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<div>You are a brave soul Michael. However, having sliding sidecurtians and=
a Universal hardtop does make the wet driving experience more enjoyable. =
Very neat modification-professional looking and practical-except for us =
solid sidescreen, floppy hood, soaking wet drivers. Thanks for the photos; =
I added them to my sidescreen archives. Hank<br>-------------------- =
<br><br>From: "Michael Oritt" <michael.oritt@gmail.com> <br>To: =
<gradea1@charter.net> <br>Cc: "Healeys at Autox" <healeys@autox.=
team.net> <br>Sent: November 24, 2024 at 10:53 AM PST <br>Subject: Re: =
Re: [Healeys] Side curtain sockets exterior thread description </div>
<div>
<div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"color: #3333ff;">Hank--</div>
<div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"color: #3333ff;"> </div>
<div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"color: #3333ff;">I've attached three =
photos of the NICAL side curtains showing the mounts I had made--<em>"in =
actual use"</em> as requested.</div>
<div class=3D"gmail_default" =
style=3D"color: #3333ff;"> </div>
<div class=3D"gmail_default" =
style=3D"color: #3333ff;">It does take a few minutes to deploy the =
curtains but in addition to a T-handled Allen wrench used to tighten the =
button-head bolts into the sockets I also carry a small electric driver =
with the appropriate hex tip which makes the task easier and quicker.=
</div>
<div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"color: #3333ff;"> </div>
<div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"color: #3333ff;">Best--Michael =
Oritt</div>
<div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"color: =
#3333ff;"> </div>
<div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"color: =
#3333ff;"> </div>
<div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"color: =
#3333ff;"> </div>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div class=3D"gmail_quote">
<div class=3D"gmail_attr">On Sun, Nov 24, 2024 at 12:31=E2=80=AFPM Hank =
Leach <<a href=3D"mailto:gradea1@charter.net"; target=3D"_blank" =
rel=3D"noopener">gradea1@charter.net</a>> wrote:</div>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; =
border-left: 1px solid rgb(204,204,204); padding-left: 1ex;">
<div>Michael-can't imagine the time it would take to assemble the =
"weatherproofing" in a rainstorm. Luckily we don't drive these cars today =
in the wet. The design for the original sidescreens caused problems with =
the frail aluminum doors and the weight of them misaligned the door! The =
second and third irritation of the screens were much lighter and accessible=
to the interior but also inefficient. I don't think they ever were =
intended to be used (except in Britain). Ken Fleming has a variety of these=
sidescreens available-including a set from Sears! So everyone tried to =
improve the product. Would be interesting to see photos of your =
modification in actual use. BTW that wood door block is one of the few on =
the Healey and Jensen got caught by Austin substituting that cheap solution=
. Also, thinking that the thread inside the door socket might be BPT. =
Regards,Hank<br>-------------------- <br><br>From: "Michael Oritt" <<a =
href=3D"mailto:michael.oritt@gmail.com"; target=3D"_blank" =
rel=3D"noopener">michael.oritt@gmail.com</a>> <br>To: "Healeys at Autox"=
<<a href=3D"mailto:healeys@autox.team.net"; target=3D"_blank" =
rel=3D"noopener">healeys@autox.team.net</a>> <br>Sent: November 21, 2024=
at 11:17 AM PST <br>Subject: Re: [Healeys] Side curtain sockets exterior =
thread description</div>
<div>
<div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"color:=
rgb(51,51,255);">My goal has been and continues to take the "wobbliness" =
out of the side curtains which results from having the unthreaded pins =
drop-fit into the unthreaded sockets and to give as good a weather seal as =
possible. To that end, several years ago I had a machinist make four =
brackets to replace the stock-style brackets which came with the NICAL side=
curtains. The new brackets are machined out of a solid billet of AL.=
They are about 5/16" thick and are much stiffer than what came with =
the curtains. I attach them to the curtain frames with SS machine screws =
and nuts so the brackets are firmly mounted to the side curtain frames. =
<br><br>Instead of having fixed pins on the lower leg of the brackets=
they are drilled to receive chrome plated button-head M10x1.50 screws =
about 1-3/4" long which pass through the brackets. I picked that size=
because the OD of the screws is just a bit larger than the smooth interior=
of the stock sockets. I was able to use the screws as taps, and with a bit=
of machine oil and gentle hand I threaded the socket interiors and I can =
screw the curtains down onto the sockets with a T-handle and largely =
eliminate the wobble that was inherent with the stock system where smooth =
pins simply dropped into the smooth sockets. The screws are loosely =
retained in the brackets with rubber washers slid up onto the shank and =
under the brackets which keeps them from falling out when I store the =
curtains, and also provide a bit of protection against scratching the top =
surface of the sockets.<br><br>Initially everything was very good but over =
several years' use two of the four sockets--which are threaded into the =
wooden blocks--have become loose because of wear in the wooden blocks' =
thread and I can no longer draw the button head screws tight without the =
sockets rotating in the blocks, etc.<br><br>I have a couple of solutions in=
mind but all involve getting the sockets firmly attached to the car. =
The easiest would involve replacing the wood blocks with metal ones fixed =
to the doors' interiors with holes tapped to screw the sockets into (which =
would preserve the eccentric adjustment the sockets furnish) but in any =
case I need to know what is the thread on the sockets. The set of =
dies I have are not of sufficient diameter to accommodate the exterior of =
the sockets for sizing and in any case I doubt that the thread is either =
SAE or Metric.<br><br>I hope this long explanation explains my problem and =
thanks for your interest. BTW I will post pics, hopefully tomorrow, =
of the brackets and fasteners. I have no pride of authorship and =
hereby waive all rights and release the concept to any other =
semi-compulsive owner of any side-curtain-equipped vehicle.</div>
<div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"color: rgb(51,51,255);"> </div>
<div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"color: rgb(51,51,255);">Best--Michael=
Oritt</div>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div class=3D"gmail_quote">
<div class=3D"gmail_attr">On Thu, Nov 21, 2024 at 7:56=E2=80=AFAM Michael =
Oritt <<a href=3D"mailto:michael.oritt@gmail.com"; target=3D"_blank" =
rel=3D"noopener">michael.oritt@gmail.com</a>> wrote:</div>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; =
border-left: 1px solid rgb(204,204,204); padding-left: 1ex;">
<div>
<div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"color: rgb(51,51,255);">Can anyone =
please tell me the thread size of the side curtain sockets including the =
TPI, pitch, diameter, etc--and where I might purchase a die for same?</div>
<div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"color: rgb(51,51,255);"> </div>
<div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"color: rgb(51,51,255);">Best--Michael=
Oritt</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
<div> </div>
</blockquote>
</div>
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