Rear Panel Part 3

Before I started to look at the rear panel again, I thought I would tackle a couple of little jobs.  The first was the pedal box.  This needed 6 rivnuts fitting to enable the cover to be fitted and removed as required.  It was a simple process as can be seen in the images below.

And with the top fitted in place.  

This all still needs fitting to the car, but I can't do that until the scuttle is in place and I don't want to do that until the engine is in as there is a lot more access without the scuttle fitted.

Also, whilst the rear panel if off, I thought I would just tidy up the wiring a bit so used some P clips to secure the wiring to the chassis rail.

I also had a look at the boot panels, just to see how they would fit.  3 are OK but 2 just don't seem right.  I might take them back on my factory visit, just in case they are the wrong ones.

So now back to the saga of the rear panel.  After trial fitting and getting some advice from some other Zero builders, the next stage was to remove the dry fitted rear panel and start to finally put it together.  Between the main panel and the U shape former (for want of a better description), you need to add some 'tadpole' beading.  It is called this because if you look at it side on it looks a bit like the head and tail of a tadpole.  Anyway, this needs fitting and drilling and then the whole lot carefully riveting together.  I worked from the middle outwards, alternating sides, to try and keep it all as neat and tidy and flat as possible.  I don't think it looks too bad.  It will all get covered over with a tonneau cover later but that is no excuse for doing a poor job.

This is later in the day when I came to dry fit it  .... again.  Expect to fit it and remove it several times during the process until you are ready to take the final plunge to bond and rivet it to the chassis.  I think this is the fourth or fifth time it has been on the car!!

The last stage is to drill all the required holes in the chassis so it can be bonded and riveted in place.  This is where my day came to a halt as the 3.2mm drill bits have finally given up on me and it was too late to get to the DIY store to get some more.

I have another trip to the he factory planned soon for some more parts and to get answers to lots of questions that are building up.  I will probably hold off from finishing the rear panel until after the visit, just in case I have missed anything.

Now this is really where a proper build manual would be invaluable.  As mentioned earlier in a post, I once got part way through the build of a Westfield and there was a brilliant build manual with that.  So come on GBS, pull your fingers out, you have a great car here that is let down by the lack of a build manual.