Fellow listers, I foolishly did not take pictures of my FHC when I took the parcel box area apart. Now I cannot determine what should be obvious as to how all the pieces in that area go together. They do fit almost correctly, but I’m missing a crucial part of the thinking process which allows them to fit correctly.
I’ve scoured the internet and Jag-Lovers as well as the manual and my comprehensive collection of 120 books for revealing pictures of that area under restoration, but have only found some stuff on DHCs and altered FHCs to provide speakers and other desirable items to be used. In any case not much usable for me.
Do any of you Fixed Head coupe folks have any pictures of that entire area in the raw/primered metal pieces (not covered/padded, etc.) and how they fit together to allow the “box” to open and then rest closed onto the ledges of the left and right sides and fit correctly against the upright back battery area metal? I can figure the rest out and do have all the pieces - I think.
Thank you, in advance, for any info/pictures you can provide.
Best, Brian
Is this the kind of thing you need?
Mine is still original with no body color and the surface treatment that doesn’t quite deserve the name of primer. What the customer doesn’t see, the factory gets away with.
Be aware that there are two configurations of the FHC rear shelf, early and late. Mine is the early with the square box in the corner.
The later have a ramp.
Hi folks, thanks for these.
Rob, they are close, but no cigar as they still have their clothing. BTW, I have a late FHC so no corner box.
Phil, et al. Here’s my email so you can send pics.
Phil, the second picture of this set does illuminate how the flower box lid attaches to the area under the back window, so that’s very helpful.
Many parts, especially wooden ones were missing or so compromised as to be useless so that pic is every helpful
That’s really appreciated. Today the car passed its mot after I had the suspension setup and a nut and bolt check by a trusted friend/ shop. I should get the car home at the weekend. I’ll list some photos of the completed project then. It’s been a long journey!
This is what the sheet metal under the ramp looks like. I can send you photos of the separate metal pieces if you need it. There is a plywood finisher that screws on top, covered with wool.
Folks have sent great picture in. This is part and parcel of what makes this the best car forum on the net.
I have figured out this particular fitment problem thanks to the pics sent and since I had to replace the worm eaten battery shelf with, it turns out, some Cula Vista stuff I got on the web a very long time ago, there was much fettling to be done. GRRRRRRrrrrrrrr that amounted to all the problem - fitting the old salvageable pieces with the new one.
Now, did the original flower box hinges (which I have) screw into the lower battery shelf upright backed up by backside welded caged nuts - mine were eaten away by the time I got to it? If so since I don’t have the car on a rotisserie or a lift and the backside is essentially not reachable, what other best way do you sages recommend? That’s next rto do.
I still have other fish to fry in that area under the back window so if anyone still has input, please send it on. Everything is most gratefully welcome.
Sorry, Yes please Ron, send me any and all the pics you’ve got. As I mentioned all my wood was gone and that makes putting the interior very hard later on.
I’ll pm you with some additional photos. Although the parcel box and shelf area on my car was untouched, the battery boxes were completely chopped out, requiring replacement by me, so I don’t know if there was a captive plate or nuts. My replacement assembly did not have them. The hinges bolt through the vertical/transverse face of the box. The back side is accessible from under the car, although it becomes a 2 person job.
Interestingly enough, I am also working on this area of my 52 FHC and have fitted everything up, including the parcel shelf and swinging trap door. My questions are the following:
Do the ramps have something on top of them to smooth out the sheet metal surface joints and pop rivets, before gluing on the moquette?
Does the top of the trap door and parcel shelf have one continuous piece of moquette that covers the swinging door joint? Or should they be separately covered, exposing the joint?
Does the parcel shelf get held in place with wood screws from the underside of the boot, or are T-nuts (and bolts) used?
This is a very nifty part of the car and I want to get it right. None of this was in my car when I started the resto, so I am working with nothing.
Tom,
If you look at the photos that I posted, there is one with a thin piece of fabric covered plywood that fastens over the top of the ramp with sheet metal screws. The inboard edge is left unstapled to the wood, allowing one to fasten to the sheet metal without perforating the wool. The inner edge wraps under the covered parcel shelf, which is one piece of fabric. There are two bolts captive in the fixed portion of the wooden shelf, which bolts to the metal deck. I’ll post a couple more photos of the original shelf.
As to affixing the flower box hinges to the battery shelf lower upright I mused about earlier, I decided to use 10/24 rivnuts with stainless machine screws. That ought to do it since there are six rivnuts and only sheer force on the flower box while in its rest position. I’ll report when I’m done
Thanks guys for the responses. I looked over the pictures of FHC parcel shelfs in Urs Schmidt’s books and it is pretty clear that the top surface of the fixed and folding panel is covered with one piece of moquette. This covered the gap created by the hinges and really dresses up that area. The two ramps are also dressed up very neatly by being covered with 1/8" plywood panels and moquette. Thanks Ron for clarifying that. I now see how that clean line is created at the back side against the headliner.
Phil, your rear shelf area is absolutely beautiful and sets a bar for all of us to shoot for. The tight application of the vinyl on the face of the large swinging panel that holds the flower box is beautifully done. I also like the contrasting panel on the underside of the trap door.
I Ron, I’m new to this myself, but I have one of these -
Unfortunately, by itself it’s kind of perplexing as it comes not set up for rivnut use so you’ll need the manual available near the product review are about mid way down the page. There is says “Product Review’, Warrantee” and “User Manual”. On the web there are U-tube videos on how to make you own and use some of the others available. Really, you only need a few bucks worth of nuts and washers and you’ll be in business. As I get further into this, I’ll let you know what I think of this tool.
