As it rained yesterday, 1.80 inches in 24 hours, and as it rained again overnight another 1.5 inches, it's Waaay too wet outside to do anything. So I thought it would be a good day to change the upper half of the nacelle. Mine was broken when I got the car, doubtless by some ham-handed worker of decades past.



Notice one of the captive nuts is broken out. No wonder it rattled!

Getting this out of the car was Stupidly difficult because the broken part kept hanging up on hazard switch and a few other things. For a while I thought I might have to completely drop the steering column to get the thing out! After doing battle with it for nearly 2 hours however, I prevailed (I can be stubborn sometimes)!

While gathering my courage to put the new one in without breaking it, the time came for husband to get the mail. As he was going that way anyway, I asked for some 8-32 cross-head screws to replace the slot heads that held the 2 halves together (I hate slot head screws!).


Putting the new upper half in was as stupidly easy as taking the other one out was stupidly hard! It literally fell into place!


It took longer to put tools away than to put the new half on the car. Unless something dreadful happens though, I shouldn't have to do this for another 30 years.
(';')

 

it's faster to lower the steering column by 1"

I re-engineered the broken pivoting cap of a broken Hazard switch. It will never ever break again. I'm getting good at fixing Lucas switches.

 

Nice write up and pics thanks LnrB!

 

I did lower the column, Jose, not quite an inch though as I didn't remember how long the bolts are and didn't want to completely unthread them.

My biggest concern was the hazard switch as you mention. I did NOT want to break that!
(';')

 

Elinor in my car the two column bolts are 2" long and 13mm.

yes, you have to remove the 2 corner plastic finishers, then the underdash panel, to get to those two column bolts, but once that is done, it makes the R&R of that nacelle a lot easier. It also helps to extend the steering wheel out to max.

but no matter what, it is an exercise in patience.

 

Yes, it's just that I loosened those bolts too much one time with Disastrous results! There's so much um, extraneous Garbage stuffed up in there (Viper et al), and it all still works, and I'm a bit paranoid about pulling some obscure wire off it's hidden/remote connection and Nothing ever works correctly again!

But, as you say, an exercise in patience (of which I don't normally have an over-abundance) and it's all finished, looking Fine!
(';')

 

Nice work, Elinor, as expected.


In my ignition switch replacement adventure, I ventured there as well.


I busted a post as well!! Or was it two? JB on at least one of them did it.


And, definitely, bye, bye slotted screws. I chose Allen headed replacements,.


But, a bit of a bodge. A bit loose on one side. A tab of black Duck tape fixed it, Only I know!! Or did!!!


Side bar. Hurray !!! I jumped all the hurdles and got my Jaguar through SMOG. Alas, no paper and tab ! Jeep came up next. Much easier. Got the paper and tab, but still none for the Jaguar, Trying to call the DMV is enough to incite road rage.


So, I called on my Assembly person for help !!! Eureka, Dom at her office had a contact at DMV! He reported that the person "extracted" my stuff from the "mess" and that papers and tab will be in the mail !! Yup, she will get my vote again the next time....


She is an "R' in a sea of "D's"


Carl

 

Apologies for the political reference.


But, it was relevant. she sponsored a bill to up date SMOG inspection to
81 model year in lieu of 75!! Shot down !!!


Most of the "D" want us out of our cars... Any fossil fueled ones. E's barely permssable.


Carl


Carl