View Full Version : Final Body Mounting - screws around the hood opening or no?
Someday I Suppose
02-28-2011, 01:50 PM
Hey guys, in the stages of mounting the body for good. Around the hood opening I plan to use Mikes D weather strip, and had planned to put 4 or 5 screws into the 3/4 inch tube with the weather strip hiding them. In doing some reading it sounds like a lot of guys don't bother with the screws through the trunk opening??? What's everyones thoughts?
-Scott
efnfast
02-28-2011, 02:34 PM
I didn't and I'm still fine. I also only used 2 mounting bolts on the rear of the car, and 4 total (not 8 total) side bolts.
shooter
02-28-2011, 07:13 PM
We did the screws, it seemed like the body didn't fit quite right without putting them in.
Someday I Suppose
02-28-2011, 08:44 PM
Thanks guys, it sounds like put the hood on see how its all lining up, and if it needs some shims and screws go for it, if not then I'll go without them and put the D seal on the hood itself.
_Scott
I believe that you will find that if you fail to screw the hood opening down to the 3/4" tubing, the body will tend to work the foam tape loose. I would/did definitely put in some shims and screw the hood opening down securely to the frame.
There isn't any way to screw the trunk opening down, other than at the hinges with the Z brackets and at the bottom next to the latch with the machine screw / aluminum sleeve.
Counter sunk screws then the D weatherstrip.
CraigS
03-01-2011, 08:17 AM
I prefer the look of the "D" seal on the body rather than on the hood.
Someday I Suppose
03-01-2011, 08:35 AM
Hmmmm more to think about. Joe that is certainly a concern.
Criag, the idea of the weather strip on the hood was to help keep dirt from collecting in the channel formed between the seal and the side of the body. I THINK I read that Ken Pike does it that way.
-Scott
steno
03-01-2011, 09:20 AM
I didn't screw my body down, but many have. The "D" strip is on the hood so I won't tear it as I work on the car or have to clean around it. The biggest factor was that when the hood moves about(and it will) the seal moves with the hood and is not visable.
Works for me! Sten
johns427
03-02-2011, 05:28 PM
The reason I heard years ago for screwing the front fenders down was in the case of a severe accident; the body can be pushed back against the steering wheel.
I don't know if this has ever happened, but it does seem possible. In any case, the screws/shims helped to align the fenders with the hood, and are covered by the weatherstrip.
John S.
Pierre B
03-02-2011, 06:22 PM
Fiberglass bodies seem to like to move more than, say, metal ones. Given that, anchoring the body at reasonable intervals is the way to go. I would not, for instance, leave out any of the anchor locations engineered into the FF design.
efnfast
03-02-2011, 10:17 PM
Fiberglass bodies seem to like to move more than, say, metal ones. Given that, anchoring the body at reasonable intervals is the way to go. I would not, for instance, leave out any of the anchor locations engineered into the FF design.
I removed 4 of the bolts in the side, and 2 in the back (left all 4 front bolts). Trunk is hinged, hood is not hinged (it uses a set of quick release tounges under it - no hinges to hold it down). After 3yrs my body hasn't moved any discernible amount, and it's been through some pretty drastic temp changes (-50* to +30)
Someday I Suppose
03-03-2011, 09:19 AM
Pierre, I understand the thought, but also know that some of the guys who have painted dozens if not hundreds of these cars leave out the screws. Like much with these cars it seems like a lot of different opinions and thoughts. I have to see how it looks and if it needs to be shimmed, if not then I'll go the Sten route.
-Scott