CraigLandrum
Jedi Hopeful
Offline
There's just so much to love about putting the front fenders back on a TR3A, it's hard to know where to start. I simply cannot say enough about whoever designed the method of attachment. Forcing us to use 10 gazillion bolts and caged nuts was diabolical enough, but the fact that you have to get them started and then tighten them down while contorting in 5 (five!!!) different directions is bad enough. Direction 1 (from the top): the top row running along the inside and attaching the fender to the inner fender; Direction 2 (from the bottom): finishing the row that was started on top but now is finished from underneath the car after removing the wheel; Direction 3 (from the outside facing in): the bolts along the bottom that attach the bottom edge to the frame; Direction 4 (from the rear): the bolts that attach the back of the fender to the front of the door opening; Direction 5 (from the inside facing out): the bolts that attach the nose to the fenders. Oh, and last but certainly not the least - that fershlugginer single bolt that requires you to remove your carefully installed and upholstered knee kick panels from inside the cockpit to uncover the hole that is too small for your fingers so you can struggle for an hour attempting to start and tighten that last bolt. And it's an important bolt since it closes the gap at the rear of the fender and helps hold down the end of the trim.
We finally gave up trying to start that last bolt, took the whole fender off, started that one bolt, then cut a small slot upwards to the hole it was supposed to go through. We then twisted and tugged and used a small screwdriver to get the head of that bolt and it accompanying washer up that slot in position so it could then be tightened from the inside.
It's just kinda hard to describe finally getting all those bolts installed and tightened up.
...and then realizing that most of the ones along the top will need to be loosened back up in order to properly fit the nose section onto the car.
Genius. Sheer genius. I'm shocked that the factory could turn out more that one or two these puppies a week
We finally gave up trying to start that last bolt, took the whole fender off, started that one bolt, then cut a small slot upwards to the hole it was supposed to go through. We then twisted and tugged and used a small screwdriver to get the head of that bolt and it accompanying washer up that slot in position so it could then be tightened from the inside.
It's just kinda hard to describe finally getting all those bolts installed and tightened up.
...and then realizing that most of the ones along the top will need to be loosened back up in order to properly fit the nose section onto the car.
Genius. Sheer genius. I'm shocked that the factory could turn out more that one or two these puppies a week