Hello,
I’ve been working on my Roadster MK4 cockpit aluminum panel fitting for a while now. It’s all going together pretty well with some coaxing here and there. I’m taking my time and really enjoying every step in this process. I’ll be sending all my panels out for Powder coat after I’ve got them all drilled and fitted properly. My goal here is to have all the holes and trimming finished before powder coating. I’m sure it would not be the end of the world to drill some holes after PC. Covered in carpet and probably lizard skin too nobody would ever see it. But I’d know, and I think it’s sort of the reason for doing this mockup so as not to disturb the powder coating any more than is needed. My question comes in with the large floor/trans tunnel wall pieces. Much later in the manual (pages 441-443 in my book) it instructs you to drill a ½ hole through the seatbelt lap mount tabs into the transmission tunnel wall for the ½-13 mounting bolts. It also says to leave the ½-13 nut in the transmission tunnel so that tells me which way they want the bolt to “point”. But a ½-13 nylon lock nut is like an .875 diameter over the corners of the nut. The transmission tunnel walls and lap belt mounting tabs are not parallel and there is about a .250 -.500 inch space between the tab and the panel. So theoretically the nut would catch the panel and bend or distort the aluminum when tightened. Not to mention leaving two holes in the tunnel. SO I’m looking for some tribal knowledge here of what people have done in that area. I was thinking cut a bigger clearance hole for the nut so as not to distort the panel. Then make some kind of little aluminum patch to cover up the protruding screw and nut on the inside of the tunnel or just cover it with silicone. I’ve looked around the forum a bit and don’t see this mentioned. I could have missed it, if so I apologize. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!