30th Jan 2010 - Well I didn't manage to do much work in the garage during this week so I continued this weekend with the windscreen. The first job was remove the windscreen so I could adjust the centre support bracket (needed to open the bolt holes up to compensate for the 2mm gap above the scuttle). Before I removed the screen I needed to mark the positions for the wiper spindles. These need to be 415mm in from the outer edge of the windscreen support frame. I used some masking tape to draw on so it would be easily marked. Once that point is marked, the elliptical hole needed for the spindles to pass through, needed marking. The outer edge of the elliptical rubber washer should be 5mm out from the edge of the windscreen rubber. Position this and then draw round the inside of the elliptical rubber to mark the position to drill. Use a smaller drill that necessary, and then the plan is to open the hole out with and angled dremel. Also before I removed the screen again, I marked the holes for the centre screen support bracket. Once these jobs were done I removed the screen leaving the supports in place.

The next job before fitting the screen back for the last time is to fit the windscreen support leg escutcheon's. These need fixing with chromed self tappers (which I never got from Andy so need to get hold of some) and sealing with clear silicon sealant.

Finally this evening I refitted the centre support bracket to the screen along with the support bar that the rear view mirror fits to. I  need to thread the two fixing M5 button head bolts through the bracket because once fitted to the screen you can't get them in. These should drop into the pre drilled holes when I fit hte screen again.

 

 

18th Sept 2010 - Having decided I need to take the windscreen out to drill the pillars, there was no putting it off any longer. With the help of my wife, it came out relatively easily, with only the centre support bracket sticking a bit. Once out I decided to leave the windscreen pillars in place and drill in situe. I really didn't want to take them out, with all the associated rave. After measuring a million times, using the measurements from the diagram above I drilled the 4.2mm holes to accept an M5 tap. With them being fairly soft brass they drilled fairly easily and I soon had the holes tapped out. Getting the screen back in was a little trickier, again the centre support bracket being a sod, especially trying to get the nuts tightened up "blind" behind the dash!! Anyway, its all back in again now with the mirrors fitted, and I've learned another lesson!! (how many more lessons are there??!).

8th Sept 2010 - I bought some side rear view mirrors from GD and also purchased some hand made windscreen pillar brackets to fit the mirrors on. It was only when I got them home that I realised the problem I had. I didn't realise and hadn't been told  that the mirror brackets need 4.2mm holes drilling in the windscreen pillar and then tapping out for an M5 set screw. I got the diagram from Alan (fellow builder), but that's the first time I've seen it. Anyway, my dilemma is that I now need to take out the glass and probably take the pillars out (to be safe) to drill the holes. Not happy but I'm sure there will be more problems before the Cob is on the road so I will grin and bear it!! Watch this space for how I get on..............

4th Mar 2010 - Finished the final bit of Bundy tube this evening and tightened everything up. Wipers finished.............time to check my list for the next job!!

3rd Mar 2010 - Never one to let a problem lie.............I went back in the garage tonight and stripped off the Bundy tube that was concerning me and bent, greased and "jiggled" it until the spindle ran through it smoothly! It was then just a matter of fitting the middle bit of bundy and then fitting the other side wiper gear box, and repeating the first process. Fortunately, the bundy tube on the drivers side does not need bending so there was no issue with free running of the spindle. Its amazing how a nights sleep and a day at work thinking about it, makes a problem seem insignificant when you  revisit them!!

2nd Mar 2010 - Fitted the wiper motor and first bit of bundy tubing this evening. I'm not 100% satisfied with how it went. I had the bend the bundy tube slightly to make sure it stays out of the way of the back of the glove box compartment (not really noticeable in the picture but take my word!!). Because of this, the wiper spindle thing (not sure what you call it!) doesn't feel as free as it is when the tube is straight. It rotates in the tube but feels a little stiff. I don't know how free it needs to be for the motor to turn it, and the blades. I'll see how it goes when I test the electrics. If it doesn't seem right I will re-do it. No point in worrying now as I'm not in a position to test it.

I repeated this on the other side and was fairly happy with the result. Despite being meticulous with my measuring when fitting the windscreen and other components, I found that there is still a 5mm discrepancy from the base of the windscreen rubber on the offside compared to the nearside. What this means is that although the distance from the windscreen rubber is the same for both spindles, the distance from the spindle to the edge of the engine bay is different on either side of the car. I mentioned this to Andy when I was at GD last, so we measured one of the cars in the workshop. That one was about 2mm out. The consensus of opinion is that because the screens are hand made and there is a certain amount of fluidity when measuring exacts, there may well be some differences. To be honest, its only me that see's it. but I thought it was worth mentioning.

Next job is to fit the wiper motor and Bundy tube. Hopefully this will go in OK with my modified blower vent which was modified to accommodate the glove box in the dash board.

28th Feb 2010 - I started the fit of the wipers today. I had all ready pre marked and drilled a pilot hole for the spindles, now it was time to finish the job off. Firstly I stuck some masking tape over my pilot holes and marked the area to be opened up using the rubber seal as a template. I then used a dremel and sanding bit to open the holes up with a 45° angle to accommodate the spindles.

So with the escutcheons on, the windscreen was screwed back into place, carefully feeding the two dome headed M5 bolts that hold the centre plate in place, through the pre drilled holes in the scuttle. I then needed to cut down an Alan Key to hold the bolt while I tightened the nyloc nut underneath.

At last the screen is on and I hopefully won't have to take it off again. It finally looks like a car that's sat in the garage now!!

7th Feb 2010 - First job on the final part of permanently fitting the screen was to fit the Windscreen stay escutcheons. These were threaded over the Stays and held in place by chrome self tapping screws. Before they were screwed down. I sealed the gap in the body where the stay goes through with clear sealant, and also put clear sealant under the escutcheon plate. These were then screwed into place. not before I managed to get sealant all over me!!).

Once I had drilled the legs I then screwed them back on to the screen and again inserted it into the body. I now bolted the screen in to check the correct position and I was fairly happy with it. Before re-installing the screen I fitted the centre stay support. This is a real sod to fit and if you don't fit it before the screen goes on you won't get it on. For the final fit of this and the upright that the mirror attaches to, you need to adapt an Alan key and learn a lot of swear words...............can't wait for that then!!! Once fitted, the support bracket was a couple of mil two high, so I will have to adjust that when I take the screen off for the final time.

Finally I bolted on the steering column support bar. This may have to come off again but I wanted everything tight, and generally to see if everything fitted!!

All in all I'm fairly happy with my days work, and by the end of the week the screen should be in permanently..............watch this space!!

At last the Cobra is starting to look like a car now!!! (must get a dust cover!!)

24th Jan 2010 - So, decided to start fitting to windscreen this weekend. I was slightly concerned as it's five hundred quid's worth of kit that I could make a mess of without care!! After numerous mails to both Simon and Steve I felt I had enough info to start.

The first step was to attach the windscreen side stays to the screen and place it on the car to mark the legs for drilling. This in itself is difficult because the rubber seal stops the windscreen sitting down properly. After applying some washing up liquid to the rubber it moved a lot more easily. You need to make some 6mm spacers up and tape them to the body next to the holes where the legs go through. This is to allow for the rubber seal to sit properly and also to allow clearance for the escutcheon plate bolts. I made these from some penny washers and a bit of masking tape.

Once in, I propped the windscreen with a bit of MDF and measured to make sure the distance from the roll of the scuttle to the top of the windscreen was 930mm. Give or take a mm it was (phew!!). I marked the legs (which I had previously covered with masking tape) in line with the pre made holes on the inside of the body. Once these were marked I then took the legs\screen supports off for drilling. I used an 8.5mm bit for the M8 bolts supplied.