The 'E' Type Forum

Hi Everyone

I'm now in the process of re-assembling the bonnet glass fairings after finally refitting all the re-chromed brightwork. I've just discovered that the driver's side is perspex and the passenger side glass. Which is correct for an S1? I've a strong suspicion that the driver's side wing was damaged sometime in the distant past. The sugar scoop doesn't fit as well as the passenger side. Inside the horn trumpet was mangled, the cable multi-connector is not of the original type and the fairing chrome crown ring has had several of the screw holes re-attached. Should I use a sealer between the glass and the rubber seal?

Cheers

Alan

All E-Type headlamp covers were glass originally although there is one report in either Motor or Autocar, can't recall which, which describes them as perspex. Maybe they had access to the red development car 850001 which also had internal bonnet locks. :?

Your problem will be getting a glass one to fit if there is any distortion to the body panels. I suggest you buy a pair of plexiglass covers from Mark Clapp http://etypeuk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4211 Both Angus and I have fitted them to our cars because they are lighter, unbreakable and, most importantly, easier to fit. As regards sealant Angus swears by Gum Gum but I don't use anything and take the covers off whenever the scoops require cleaning.

David

Thanks for the reply.
The driver's side is probably Plexiglass since it hasn't clouded like ordinary perspex is prone to do. It fits perfectly so I'm not thinking of replacing it. The glass cover is an original fitment and it'd be a shame to throw it out for no good reason. Only those reading this will know that they're different.
I wasn't going to use any sealant either if I could get away with it. Whoever fitted them previously had a fetish for the stuff and lathered it on everywhere. It was a bugger to clean off the bonnet not to mention the glass and crown ring.
I was going to mould some dum-dum in at the top where the chrome beading meets the crown ring in the hope that it will stop water leaking in and marking the sugar scoops. I've previously read somewhere on the Forum that someone else had done this successfully.

Anyway off to the garage.

Cheers

Alan

ALAN COCHRANE wrote:David

Thanks for the reply.
The driver's side is probably Plexiglass since it hasn't clouded like ordinary perspex is prone to do.

Pedant warning:

Plexiglass is, I believe, the US version of our tradename 'Perspex'. This was the original optical plastic that superseded and massively out-performed celluloid etc. Nowadays 'Lexan' is the equivalent trade name [(TM) DuPont?] for the much tougher polycarbonate optical plastic, which is what plastic covers are made of. It is not totally UV proof as a look round any sun belt parking lot will immediately show, but it is better and more flexivle, which is why it's bullet proof. Bike visors used to be perspex and lasted a few months in winter. Polycarbonate ones last a year or two.

Pedant warning received!

It doesn't surprise me they're one and the same thing. I'm sure in my (much) younger aeroplane modelling days, Dura-glit or something similar was good for restoring perspex/plexiglas to it's former glory. I always managed to get glue on the canopy which had the same effect as sunlight. A bit of a disadvantage in a dogfight with old Fritz. Anyway a day and a half later and both fairings are now on the Jag. The driver's side (plexiglas) took 15 minutes to fit. The passenger side(glass) took the rest of the time. Three of the six captive nuts seem to have decided to free themselves and one wasn't even the right thread for the screws.
Anyway Dum-Dum is also good for packing in the nut cages, enough to get a hold with the screw. Just as well I wasn't charging an hourly rate-10 hours at ?40/hour=?400. I'm sure any paying customer would've been delighted with that bill.

Cheers

Alan

[quote="Heuer" Both Angus and I have fitted them to our cars because they are lighter, unbreakable and, most importantly, easier to fit. As regards sealant Angus swears by Gum Gum but I don't use anything and take the covers off whenever the scoops require cleaning.[/quote]

The sealant is Dum Dum David (NLA). The factory used it (or similar) everywhere.

The Dum-Dum brand may be defunct but body seam sealer is ubiquitous and some brands are very similar... Not stuff I'd use on lamp gaskets though!

Pete