Bulkhead problems.

[Ken]

I bought a galvanised bulkhead for my 2a from shielder. No problems until one came to light today.
Looking at the fit of wing and front panel I offered up the bonnet to obtain a fixed point for the front panel.
The photo shows the problem.
Both hinge attachments are in the wrong place. Further, the centre line of the hinge attachment is too close to the bulkhead so that when I try to lower the bonnet the trailing edge jams against the two rubber buffers leaving the bonnet at an angle of around 30 degrees open.
Having built the car up this far I can't see it's an option to return this but the only other is to cut away the hinge attachments and fabricate and weld on ones that are correct and in the right place.
I'd appreciate thoughts on this, I'm very unhappy about the prospect of cutting and welding. What's the point in buying a galvanised bulkhead ?

[Craig T]

Blimey, that's a head scratcher. Kind off looks like the distances from the edges are correct but the wrong way around when compared to my photo below.

As you say, the only option is to cut the hinges off, get new ones (or recover the original ones from your original bulkhead) and weld them back on in the correct place. I wouldn't worry too much about loosing the galvanising in those two small spaces. The rest of the galvanise and the new paint over the top will still protect it.
Welding may be fun as the hinges are thick and the bulkhead they attach to is fairly thin in comparison. Would need to be careful not to burn through the panel while still getting enough heat into the hinge so it sticks.

Craig.

[Craig T]

Also just noticed the rubber bumpers are in the wrong place. When you move the hinges the bumpers will need re-drilling and the old holes filling up.

Craig.

[Alan Drover]

I'd have a word with Shielder and don't start cutting or welding anything otherwise they won't take it back.

[Ken]

I'm waiting to see what shielder offer as a solution. Both brackets need to move about 4 inches towards the off side.
A further problem if cut and weld turns out to be the way forward is trying to find a competent welder in Cornwall. The last one I came across was a thug and former fishing boat employee from newlyn who welded about as well as my cocker spaniel.
Giving up for today, it's been like seeing months of work go up in smoke. Pretty hacked off.

[Craig T]

I can only see one solution they can offer and that will be to replace it. I doubt they will offer to rework it as they would have to remove all the paint from it in order to re-galvanise it afterwards.

Off course that means your time to remove everything from it again, get it away to them and then you waiting for another one to return that then needs painting again.

I bet they have a template to position the hinges and drill the rubber buffer holes and someone couldn't read, "This side out" when then applied it!

Craig.

[Alan Drover]

I can only see one solution they can offer and that will be to replace it. I doubt they will offer to rework it as they would have to remove all the paint from it in order to re-galvanise it afterwards.

Off course that means your time to remove everything from it again, get it away to them and then you waiting for another one to return that then needs painting again.

I bet they have a template to position the hinges and drill the rubber buffer holes and someone couldn't read, "This side out" when then applied it!

Craig.

I bet they have a template to position the hinges and drill the rubber buffer holes and someone couldn't read, "This side out" when then applied it!

Craig.

Wouldn't"Green side up" be more appropriate."?

[Ken]

I've e mailed with the photo and telephoned, speaking to a very decent guy who is perplexed and has gone off to look at the jig.
I'm completely stumped to work out how they managed to do it.
The dilemma for me is that butchering and welding up isn't my way of working. It really goes against the grain.
On the other hand it's months of work which has gone into getting it to where it is.
I'm very cross with myself for, A, not seeing it sooner and B, not doing what I do with tradesmen and assuming it's cocked up somewhere so not checking minutely.
With disassembly most of the wiring connectors driver's side would have to be cut off to get the wiring out in addition to the incidental damage done in disassembly.
All in all a dismal prospect.....and it's raining !

[Noddy]

A possible solution if you can live with it is to alter two hinge plates so that the pins point to the right instead of the left. The near side buffer would need to be moved as well. Really depends on what Shielder are prepared to offer and how much extra work you are prepared to do.

Alec

[Ken]

Yes, we considered that for a micro second. I can't live with it. Cobbling up something to make it incorrect to fix a cock up is beyond my tolerance.
Still waiting for a response from shielder but will check tomorrow to see if it's possible that the jig was used back to front, just to find an explanation.
I haven't been out to it since earlier this afternoon it's just too dispiriting.

[Oilierthanthou]

The slots in the end of the door stops were welded on wrongly on my Shielder galv bulkhead. And many of the drilled holes are in the wrong place. I decided to ignore it, after the hassle I had getting them to replace the faulty gearbox cross member on my new Chassis.
I'd never touch Shielder products again.

[Ken]

We seem to have got to the bottom of what happened. On a hunch I measured again and transposed the left measurement to the right and vice versa. There was the answer. The measurements would locate the brackets exactly where they should be. It seems most likely that the welding jig has been used back to front.
The photo shows the bonnet in position located as far to the driver's side as it can go.
I've always considered that anyone can have a problem, it's how it's dealt with which is the real issue. Shielder have been good, they've checked over their production and it seems that one of 7 welders had a bad day ( I'm choosing not to think of  the fact that it wasn't picked up by any kind of inspection process).
They will send over a replacement, despatched this week and have offered some financial compensation.
It's dispiriting to have to undo so much work but there's nothing to be done except fix the problem. Of course in separating it all most of the painted surfaces are being damaged and one of the bulkhead ventilator hinge pins having not long ago been lubricated and fitted is refusing to come apart.
I think that getting it back to where it was is going to take some time and it was a week or so from driving a few yards.