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Re: Still coming together...

To: "David Mayer" <celiracer81@hotmail.com>, spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Still coming together...
From: Douglas Braun <doug@dougbraun.com>
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 2003 00:30:34 -0400
At 02:48 AM 8/31/2003 +0000, David Mayer wrote:
>So now that i have the car running, i am trying to get it to a point that it 
>can begin to be road ready.
>
>1.) Where does one pour gear fluid for the transmission?  Do i take off the 
>gear shifter arm and pour straight into there.  I can't seem to locate any 
>other sort of filler hole.

I take a funnel with a piece of hose on the end and thread the hose from the 
engine compartment
down to the filler hole on the right side of the transmission.  Then I pour in 
oil until it starts to
overflow onto the ground :-)


>2.) Where can i get a set of convertible top snaps for around the outside, 
>rear, of the top?  Only 4 of mine are still functional and i plan on replacing 
>them all anyways when i paint the car.

I  use "Dritz" brand snaps from a fabric store.  Be sure to use a reasonably 
good tool to flare
the studs on the snaps.  DONT just use a nail point or something like that.  
You should
be able to flare the stud nicely without tearing the metal.  The small tool and 
anvil that
come with the Dritz snaps has always worked well for me.  Once I tried the 
plier-like
flaring tool that Dritz sells, and it did a lousy job.

>4.) The PO decided to do some welding work with the interior still inide.  
>Burned a hole through the floor cought the seat on fire as well as the wiring 
>harnessalong the driver side panel.  SO all of those wires are destroyed.  
>Should i:
>
>a. Replace the whole wiring harness throughout the car?
>b. Re-wire just those wires going to the rear of the car?
>c. Cry?

I would:

1: Get good quality, correct gauge replacement wire.
2: Carefully solder in pieces of new wire to replace the burned sections.
3: Apply good thick heat shrink tubing over the joints, using a heat gun.
4: Re-wrap the repaired harness with electrical tape.

But then, I have the skills and tools to do these things.  Based on the number 
of hack
wiring jobs I have seen in old cars, it looks like most people don't.

I had some cracks in my floor panels around the set mounting holes.  I took it 
to a pro,
after removing the carpet and seats, of course.  I was very impressed with his 
work;
the heat-affected zone was about 3/4" wide.  He remarked that
it was the thinnest sheet metal he had ever seen a car made from. :-)

Doug Braun
'72 Spit 

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