Fresh Air Vents

grelley

Silver forum user
Messages
70
Can anybody tell me if there is a simple way to get to the fresh air vent control flap on the drivers side of a Mk1a. On my recently imported Californian Tiger the flap is rattling around, as though the hinge mechanism has bocome disconnected. There appears to be nothing mentioned in either the manual or Tiger Workshop notes. Thanks in advance.
Regds Grelley
 

Growler

Gold forum user
Messages
199
I recently had the same situation and rebuilt it with a re-build kit from Sunbeam Specialties. It is not too difficult, but will require some patience. Generally, you will need to carfully remove the body air vents in front of the windscreen, then carfully grind/drill 4 rivets that hold the airbox in place (from the top of the car) at which point the airbox can be manuvered out from under the dash after disconnecting the drain hose and the pull lever. Once out there are a few more rivets to get rid of in order to get the rain shield out. After which the old door can be removed and the connection piece must be removed and put on the new door (more rivets) Then after applying the rubber/foam gasket on the new door, it is fairly simple to slide the new door/hinge and springs in place...then just put it all together (make sure the rain hose is clear first. All in all about an hour or 2 (I had to make a new rain shield as mine was missing). This should give you a good idea of what is involved. SS includes decent insturctions with the kit (or they will fax/e -mail it to you)....Good luck
 

grelley

Silver forum user
Messages
70
Hi Growler, thank you very much for the info. Are the vent grilles held in by clips, and do they prise out of the scuttle?
Regds Grelley
 

Growler

Gold forum user
Messages
199
They are held in by a single post on each side into a hole with a spring type clip (which shouldn't come out but save and re-use if it does). Use a plastic scraper, screwdiver wrapped in electrical tape, wood wedge or some other non scratching tool to pry one side alternating front and back. I also protect the car with something thin and non scratch (masonite, cardboard etc). Take your time and just keep wriggleing it up. I think I read somewhere that others used fishing line to pull up and wriggle
 

grelley

Silver forum user
Messages
70
Hi Growler, I bought 2 cars off Mike Lawrence. One, which I have is a 3 owner Mk1A which is absolutely standard, the other, which is still on its way is a slightly earlier car but has been fitted with a modified 302 and T5 gearbox. This car is a partially completed
project
 

michael-king

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
4,132
They are really nice cars.. love the MKIA.. the yellow car with fluted bonnet is the 302 i assume.. i would warn you to probably be careful of the stock wheels with more HP.. but a pitty as steels and caps with a warm motor would be an awesome sleeper! (i cant fit the steels over my bigger brakes.. i tried)

A better option.. swap the panasports to the yellow car.. and put the stock wheels + trims on the stock IA... perfect swap! :cool:
 

grelley

Silver forum user
Messages
70
Hi Michael, the std wheels were off the white car originally and were replaced by the Pannasports. There were no wheels for the yellow car, so the std wheels were kept in the US to ship the car on. It also has vented Willwoods, and the calipers had to be removed to fit the std wheels. The std wheels will end up back on the white Tiger.
Regds Grelley
 

michael-king

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
4,132
Hi Michael, the std wheels were off the white car originally and were replaced by the Pannasports. There were no wheels for the yellow car, so the std wheels were kept in the US to ship the car on. It also has vented Willwoods, and the calipers had to be removed to fit the std wheels. The std wheels will end up back on the white Tiger.
Regds Grelley

That makes sense.. my cars has the Dale wilwodd setup.. and yes caliprs would not clear stock wheels... you have bought both cars.. are you shipping them within the USA or are they going abroard?
 

grelley

Silver forum user
Messages
70
Hi Michael, I am in New Zealand. I have the white car registered and am driving it about, and carrying out running repairs such as heating and ventilation, door and window seals, new soft top and cover etc. At this point I am not sure how much work is required on the yellow one. The engine, gearbox, brakes, rear end and suspension are all mounted, and I think it is more detail work required. I believe the yellow car is in NZ but could be held up in the Auckland wharf strike. Hopefully I will see it in a couple of weeks.
Grelley
 

DD (CA)

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
521
Fresh Air Vent Rivets

OK, I'll admit that I'm cheating... Haven't searched the other sites yet. But... is there a "Master Rivet List" anywhere?

Current question around fresh air vent replacement rivets. Look VERY tiny flutes to me. Just bought standard Sears 360 rotate tool.

A: Rivets much larger
B: Wont fit in there (duh)
C: Original Al body with steel shank, assume most move to Al/Al?

I know there's a screw/bolt list... Just wondering about rivets?

If not... guess I'll start making one (that will not be accurate, and only state what I used, therefore wrecking future accuracy). Frankly, I did not even realize there were different body lengths for rivets (another 'duh') and that I need only find the correct diameter to fill the hole.

Generally, theres so much effort on here (catmbr) to consider / refute original VIN plate rivets, it masks searching for other applications. heh

thanks for any insights / tips
 

Maliburevue

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
220
Vent Repair

Both my vents had broken flaps inside, however, I did not remove the vent body from the car. Bought the new flap kit from SS, drilled out the rivets to the bottom deflector, installed the flaps and springs from underneath the dash and screwed the deflector back on.

Gary
 

XTIGERX

Gold forum user
Messages
501
Is the drain hose a special item? I was missing passenger side and replaced with clear tubing. New tubing seems much bigger diam. than original. Drivers side attachment end seems to have larger diam. Does SS have this I can't find it listed. Borrowed your pic, hope you don't mind. Thanks
 

DD (CA)

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
521
Tubal ligation?

:p

I'm not quite at your point of repair just yet. To be honest, I've still been pausing on R/R of said vents. not so lazy, just hammered at the time being.

I'll take pics of vent bottoms, but I thought the connection points diameter (ID of hose) were the same, and the repair notes also state after removing the interior directional ducts and flap hinge (which are asymetrical and should be re-attached per original) that the housings are identical.

ASCII ART for vent openings:

DRIVER PASSENGER
[ / [ ] [ ] \ ]

But, the ends of the hoses that exit to the engine bay go up to a rubber grommet / connector with the (infamous?) duck bill nipples. Those outer diameters of the hose would need to be able to insert into the grommet/duck bill.

So, if your new hose deviates from the original, you may not have trouble at vent connection (because ID may be the same), but connecting to duck bill may create issue with larger OD of new hose.

for reference...

http://catmbr.org/VB_forum/showthread.php?t=1025

also a google for "sunbeam tiger duck bill" shows you these
 

0neoffive

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
2,853
Vent Drain Hoses

Is the drain hose a special item? I was missing passenger side and replaced with clear tubing. New tubing seems much bigger diam. than original. Drivers side attachment end seems to have larger diam. Does SS have this I can't find it listed. Borrowed your pic, hope you don't mind. Thanks

Still available from a variety of sources is a molded hose for both the SBF carb-to-PCV valve and/or air cleaner to oil fill cap. With a bit of trimming, these make purrrfect drain hoses and slide right into the repro duck bills. . . . . . . .
 

65beam

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
1,827
vents

I went to the local autozone and bought one of the cheap funnels with the black plastic tube that is roughly two feet long. the tube fits the holes for the drains thru the rear fender well and also fits in the duck bills.
 

Warren

Gold forum user
Messages
3,872
good to replace

Got a part number for the SBF breather tubes to cannibalize?

Having OEM tubes installed with a little of that Mr.Home Depot stretchy repair tape, its on my to do list.

Infamous is a light description for the biggest probable cause of lots of rusty floors.

Nice to have both fixes described.
 

XTIGERX

Gold forum user
Messages
501
Sorry.

I asked before I looked at what I had but knew I was missing one. The hose I have has a swelled end over the connection. I see now that the hose must have shrunk a bit with age so attachment end OD is a bit bigger. Never really looked at it closely before. I'll check out the SBF breather hose. Thanks

Haven't ever had a duckbill on my vent / drain hoses. Don't they just get mucked up after awhile and don't work anyway? So what purpose were they intended to serve?
- Keep whatever moisture is in the hose from blowing up and into the passenger compartment while moving?
- Keep fumes from engine compartment from mixing with fresh air and entering pass. compart?
- Gets mucked up and quits working so fills with water which then dumps on carpet?
- Fire stop?
 

P. Scofield

Black arm band member RIP
Messages
384
The duckbill allows water to seep out without having an open hole for anything else to crawl up. I can't imagine very much water gets down the vent opening, with the exception of a heavy downpour or a good car washing with a hose.
 
Top