But first...........
I was inspired by the Trad picture on here with the Centenary Badge on the dash. Since imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.................I've used a Centenery key fob. The cast emblem is retained by two flat blades curved over on themselves. This can be pulled from the leather fob. Then the blade can be persuaded to part company from the emblem with a small screwdriver, which leaves two small rivet type heads which must be filed flat. Then two pieces of double sided tape, one small piece to fill the hole left by the blade, and a larger piece to locate the badge on the dash. I'm quite pleased with the result.
Doing this job prompted me to post where I've located my Union Flags emblems.These are the cast enamelled flags which the Dealers sell. They come with pretend fixing screws which I don't like, so I filed these off and polished the edges. Most Mogs have them on the bonnet (Hood), but the bonnet panel is slightly curved, so I went for a flatter option - the side of the bulkhead panel. After a bit of trial and error, I chose next to the top hinge - it seems to look best there.
And now.........
You may recall that my Roadster had been fitted with a "sports exhaust". You may also recall that it was so damned noisy at 70/75mph that I just couldn't stand it. So the first day back home I took it off and replaced it with the original system which thankfully came with the car. The exhaust is held in place by four right angled brackets (two each side), and one rubber hanger each side at the tailpipe.
Now the truth is that the four angled brackets are "aligned" on assembly so that the offset bracket which holds the U bolt, and therefore the exhaust falls in the right place. At the front it's not too critical, but space is tight between the flange and the front of the silencer. At the rear it's more important, because the offset nature of this arrangement means that the U clamp may not align with the joint where the tailpipe assembly meets the main silencer. Still with me???? All will now become clear.
When the sports exhaust was fitted (by an 'unnamed' specialist), they could not align the mounting with the exhaust joint, so the right angle bracket was "slotted" and large washers were used. The next picture shows this, alongside a new bracket. Although this is thick and strong metal, to me this is a bodge.
Before I got to this stage, I was seriously worried about unbolting this bracket. The reason being that two studs emerge from the chassis rail and if those stud heads are not captives, then getting behind - adjacent to the spring hanger is a time consuming job. As luck would have it, the local Dealer had a stripped chassis in the workshop which was fitted with what can be best described as a "bridge" with those two studs attached. Although there was no way of knowing for certain that mine would be the same, I thought it worth a punt. So I marked the end of each stud with a blob of Tippex at the six o clock position. Then as I cracked the nuts, I watched that they didn't rotate.
They didn't.
And this is what it looks like with the new bracket fitted, and Dinitrol wax applied.
The fixings were shabby.........
So I opened my (large) box of assorted fasteners......
And tin of black heat resistant paint...........
And fixed it back properly.................
This is the nearside rear looking forward. The U bolt is offset from the mounting forward, and just nips the exhaust joint.
All I had to do on the nearside front was to replace the fixings........
Again, the U bolt is offset forwards and just cleares the flare in the pipe. Fitted with the U bolt offset rearwards gets very close to the silencer and it's difficult to tighten the nuts.
The offside was trickier. The angle bracket was a shade too far forward to allow a forward offset of the U bracket, so I'd been running with it (since the change) - offset to the rear but it was a tight fit. So for this one I used a large hammer to realign the bracket further back.
Now it fits as it should.... forward offset.
And finally...................
The offside rear was the furthest out of alignment. The right angle bracket was well forward, and I don't know whether that was an MMC solution, or the chap who fitted the sports exhaust later. The U bolt would only fit offset rearwards, because the other way round it missed the exhaust join completely. With my new sense of confidence I tippexed the fixing studs and removed the bracket from the chassis. In the vice I persuaded it to take up a rearward alignment
, and filed the slots a touch wider so that I could mount it further to the rear. Once refitted, the U clamp nips the exhaust join just where it should with a forward offset. So now all are the same and I am so happy.........
And now I must away to clean my wire wheels.
Well, shortly anyway...
