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SP250. 38 1/2 x1/4 rod inner rear wheel arch

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JimL
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2016 8:05 am
Location: Aberdeenshire

SP250. 38 1/2 x1/4 rod inner rear wheel arch

Post by JimL »

SP250. Today I discovered a loose 38 1/2" long x 1/4" dial steel rod protruding from hole in inner rear wing. The rod was loose and protruding dangerously; what's it's purpose and how should it be fixed in place that's of course if it should be there in the first place?
I'm guessing it has something to do with seat fixings? Thanks Jim L

silverdart
Posts: 285
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2016 10:49 am
Location: West Midlands

Re: SP250. 38 1/2 x1/4 rod inner rear wheel arch

Post by silverdart »

Hi Jim, yes you are correct. The rod goes through a loop sewn in the seam of the rear seat to hold the cushion and squab in place.
I would have thought there should be a nut on either end to hold the rod in place.

Regards Dave.

Vortex O'Plinth
Extra-Wise Man
Extra-Wise Man
Posts: 1065
Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2016 8:15 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: SP250. 38 1/2 x1/4 rod inner rear wheel arch

Post by Vortex O'Plinth »

It's to secure the rear seat cushions in place Jim. It passes through a hole in one wheelarch, through a sewn pocket between the rear seat and back cushions, and exits through a similar hole in the other side. I'm not sure how it was originally secured but I've fixed mine with Starlock washers like this....
$(KGrHqF,!lEFJFu9PnqMBSWN6-Ple!~~60_35.JPG
$(KGrHqF,!lEFJFu9PnqMBSWN6-Ple!~~60_35.JPG (3.97 KiB) Viewed 2310 times
...after liberally applying mastic sealant around the protruding ends (you don't want a leakage path into the rear seat cushions!)
Nick

"Don't bother with the Air & Space Museum - there's nothing to see.......".

JimL
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2016 8:05 am
Location: Aberdeenshire

Re: SP250. 38 1/2 x1/4 rod inner rear wheel arch

Post by JimL »

Thanks fellows. What a dart idea eh? I'll now look at threading the ends and making sure its sealed properly to the inner wings.
When I removed the nearside rear wheel the rod was protruding out by about 50mm or thereabout I guess I would have been heading for a disaster if I had not spotted it. Jim L

Fossil
Wise Man
Wise Man
Posts: 516
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2016 5:08 pm
Location: Helensburgh, Argyll

Re: SP250. 38 1/2 x1/4 rod inner rear wheel arch

Post by Fossil »

Jim

Mine is retained by a nylon "top hat" at each side so that it cannot dislodge. It is also clamped in the centre by a small bracket screwed to the back fibreglass. These fittings look original. I've just replaced the rear seat with new leather. Has your car been retrimmed? If not I wonder why the rod has loosened. I must remember to put a dab of sealant around the outside of each top hat to stop water ingress when I've finished the retrim.

Cheers

Geoff

JimL
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2016 8:05 am
Location: Aberdeenshire

Re: SP250. 38 1/2 x1/4 rod inner rear wheel arch

Post by JimL »

Geoff, My dart has been fairly recently rebuilt in Sweden body off restoration, chassis paint good quality body re-spray and a nice total re-trim however the attention to detail on assembly hasn't been that good it look to me as if it's been hurriedly re-assembled however I'm slowly working my way through the car improving things where I can. I had the car MOT'd last year but covered less than thirty miles in it.
So far I've converted it to R&P steering, new alloy radiator, new stainless spoke wheels and tyres, rebuilt the fuel pump, removed the stainless steel petrol tank and fitted a breather system hopefully to take strong petrol fumes out of the boot, new stainless water filler tank and added a purpose built stainless expansion tank. New lift out boot floor, new boot to petrol tank bulkhead. New fuel pipe and hoses.
Fabricated a new tubular front suspension spring tower brace bar (it was missing!) New PerTonix 2 electronic ignition and flamethrower coil still to be fitted when the carbon plug leads arrive.
I've also converted to negative earth and a Dynator alternator.
I still have to fit a new diff drive flange seal and probably repair an oil lead from the speedo drive. The speedo needs changing from KPH to MPH, the car is right hand drive though. Glove box innards is missing, and the hardtop needs relined. I'm sure there will be other things to find and improve but hopefully I'll manage a few miles in it this coming summer first.
I plan to thread the ends of the 1/4" seat retaining rod and use penny washers with soft rubber gaskets to seal it to the inner wings.
I also have a 49 Riley RMB to run and maintain among many other projects so never stuck for jobs to do.

Fossil
Wise Man
Wise Man
Posts: 516
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2016 5:08 pm
Location: Helensburgh, Argyll

Re: SP250. 38 1/2 x1/4 rod inner rear wheel arch

Post by Fossil »

Jim

I could start by paraphrasing the Carpenters with "You've Only Just Begun", but I don't want to be discouraging so I'll say "what a brilliant way to start a relationship with a Dart" instead. Threading the rod ends is a much more effective way to go than dismantling the rear seat to insert nylon top hats over the rod ends, unless you have difficulty reinserting the rod.

I recall in a review of the Dart in a classic car magazine published decades ago, the lucky chosen owner saying that one of the reasons he enjoyed owning the car was because "there is always something to do to it". I agree; several decades on I'm still finding more things to do.

You deserve much praise for doing so much so quickly to a car that was said to have been restored.

My current retrim, using a kit of pieces from Bryan Purves, has taken 18 months so far since I started stripping everything out; however the only thing left is the reconstruction of the dash, instruments and switches. There have been a few upgrades along the way such as rear speakers and an electric aerial in the rear deck, but not being expert in the mysteries of attaching leather to various panels there has been much trial and error, plus time wastage and frustration, eased only by the use of staples instead of glue, and 3mm plywood instead of fibreboard or millboard, with only a couple of items being thrown away and restarted using new leather; and the finished areas do look lovely and are so soft compared to the original upholstery. All I can say otherwise is that I'm a little slower now than before I retired.

Once this is done I look forward to continuing the refurb of my "other" Dart, some 15 years on and still not finished. Life definitely got in the way of pleasure with it, in far too many ways.

Cheers

Geoff

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