats.  The yellow seat fabric in my car has split and sun-perished.  I have found a temporary solution by buying some good quality bespoke vinyl covers that fit well over the seats (a woman in Turin makes them to order).  I need to get some matching vinyl to cut for the door inserts.  A trip to a haberdashery may be in order once the lockdown ends (circa 2097).

I thought the door cars all had the same brown vinyl inserts such as mine and Peter's above. If yours have fabric inserts that might be a retro fit?

(We are hijacking Peters thread, sorry, Peter, move this if you want?)