What shape (straight, angled, bent, twisted?) should the mounting bracket riveted to the underside of the floorpan be?
This is the one that holds the bottom of the metal shields (that go up at an angle from the floor to the firewall)
Pics always welcome

Thanks
Mooser

 

What year? Do you have the AIM?

 

72, I've got the AIM but it's not showing show what I need to know.

My shields are flat. they are on the upper studs and pretty much as far up as they can be. The bottom tab on the shield is parallel to the floor of the car
The tabs coming off the floor are bending down to catch the bottom tab of the shield, but not in a nice way, just looks like they were manhandled it down, I would expect a uniform Z bend or something done on a brake or something slightly nicer than this.
Since I'm under here, just figured now's the time to straighten them if need be
Thanks
Mooser

 

The end of the bottom mount bends up parallel to the plane of the kick at a point so that the distance of the shield from the glass is the same top and bottom.
Got my pics on another drive, can't get to it right now, sorry.

 

I'm sure my 72 AIM is the same as yours. The tabs show Z bends. Yours may need a little tweaking.

 

Tweaking, mine looks like it was formed around a broomstick
Somehow I was hoping it changed somewhere between the AIM to Production line. Now just need to straighten it and mimic a Z bend while it's on the car.
Thanks
Mooser

 

Hi M,
A 'Z' looks about right, with maybe a little extra bend to get the upper studs to go through the holes in the shield too.
Regards,
Alan

 

Thanks Alan
Mine may not be so bad after all.
I was about to reshape them into three straight sections with sharp corners going down (straight, 45deg down then another 45deg back and straight out to the shield..

Mines got a larger radii type change but is kind of like that image. I think I'll just tidy it up a bit and leave it alone.

Back to the tar pits...
Mooser

 

Hi m,
I've always thought that the worker knew where the bracket needed to be to make his installation go as easily as possible.... both of mine are bent about the same.
Regards,
Alan

 

Assembly line "fine tuning."

 

I worked for a company once that made parts for Bell Helicopter. They called one day in a big panic, the last delivery we made of the parts that housed the differential for the tail rotor were all rejected in inspection.

I had to fly out the next morning with as many replacements we had on hand at that moment and the drill jig the locates the mounting holes.

Were on the assembly floor with some rejected parts and the new parts. 2 engineers, QA manager, Inspector, Production manager, Plant manager, 1 VP all looking at the parts, now stripped of poly-primer on all the datum targets and gauge pins through all the drill points, everything lines up perfect. Inspection CMM shows the holes out .056"

One of the engineers finally grabs a part and takes it to the guy who assembles them and tell him to put it on.

He lines the part up, a couple of light hits with a rubber mallet and pulls it in with the bolts. "Fits like normal" he says

They had made a drawing change (which is why the parts went back through first article 100% inspection) and accidentally removed the () brackets from the hole locations, which tells inspection that these holes are to be located to the drill fixture (which matches the actual helicopter) and the drawing dimensions are reference only.

Everyone looks at each other and slowly walks away, I get a really good lunch and a day/night in Quebec

Sometimes the AIM and the production floor are two different worlds.

 

Hi M,
From what I read and hear "MOST" of the time the AIM and the production floor were 2 different worlds.
I think though, for most of us who haven't been able to talk to production line people, the AIM is the only link/hope we have.
Regards,
Alan

 

Absolutely right Alan, and we'd likely chuckle a little if we could talk to them.
I'm not even trying to restore, just like things to be kind of right if they can be.

Sometimes we (all of us) forget that when it came right down to it, these were just "cars" when they were being built. And to some of the people on the line, it was just a "job"

The rear astro-vent on my car leaked into the interior whenever it rained. I though the drains were plugged since I couldn't snake a wire through them. Took the rubber drain tubes and everything off and the fiberglass on the end of the trough (both sides) was never cut open.
Friday at quitting time is Friday at quitting time

Mooser