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I want to remove the BN7's windscreen so that I can drill a small hole through the bottom of the dash to install a lift-the-dot stud immediately to the right of the rear-view mirror. My car had a woodscrew threaded stud that pulled loose because of force from the tonneau fitting that attaches there. I have a new stud with a machine thread that requires a through hole for installation. Not having a very small right-angle drive drill or a say 10" long 1/8" drill that would let me drill from the bottom, I think I need to get the windscreen off so I can drill from the top. I will also take the opportunity to re-ecure that pesky rear-view mirror. There are slotted screw visible on the windscreen mounts on either side of the car secured with nuts visible under the dash. The manual says there is also a fitting pins visible on the underside. I don't see those. Ditto the bolts heads the manual says will be exposed under the door pillars with the doors open. I know something is holding the windshield frame, as loosening the two visible slotted screws with nuts doesn't free the windscreen. Help!
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BN7 Windscreen removal
- Thread starter RDKeysor
- Start date
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This responds to my own post regards windscreen removal. If I had thought to examine the very detailed drawings in the Moss catalog, I could have seen the answer to my own question. This was a lesson for me, and I hope it helps others. Those drawings are very detailed and a great resource. Thanks, Moss!
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If you really want to knock your socks off, go here and download (free) the "BT7 Parts Manual" (also covers the BN7): https://www.acmefluid.com.au/larry/servicing.html Bigger pictures and includes more info than the Moss catalog
healeyblue
Jedi Warrior
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If it were me I would look into an extension for the drill bit and try and drill from the bottom. You may end up opening up a can of worms removing the windshield.
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I learned of the factory parts list when I was restoring my Bugeye in the late 1970s and early '80s. I was buying parts from a long time BMC dealer that allowed me to make a copy of their "Mechanical Service Parts List" and "Body Parts Service List" for Sprites. They were invaluable in restoring my Sprite and when I started the restoration of my BJ7 they were the first things I looked for. If you do a Google search, you can sometimes find a free download or, alternatively an eBay search will find a CD or an original copy.
Frankly, I don't know how you do a concours restoration without one. I've been a concours Sprite judge, and my manuals have been a final say as to what's original. Admittedly, there may have been some variance from the BMC lists to what was done in the factory, but it certainly is a great guide as to what was supposed to be correct.
I found the windscreen removal pretty easy, though I enlisted a friend to lift it off. One wild card was a thin metal shim that dropped out of the right side when the windscreen lifted off. It is drilled for the two bolts in the door jam, and I will return it there when I reassemble. I removed the dash top--leather in my car's case--and quickly discovered that the lift-the-dot stud supplied by a UK firm was barely long enough to penetrate the wooden underlayment below the leather top. I could only get a few threads of engagement of the nut on the 10-32-threaded stud. I decided to fiberglass under and around the attaching nut to provide a more secure installation--if you drive with the passenger side of the tonneau in place, it puts a strong tug on the stud. After the fiberglass set up, I found that the stud still had some wobble. Not wanting to have to repeat the dash/windscreen removal process in the future, i cut away the fiberglass holding the nut, removed it, and drilled and tapped a piece of 3/8" round stock, cut off a threaded slice, installed it on the stud and re-fiberglassed the area a second time. This much larger "nut" provides a very strong. wobble-free installation. If I seem less than fastidious about my work on the car, which I think is a beautiful specimen, understand that the car has a Smitty Toyota conversion done by the PO, and the original box and overdrive are enjoying retirement in my garage. It will never be a concours car. Ditto the very nicely restored vinyl-covered seats that came with the car, recently replaced, including the runners, with a pair of aftermarket leather covered seats. These are beautiful. Originality is fine, but quality and serviceability are important to me. I drive this car.
healeyblue
Jedi Warrior
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Currently available "tenax" studs all have the same threaded shank length. The original stud that goes on the dash for the tonneau is longer by about a 1/4 inch. I found this out too when redoing the BN4, so I had to reuse the original one at the dash.