AC Bill
Well-known member
The Snake is home at last!
Now I have to really take my time when re-installing all the accessories, mirrors, emblems, lights, bumpers etc. I want to do this right the first time to avoid the potential of having to take stuff off and scratching the paint. Much of it will be the last time it goes on..hopefully..
I started with the trunk lid. I needed to fish the license plate wire harness back through the trunk lid. The trunk is made of two separate fiberglass panels, an inner and an outer, that are epoxied together. Using a thin piece of reasonably stiff wire, I managed after several attempts to create a snake for the wire to follow. I simply tied a loop in the wire, and connected the two electrical wires to it, and gently pulled them back through the small hole at the leading edge of the trunk, back to the point the license plate light mounts. So the wiring wouldn't rattle inside the trunk lid, I then attached some self adhesive foam weather strip pieces in a couple of spots, to act as anti-rattle cushions for it.
The inner trunk lid has an access hole to be able to tighten the nuts holding the light, and for attaching the trunk emblem. The emblem was the next item attended to. After all was secure, I fastened the small aluminum cover that I had purposely made, to cover the hole.
I then decided to tackle the installation of the two left taillights. I couldn't remember if I had the upper one as the signal light, or as the brake light. I figured that the car being as low as it is, the upper light should probably be used for the brake light. I want them seen from behind, as best as possible.
All lights, (2 per side), are on when the running lights or headlights are switched on. To do that, they had to be wired differently than what the manual calls for. You need to splice together one of the wires leading from each taillight, and since they both share a common ground, that wire is spiced as well. The light harness uses a Weatherpak connector to join to the chassis harness. You can pull the pins on a Weatherpak connector with a special tool. That's how I did them in the first place. I guess the painter didn't have the tool, so he cut the spliced wires, joining the upper and lower taillights. Looking back, I should have removed them completely in the first place, but there was enough slack in the harness that I figured he could just pull them out and mask them to paint.
Sooo... I now needed to re-splice the wires back together again. There was no way i was going to solder them together once installed, as the space was barely enough to get one arm up into. I also don't like soldering something held over my face...as it would have to be done lying on my back reaching up under the quarter panel..I used some good quality connectors, and shrink tube to reconnect them instead. Boy.. have the price of connectors gone up since I built the car..US $$ might be the issue. I believe our dollar was only down 8 cents back then.
Anyways after getting that done, and putting some fresh loom harness cover on where it had also been cut, I was in business. Did a test and everything worked..woohoo !
I was about to start on the right side lights, when I thought about how cramped the space was up in the quarter panel. I knew that I also had to reconnect a ground wire to the LeMan's fuel filer cap, which is also up in this area, so opted to do that next.
The copper grounding strap is needed because of the fiberglass body not being able to release static electricity build up. The idea is that when you go to fill up with fuel, a spark may jump from the cap to the pump spout, and trigger an explosion. Never heard of that actually happening on one of these cars, but better be safe than sorry. The logic certainly sounds reasonable. Once again lying on my back, I had to reach up into the inner quarter panel, hold the ground strap eye connector onto a machine screw, then slip a washer, and a nylock nut on...All with one hand. Needless to say that was a bit of a challenge, but along with some appropriate curse words, I managed to do it..
That got me to thinking about the rear bumper installation..Because of the fuel tank already in place, one of the four mounts for the bumper, also has to be reached from this same general area, so I again opted to hold off on the right taillight installation. I needed all the room I could get.
When I was working on the license light, I kept noticing this strange groaning noise every time I opened the trunk lid. I wondered if the painter had reversed the position of the right and left trunk hinges, when he re-installed them. (I had left them on so he could fit the trunk lid gap). Further investigation showed that the lid was actually rubbing the lip on the body. I worried this would lead to paint chipping/rubbing. I recalled that some fellows had to make rubber shims for under the hinges, both halves, the side on the body, and the side on the trunk lid. This lifted the hinges pivot point just enough to give the needed clearance.
So after carefully unbolting the hinges one side at a time. I used a section of inner tube rubber, and traced out the base of the hinge on it. Then with a sharp air of scissors I cut them out. Using a leather hole punch tool, I made holes for the bolts to protrude through, and bolted them back on. And the rubber shims looked like they belonged there.
Using a piece of paper to see if there was still any binding taking place, I lifted the trunk up and down a few times, and voila, problem solved. I love it when things work out..
I thought about doing the rear bumper next, but opted to mount the roll bars instead. I don't have to lie down to do this..
They are quite heavy, so I had to be really careful not to drag them along the fresh paint when trying to get them lined up with the holes in the body. First the 3rd leg has to be slipped into place, down onto it's frame mount. This is the tube angled rearward, and acts as further support to the main hoop. Then the hoop is lowered down, at which point the 3rd leg is supposed to connect to it. Supposed to I say, because this was just not happening. Nope, no way, no how, would the two parts line up. I wiggled and jiggled, pushed and pulled, but that last 3/16" would just not fit. I was in total disbelief. This wasn't my first rodeo with these roll bars. I had installed and taken them off at least three times in the past while building the Cobra, and I was totally baffled as to whey they wouldn't work for me this time....About this point I was beginning to spend more time wiping sweat drops off the car, then actually getting anywhere, so I opted to take a break.
I will attempt them again later. Maybe fresh look, and a clear mind will help.
Now I have to really take my time when re-installing all the accessories, mirrors, emblems, lights, bumpers etc. I want to do this right the first time to avoid the potential of having to take stuff off and scratching the paint. Much of it will be the last time it goes on..hopefully..
I started with the trunk lid. I needed to fish the license plate wire harness back through the trunk lid. The trunk is made of two separate fiberglass panels, an inner and an outer, that are epoxied together. Using a thin piece of reasonably stiff wire, I managed after several attempts to create a snake for the wire to follow. I simply tied a loop in the wire, and connected the two electrical wires to it, and gently pulled them back through the small hole at the leading edge of the trunk, back to the point the license plate light mounts. So the wiring wouldn't rattle inside the trunk lid, I then attached some self adhesive foam weather strip pieces in a couple of spots, to act as anti-rattle cushions for it.
The inner trunk lid has an access hole to be able to tighten the nuts holding the light, and for attaching the trunk emblem. The emblem was the next item attended to. After all was secure, I fastened the small aluminum cover that I had purposely made, to cover the hole.
I then decided to tackle the installation of the two left taillights. I couldn't remember if I had the upper one as the signal light, or as the brake light. I figured that the car being as low as it is, the upper light should probably be used for the brake light. I want them seen from behind, as best as possible.
All lights, (2 per side), are on when the running lights or headlights are switched on. To do that, they had to be wired differently than what the manual calls for. You need to splice together one of the wires leading from each taillight, and since they both share a common ground, that wire is spiced as well. The light harness uses a Weatherpak connector to join to the chassis harness. You can pull the pins on a Weatherpak connector with a special tool. That's how I did them in the first place. I guess the painter didn't have the tool, so he cut the spliced wires, joining the upper and lower taillights. Looking back, I should have removed them completely in the first place, but there was enough slack in the harness that I figured he could just pull them out and mask them to paint.
Sooo... I now needed to re-splice the wires back together again. There was no way i was going to solder them together once installed, as the space was barely enough to get one arm up into. I also don't like soldering something held over my face...as it would have to be done lying on my back reaching up under the quarter panel..I used some good quality connectors, and shrink tube to reconnect them instead. Boy.. have the price of connectors gone up since I built the car..US $$ might be the issue. I believe our dollar was only down 8 cents back then.
Anyways after getting that done, and putting some fresh loom harness cover on where it had also been cut, I was in business. Did a test and everything worked..woohoo !
I was about to start on the right side lights, when I thought about how cramped the space was up in the quarter panel. I knew that I also had to reconnect a ground wire to the LeMan's fuel filer cap, which is also up in this area, so opted to do that next.
The copper grounding strap is needed because of the fiberglass body not being able to release static electricity build up. The idea is that when you go to fill up with fuel, a spark may jump from the cap to the pump spout, and trigger an explosion. Never heard of that actually happening on one of these cars, but better be safe than sorry. The logic certainly sounds reasonable. Once again lying on my back, I had to reach up into the inner quarter panel, hold the ground strap eye connector onto a machine screw, then slip a washer, and a nylock nut on...All with one hand. Needless to say that was a bit of a challenge, but along with some appropriate curse words, I managed to do it..
That got me to thinking about the rear bumper installation..Because of the fuel tank already in place, one of the four mounts for the bumper, also has to be reached from this same general area, so I again opted to hold off on the right taillight installation. I needed all the room I could get.
When I was working on the license light, I kept noticing this strange groaning noise every time I opened the trunk lid. I wondered if the painter had reversed the position of the right and left trunk hinges, when he re-installed them. (I had left them on so he could fit the trunk lid gap). Further investigation showed that the lid was actually rubbing the lip on the body. I worried this would lead to paint chipping/rubbing. I recalled that some fellows had to make rubber shims for under the hinges, both halves, the side on the body, and the side on the trunk lid. This lifted the hinges pivot point just enough to give the needed clearance.
So after carefully unbolting the hinges one side at a time. I used a section of inner tube rubber, and traced out the base of the hinge on it. Then with a sharp air of scissors I cut them out. Using a leather hole punch tool, I made holes for the bolts to protrude through, and bolted them back on. And the rubber shims looked like they belonged there.
Using a piece of paper to see if there was still any binding taking place, I lifted the trunk up and down a few times, and voila, problem solved. I love it when things work out..
I thought about doing the rear bumper next, but opted to mount the roll bars instead. I don't have to lie down to do this..
They are quite heavy, so I had to be really careful not to drag them along the fresh paint when trying to get them lined up with the holes in the body. First the 3rd leg has to be slipped into place, down onto it's frame mount. This is the tube angled rearward, and acts as further support to the main hoop. Then the hoop is lowered down, at which point the 3rd leg is supposed to connect to it. Supposed to I say, because this was just not happening. Nope, no way, no how, would the two parts line up. I wiggled and jiggled, pushed and pulled, but that last 3/16" would just not fit. I was in total disbelief. This wasn't my first rodeo with these roll bars. I had installed and taken them off at least three times in the past while building the Cobra, and I was totally baffled as to whey they wouldn't work for me this time....About this point I was beginning to spend more time wiping sweat drops off the car, then actually getting anywhere, so I opted to take a break.
I will attempt them again later. Maybe fresh look, and a clear mind will help.
.Next!