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side curtains

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JIM NEWMAN

Senior Member
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The side curtains of my BN7 are in pretty good shape - at least the frames, hardware and seals are. The "Perspex" however, is clouded and scratched and I would love to replace the panels with newer material. Has anyone in BCFland tried to take these assemblies apart in order to make such a replacement? I've extracted the screws that appear to hold the two halves of the frame together but nothing seems to want to move.
Help.......
thanks
jim
 
Jim, I did a refurbish\rebuild on mine a couple of years back. If memory serves you dont have to take the frames apart, tilt and bend slightly and window piece should come out.You can get new plexi from most of the distributors but the felting is a little harder to find. I think Hempfields (spelled wrong) or Healey Surgons had it. You can also make your own windows from,I think it was 1/8" plexi glass.With some elbow grease and various polish you can get the aluminum frames to look pretty good. The problem getting them apart is I think there brazed or sodered(sp)at the joints.Or there are small screws under the felting

[ 02-02-2003: Message edited by: CDK ]</p>
 
I took mine apart to get the perspex/plexiglass out. After taking the screws in the corner brackets out there was some glue from the felt holding the little brackets in. It gave way with A LITTLE force, enough to spread the frame enough to get the plexiglass out. (I know it wasn't perspex because they were poorly made homemade replacements.)

Anyway, you can make new ones yourself if you can cut a straight line and polish plexiglass of buy new ones from various suppliers. Because I have an early BN4, I had to make my own, but it's pretty straighforward.

cheers.gif

John
 
I am interested in doing this myself. I have a set that needs new glass. let me know how it goes and what you decide on.

Tracy
 
Can anyone tell me what these come from? Are the little blocks stock?
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They look like the side curtains on my wife's BN7 which also has blocks.

best--Michael Oritt
 
They are BN4 thru BT7 sidecurtains.The block is stock as shown in the Anderson Moment book and is also shown in the Clausager book. If you buy a window kit they come with it but you have to glue them on.
 
I went through that exercise a few years ago. I don't remember exactly but I was able to get the glass and felt. I do remember they came from dif suppliers: Hempills, Healey Surgeon or Moss. I never had to take the frames apart. I was able to bend the glass in order to get it into the frame. The felt however was a real pain. My biggest problem has been the curtains have never allowed the doors to close easily. As a result I only use the curtains when I absolutely need them
Good luck
Bill L
BT7
 
The blocks are original! They are thicker than the glass. Glued (no screws)There is a clear drying silicon available (not just everyday clear silicon.) Look for a small clear tube 3.5 fl.oz. with red print at the hardware store.Ah ha, I just found it. Lexel, it says here "clearer than silicon". Concerning the replacement glass. Try Lexan (more money, but has better sunlight fatigue properties)Whew, I'm glad I could share some time honored knowledge on this forum....... Oh yeah, I have no vested interest in the above mentioned brand name products other than, they work!!!!
 
I had blocks on my side curtins but little children(gotta love em)opend them with a little to much gusto many years back and they were lost. Well I believe they are also orignal they give you something to hold onto to open and close them which is a constant process, as vibration continualy opens them. when I redo mine I plan to use polycarbonate material, same as lexan but generic term for really durable clear scratch resistant plastic. we use it for guarding machines and its not to bad to work with. A router with a good template would cut it really well. does anybody know if bugeye curtains are the same?

savewave.gif

Dale
 
I think bugeye curtains are smaller than big healey ones, I have 2 sets both of which will need some sprucing up. Good to know about lexan. Does anyone know where you can buy the square nuts that go inside the door to which the chromed thumbscrews mount? Ace hardware dropped the ball on those. Thanks-Josh
 
Johnny,

Sorry but I only have one set. I was showing the set with blocks just for illustration purposes. I found that Hemphills has the glass 55$, felt and rubber. I will be refirbishing the set you see above (shown on newspaper).

Should I have the aluminium clear anodised?

Tracy
 
Thanks Tracy, I had to ask. I personally would not spend the money to have the aluminum refurbished. A good cleaning and polishing should work. Try not to scratch the aluminum. Originality to me is more important, especially on items that will most likely never be used.
Johnny, 59bn7
smile.gif
 
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by bighly:
Should I have the aluminium clear anodised?
<hr></blockquote>

They were originally clear anodized, and I've had mine done, but a) I wouldn't recommend the place I used, and b) It's tough to keep them that way because the aluminum is soft and scratches easily. The alternative is just to polish them and MAYBE put a clear coating on them.

cheers.gif

John
 
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