tr7triumph.com

<font face="Comic Sans MS"><font size="2"><font color="blue">I bit the bullet (no pun intended [:D]) some time ago and bought one of those fibre-glass (or is it glass-fibre [?]) parcel shelfs from Rimmers for my FHC. While I admit it doesn't look anywhere near as good as the original shelf, the advantages of not warping in the sun or vinyl shrinking more than make up for this.

However, in good old Rimmers fashion, there is a disconnect between the shape of the shelf and that of the actual car - by which I mean it doesn't fit [:(!]. So, I'm going to have to fettle if. I've decided the best option is to get a piece of 40mm x 40mm wood and shape it as best I can to the contours of both the parcel shelf and the rear bulkhead of the car - tricky to say the least.

However, even if I did a brilliant job (which I won't), there will still be a gap that needs filling. The major difference will be where the top of the new shelf sits on top of the 40 x 40 insert, but also down the back of the insert where my lack of carpentry skills will show up quite embarrassingly.

Does anybody know of a decent filler that I can use to plug the hole? I was thinking of covering the rear bulkhead with masking tape and positioning the parcel shelf in place and filling the hole with a simple body filler. I hope that I can then leave it to set, and once it has I'll be able to remove the parcel shelf but keep the shape.

Can anybody advise me of another option or have you any tips I can use to make my task a little easier? Thanks for any help,

Mac.

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The pheonix rises from the ashes - just give it time!http://s733.photobucket.com/albums/ww338/macmattom/

Could you post some pictures of the parcel shelf in position? It's a bit difficult to visualise where it doesn't fit.

Andy
1981 UK SPEC TR8

<font face="Comic Sans MS"><font size="2"><font color="blue">I'll be back at the car tomorrow, so I'll try to get a couple of pictures.</font id="blue"></font id="size2"></font id="Comic Sans MS">

The pheonix rises from the ashes - just give it time!http://s733.photobucket.com/albums/ww338/macmattom/

Black closed-cell weatherstrip foam maybe? Assuming you have a black interior.

1975 TR7 ACL764U

I went the other direction and re-did my old rotted shelf with fiberglass. Here's some details...

http://www.forum.triumphtr7.com/topic.a ... rcel,shelf

You might try adding in some fiberglass to the areas that need extensions...


Aaron
1976 TR7 FHC (an ongoing project)

<font face="Comic Sans MS"><font size="2"><font color="blue">I've taken a few photos of the wood I've had to make - I'm quite pleased with it, all things considered. I'll probably paint the wood black to make sure none of the colour shows through, but this is the problem I'm faced with:



and from another angle:



The cut-outs are to give clearance to the speakers which protrude from the back of the shelf slightly. The next pictures show the gap that would have existed between the parcel shelf and window frame - quite considerable, me thinks. You can just about make out the parcel shelf through the glass, but you might have to look hard!





So there's the problem. I've filled most of the gap with the wood (which also acts as a support), but would like any ideas as to what filler to use to finish the job off. I will probably not be working on that for a week or so as I've other priorities on at the moment (like starting him [his name's Trevor - my wife wouldn't let me call it Tracey, that's her name!]!!).

Thanks for any tips,

Mac
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The pheonix rises from the ashes - just give it time!http://s733.photobucket.com/albums/ww338/macmattom/

Nice loking woodwork. I would seal it with varathane or fiberglass resin to prevent it from swelling/detereorating from moisture or dry rot.



TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

<font color="green">I thought there was supposed to be a small gap between the parcel shelf and rear window (about 1cm wide) and have always assumed it was in some way part of the way the inside of the car was ventilated, allowing damp air out of the cabin (into the boot area?). If that is blocked completley it might make it much hadrer to clear misted windows in cold weahter. Just my 2p worth and not in any way intendted to detract from the good work you have done.</font id="green">

<font color="green">Gordon
GRD 1980 Brooklands Green 2l FHC
OVC 1980 Platinum Silver 3.9l V8 FHC
Bedford, UK.
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just to comment on Rimmerbross fiberglass products.


avoid at any cost , got the rear bumper cover from them, the corners where ABS plastic they are good(probably because they are a stock part [:D]) , but the middle section was made out of fiberglass matt. The colors don't match . first on assembly the parts needed a lot of reworking with a biax ( dremmel tool, dont know how you call it) to even get them to fit together.

my car has been sitting in the yard for 2 years , exposed to the elements, the fiberglass middle part is all cracked up, the car hasn't driven a single meter, no vibrations, just standing on the bare car shell. i guess the guys at rimmer havent heard of a something called gelcoat or uv resistant paint.


back to the topic:

i would suggest to laminate a piece of fiberglass in the place of the gap, take the parcel shelf out , you can use a piece of sheet metal or even a aluminum L profile as a template, laminate in a few layers of fiberglass with excess material, then trim it to fit the car the way you want it. when it's all done , get the parcel shelf upholstred.

blimey thats a bit deep Gorden

all i can add to that is on all the FHC i've had that small gap was covered by a thin piece of material glued to the window channel under the window rubber that just flaped over the shelf

[8 whole cylinders worth of punch to ram the world through the windshield and out the rear view mirror. Car & Driver]
1981 Grinnall TR7 v8
1981 Black FHC
1979 & 1980 Black Premium FHC(laid to rest) Sorry


John

On my FHC a previous owner used a series of 8 screws to attach the tray to the rear bulkhead. Unfortunately they were not too familiar with a ruler so it looks a bit shoddy.
On second thought it could be factory. [:0]

Rich

1975 TR7 ACL764U