Referring to the middle of the skuttle (car is on its side on a rotisserie). I detected cracks either side of the hole where the centre windshield post passes through the skuttle and is bolted tight from below so stripped off the primer and filler that was there to effect repairs and straighten the panel
Hard to see in the above photo but there are two layers of steel there, the inner one about 1/8" lower than the skuttle. The skuttle itself is 18 ga steel but the reinforcing panel below:
is 16 ga - sensible since it has to support the windshield post.
Seems to me with that gap between the two panels the skuttle will be drawn downward when the centre post is torqued, perhaps why there’s cracking in the area and a depression ahead of it.
Should there be a gap between the two panels or is this normally closed? If the former, is there a 1/8" shim that goes in between to support the area?
Subsidiary question:
What is the hole behind the mirror mounting holes for (red arrow)?
Nickolas, I assume the car is LHD, ? If it were RHD, that male lift-a-dot, that Mike noted, would be on the other side so that the passenger’s side of the tonneau can remain in place if only the driver is in the car. A lot of us keep our tonneaus in place like that because it is so handy to quickly cover up, and protect the interior if leaving the car for a short time.
On my car, there is no gap between the lower windshield post support plate and the scuttle top. Can you somehow remove that lower, thicker, support plate, re-position it so it butts up against the scuttle top and then re-weld to secure?
I’m quite familiar with this area as I had a devil of a time trying to separate the windshield post from the long bolt that secures it. Despite my best efforts, I still managed to shear off the bolt. Found much rust inside. Before you re-attach yours, consider drilling a small (1/8") weep hole in the side of your windshield post securing bolt. Otherwise, any moisture that gets inside never has the chance to escape.
I still have the original tonneau, Knight (yes, LHD) but it’s in pretty rough shape. It’ll be useful as a pattern for having a replacement made.
John, that’s indeed interesting. The only explanation must be that the piece is superfluous.
That would work, Chris (thanks for answering the question - it is as I would have thought) though one wonders given John’s answer above whether welding it back in is required. However, I know now the gap should not be there and it explains the slight damage in that area so I will proceed by making a slightly curved piece out of 1/8" x 2" flat stock with a suitably sized round hole, position it accurately between the two layers and plug weld it in place using the support plate as it’s anchorage, then effect the repairs to the skuttle. It will be a quick job.
