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Hi all. I have a bonnet mounted spare but the fixing doesn’t seem correct to me. If I mount it hub up, the bolts will stretch the bonnet up and I cannot get the split pin in. If I mount it hub down, the bolts cannot do up to capture the wheel. The second way looks more correct but like there’s...

It’s very unlikely I’d ever do that as it’s a lot of work. I might add up what it cost just for fun though.

Well, I’m going to say that’s done for now. The locking rods need some adjusting as they don’t engage with the sockets as smoothly as they could, and the gap from the drop edge to the tailgate is bigger that I’d hoped for, but then the tailgate is quite twisted. All in all I’m happy with the...

Painted the heads of the coach bolts for fixing the flap, and made some rubber washers to seal the backs of them.

Glass is back in, and will have to wait overnight for the sealer to go off. Handle and drip edge installed too. Almost finished now.

Gasket made for the drip strip. Old inner tube, a steel rule, and a 6mm hole punch.

Interesting info. The body is quite a bitsa, with the sides and roof coming from two different donor vehicles (eBay is your friend). The tub is original, but as I say, had been (badly) painted post-factory, and pre-me so I don’t have the original spec. I haven’t gone for a concourse finish as...

Were the defenders not all painted then? I know the series all had galv cappings but I though after that they were all painted. Mines a 1987 110 which had been painted yellow post factory but I thought the caps were all factory painted.

I do see your point, and yes, your suggestion makes sense, but like you, I googled the original and they’re on the front surface. I’ll put a bead of polyurethane behind it and in the holes pre-riveting just in case, or maybe even make a rubber gasket. I’m more concerned about the drips not...

I’m soon going to paint the cat flap white, but I can’t decide if the galvanised drip strip should be white or unpainted. There’s a couple of other galv parts on the back panel already. My fear is that running the white line down below the roof sides will look odd. What do you all think?

Fitted the gas strut today which works well. Unfortunately, when closed, the strut compresses the hinge arm which then causes the flap to foul the gutter again on opening. More fettling required. Looking good though.

Drilled the bottom edge for the genuine galvanised drip edge sourced from eBay. Couldn’t think of a better way than this solution for water in the bottom and found some NOS ones for sale at a good price. I might look at adding some kind of rubber seal on the bottom edge of the door in the future.

Bit of progress on the cat flap. The upper hinge brackets are now riveted to the roof and seem very solid. I managed to adjust the door fit with some packing and now all clears the roof gutter ok. This afternoon I refitted the outer skins to the door frame after a good prime to the inner faces...

The two hinges were welded together when bent up to make them exactly the same. I suppose it’s possible there’s some differences elsewhere, like the pin centres? I’ll take it all apart again and make some careful measurements. Luckily nothings finally fixed yet.

I’m getting some interference between the top of the door frame and the bottom of the gutter as the door is opened, but only on the off-side. My tiny brain cannot work out the required adjustment. I could just lower the door (when closed) but that would adversely affect the shut lines. Anyone...

Two now made with slots to allow closure to be adjusted.

Been working on the latching mechanism this morning. Fabricated a fixture that receives the locking bolt, that mimics the original series design. Seems to work ok, but needs some movement built in for adjustment. Got to make the opposing one now it works.

Thanks Disco

Hi Meego and thanks for your comments. I had considered the weight, especially as they’re only mild steel for the hinges. As you say, I’m thinking that the gas struts will hold the weight when it’s open, and the bolts the same when closed. Fingers crossed :-)

Some fettling, and I’ve got an offset to the hinges arms that line up with the uprights in the donor door. The door swings open ok, but currently the top ally skin fouls the underside of the roof gutter so some more fiddling is required. Progress though. It now looks like it may even be a success.