Well, the Porsche is back, looking good and driving great.
So naturally, I want to spend today in the garage, fixing the TVR.
First up is the glove box lid. I unscrew it from its hinges, and then gently prise the trim off the back of the lid. It seems to be stuck on with the best glue ever invented, it won’t come apart. Seeing as it was me what dun it, I can’t really complain. I’m sure it was just Evostik though…
Anyway, with the back off, I undo the two nuts that hold the wood trim on. Except t’s not really wood, it’s metal, with a wood finish (in my case, 3m wood-effect film). One of the bolts has detached itself completely from the back of the metal trim, so I stick it back in place with some of that “liquid metal” stuff you can buy. If that doesn’t work, I’ll weld the bastard on, but that would mean re-covering the panel.
Right, while that’s hardening, let’s get on to these roof panels.
They are not just dirty, but the edges are also falling to bits. The seals are coming off and they look terrible.
So to remove: first I carefully peel off the seal along the outer edge (that is, the seal that the door window seals against when it’s fully up). It’s a strange rubber profile and I don’t know if you can still get it. Then I peel off the inner seals (where the two panels overlap) - they are an ordinary D-shape and should be easy to order.
Then it’s a matter of peeling the vinyl trim off the roof panel. It’s stuck like shit to a blanket though, so it takes some pulling. Half the time
you can only peel with one hand because you have to prise the edges up off the cloth roof covering, so that you don’t tear it. You really don’t want
to do that!
But eventually, it’s off!
Then I go round removing any lumps of glue around the edges. It looks like the passenger side panel has been repaired at some point (not by me!) because
there’s signs of a repair in the front outside corner. It’s fine though.
Then it’s on to the other panel, which is exactly the same, except bigger.
By this time, the metal cold weld on the glove box lid has hardened, so I put the trim back on, and do up the nuts finger tight - I’ll leave it to harden overnight before I nip up the nuts.
I haven’t got any trim adhesive so I’ll buy some tomorrow, and spend the day in the garage getting high on glue fumes. I might even stick some new bits of vinyl on!
