Targa clip repair
Discussion
I don’t know if anyone else finds this simple stuff interesting but it kept me amused for an hour on a wet Sunday afternoon.
Both targa panel clips were broken when I got the car and now one of the replacements has broken. I was about to order another replacement on line when I realized that they had all broken in exactly the same place. I wondered if I could repair it and also eliminate the week plastic threaded section. It proved quite easy.
Take a 8mm bolt or setscrew with at least 37mm of thread. (If you can find one with the same thread as the plastic original you can use the original adjusting ring (and save having to grind a nut down to make a new ring), File two flats opposite each other to fit through the pivot fitted in the part with 3 screwholes - leaving 3mm of thread at the end unfiled (this acts as a shoulder to prevent it falling right through.
File the broken stub flat on the plastic pivot fitted in the rectangular cover, and drill a drill a 5mm hole in it through to the moulding space in the middle.
Saw the head off the bolt, and then file all the thread off 12mm at the opposite end to the “shoulder” and file this section down to a push fit in the 5mm hole. (To hold it when filing, cut through one side of a nut which will then clamp tight on the thread when you tighten the vice on it).
Check everything fits and assemble the pieces. You can glue the filed end into the 5mm hole but if it is a reasonably tight push fit it will stay together as it is in compression in use.
Now we will see if this one lasts any longer.
I think the photos explain it more clearly.( I may have to submit them seperately)
![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/1GID3n4N.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/77J5pokk" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/77J5pokk.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/yt4KzKad" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/yt4KzKad.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/ecRCGS7i" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/ecRCGS7i.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/4NZxSgZB" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/4NZxSgZB.jpg)
Both targa panel clips were broken when I got the car and now one of the replacements has broken. I was about to order another replacement on line when I realized that they had all broken in exactly the same place. I wondered if I could repair it and also eliminate the week plastic threaded section. It proved quite easy.
Take a 8mm bolt or setscrew with at least 37mm of thread. (If you can find one with the same thread as the plastic original you can use the original adjusting ring (and save having to grind a nut down to make a new ring), File two flats opposite each other to fit through the pivot fitted in the part with 3 screwholes - leaving 3mm of thread at the end unfiled (this acts as a shoulder to prevent it falling right through.
File the broken stub flat on the plastic pivot fitted in the rectangular cover, and drill a drill a 5mm hole in it through to the moulding space in the middle.
Saw the head off the bolt, and then file all the thread off 12mm at the opposite end to the “shoulder” and file this section down to a push fit in the 5mm hole. (To hold it when filing, cut through one side of a nut which will then clamp tight on the thread when you tighten the vice on it).
Check everything fits and assemble the pieces. You can glue the filed end into the 5mm hole but if it is a reasonably tight push fit it will stay together as it is in compression in use.
Now we will see if this one lasts any longer.
I think the photos explain it more clearly.( I may have to submit them seperately)
Blue 30 said:
Or maybe mine are non standard ?
Anyone done anything remotely safer for the onboard human occupants ?
T.
They are the factory original Southco clips sold by RS for about £14 each. I think they are safer than any all metal clips I have seen, which all seem to have sharp corners or edges.Anyone done anything remotely safer for the onboard human occupants ?
T.
Edited by lewdon on Monday 30th September 09:31
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