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Cage nuts

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AweMan

AweMan

Jedi Knight
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Gentlemen:
For those of you whom may have a damaged front apron for a Tr3 or 3a laying around. I am looking for the cage nuts that hold the headlight buckets onto the apron. There are six all total {three on each bucket}. I have ordered some aftermarket cage nuts, {the retaining clips are somewhat larger} and they are too large to fit into the square holes on the apron.
My first choice is to acquire the proper o.e.m. style cage nuts.
Any other solutions will be appreciated and considered. or .... if you know where I can purchase the correct ones?
If you have what I need and want ..... I have some extra early apron parts {Park/turn light boots {new}, bulb holder {used 1 ea.}, park/turn light lenses O.E.M. {used 2 ea.}, Chrome trim rings park/turn {used, 2 ea. chrome not perfect but pretty good}, late style {3a} park/turn bulb holders {Holden} {new 2 ea.}. to trade .... or .... $ ..... or lets talk ... P.M. or Email {see my user profile}
 
Why don't you "steal" the clips you need from one of the other front valances you have. I think I bought some at a NAPA type store.
 
Geezzzze Don .... I only have ONE valance {front apron} and it is in pretty rough shape at that.
Ill have to take it to the tin beater before I can paint it :lol:
IF I had two .... that is exactly what I would do {steal what I need}
The cage nuts I got at fastenal are slightly bigger than the square holes I need to insert them into. I didnt want to butcher this apron any more than it already is.
 
Too bad, I had a "kick" press and shoe in the garage for years and had not found a worthy use for it. Last month I got rid of it. Would have been perfect for making these.
The kick press is a foot operated stamping press and a shoe is the part that the die mounts on.
 
I just went through this two weeks ago. I was putting in the headlamps when I noticed one of the caged nuts was missing. I wound up making one, but it wasn't so easy and took a couple of tries. I'd hate to have to make six of them.

That said, what I did was use a 10-32 hex nut and form a cage around it. I drew the shape of the sheet metal cage, but the forum won't accept a bitmap, so I can't show you what I did.

Basically, I made the cage to hold the nut and it had two short 1/4" wings in the front to hold it in the little square holes. It was a real pain in the butt, but it did work. It would make a nice saturday job to do six of them!
 
martx-5 said:
Basically, I made the cage to hold the nut and it had two short 1/4" wings in the front to hold it in the little square holes. It was a real pain in the butt, but it did work. It would make a nice saturday job to do six of them!
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Wow Art, you're crazy! You really have done EVERYTHING yourself. Kudos for that. Next thing you know we'll be hearing about you vulcanizing your own rubber to make period correct tires!

I have some old copper wire hanging around- can you help me fabricate a head gasket for my 3? :laugh:
 
I'm on the road, so can't look at the banged up valances I have for spares, but I did some detective work and may have a source.

If you check on www.moss-europe.co.uk, they show an illustration with part number FS2701, nut and retainer for 9/16" hole, for ÂŁ0.85.

Hopping back to TRF,and entering in the same number, you get them listed at $0.59 each.

Might be worth a ring to TRF to see if they have them. For that matter, maybe Moss here has them too.

Randy
 
TR4nut said:
I'm on the road, so can't look at the banged up valances I have for spares, but I did some detective work and may have a source.

If you check on www.moss-europe.co.uk, they show an illustration with part number FS2701, nut and retainer for 9/16" hole, for ÂŁ0.85.

Hopping back to TRF,and entering in the same number, you get them listed at $0.59 each.

Might be worth a ring to TRF to see if they have them. For that matter, maybe Moss here has them too.

Randy
Click to expand...

That part looks like the right one. I'll correct you here. They say it fits a <span style="font-weight: bold">9/32" hole</span>, not a 9/16" hole. That would be right, as I remember the hole being about 1/4". I think you have a winner there with that part number.
 
I found some rectangular nylon things at my FLAPS that worked just fine. They have two legs that snap into the holes, then when you put a sheet metal screw through them, it expands the legs and locks them firmly in place. Don't recall now if they were sold for trim retaining screws, or license plates.
 
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