Query re: Best(?) Tonneau material

General Cobra & Ace topics
KevinW
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Re: Query re: Best(?) Tonneau material

Post by KevinW »

Thanks for the replies. Tapping the grp sounds like a really good idea.

2BA tap now on order (after discovering tennax come in 3 different thread variants!).
Hopefully it will arrive by Saturday.

Can anyone recommend a drill size (preferably metric) for the initial hole to be tapped?

CORRECTION: Just seen 4.0mm is recommended on the Model Engineer site.
https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums ... ?th=120516
viper jim
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Re: Query re: Best(?) Tonneau material

Post by viper jim »

when you have drilled hole good idea to counter sink it a little as it helps stop top glass cracking and lifting as you screw self taper type in.
KevinW
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Location: West Sussex

Re: Query re: Best(?) Tonneau material

Post by KevinW »

- ah yes, I discovered that - thank goodness my car isn't painted!

The self-tappers were hopeless - I had 3 fails as the heads wound off the bodies with very little force applied, like they were made of aluminium. So I gave up on them.

All holes now tapped with 2BA threads. Again this appeared to be not so straightforward as if I put too many turns on the tap, then the fastener would fail to tighten in some of the threaded holes - not come across this phenomena before, but then I haven't tapped such a small hole in such a soft material before. Anyway, I am sure I can take up the slack with a little epoxy once the car goes for paint....which will now be sometime next year. I don't know how some people manage to successfully fit these things after paint.
KevinW
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Posts: 563
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2015 6:29 pm
Location: West Sussex

Re: Query re: Best(?) Tonneau material

Post by KevinW »

Just a short post script:
I was attending our local SADCASE car meet anticipating this may be the last of the good weather, and then caught out as rain and thunder swept up from Bognor Regis. Tonneau did its job whilst parked up, but car and occupants rather wet on the 8 miles back. Once home and garaged, I poppered tonneau back on as its duck and I was fearful of any shrinkage. Foot carpets removed (soaked at the foot end, dry at the seat end!) and left doors open to help dry out interior.

Any other suggestions for the avoidance of damp and mould on the interior?
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