Boot brackets and remote catch assembly

[alaric]

Hi all. I'm trying to fit the brackets into the boot but can't remember where they go and the parts list and manual are not really helping. Would some kind soul mind helping out with the odd piccy of their assembled boot brackets. I'm struggling in particular with the right angle section which has two catches incorporated into it, that is labelled as boot floor support in the parts manual. I can find no trace of the original holes. General pics showing the area around the rear lip of the boot around the floor would be very helpful.

My car was manufactured in oct '72, is a +2S130 and has the later remote type boot catch.

Thanks in advance.

Sean.

[Elanintheforest]

Hi Sean
There are two right angle brackets on the left side, two on the right, two at the front under the petrol tank, and one big one at the rear.

Mark

[alaric]

Thanks Mark. That's really helpful. That large bracket in the centre at the back is the one that I can't fathom. There are three holes at either end that would appear to be for mounting to the rear of the boot, but I can only find any trace of one hole in the fibreglass - by shining a bright light through from the outside 'till I see a trace of it on the inside. Barking!

It looks, from your last photo, as though there's a single bolt going through the fibreglass at each end of the bracket, and that the rest of the bracket just hangs off these. The bolts must lie behind the bumper once in place.

This bracket must put quite a lot of stress on the fibreglass in the rear panel. I'll go and give it a try and see if I can decide on a sensible position and whether there's any spacers I can put under it to take the load off the rear panel.

All the best.

Sean.

[stugilmour]

Sean:

Would be very interested with what you figure out for the back bracket mounting. IIRC, it is mounted by bolts as you describe, but the forward end of the bracket just hangs in space, putting a lot of leverage on the mounting bolt area.

You are absolutely correct with your reservations on stress with the (I assume) stock mounting configuration. All of the glass around the license plate lamps and bracket mounting bolts was severely cracked on my car when we removed the bumper and paint. Was the most damaged spot on the entire body.

I was thinking of a block of wood on the forward end of the bracket wedged to the boot floor. Was hoping to avoid drilling into the boot floor to prevent leaks.

I think the two side L brackets attached to the rear sides attach with the screws and bolts for the side reflectors. IIRC the other small bracket fasteners are not an issue on the outside as they don't show.

I was thinking of raising the floor height a bit with 3/4"x3/4" wooden blocks on top of the brackets to clear the battery I have installed now; previous owner has cut the floor boards to expose the top of the battery and prevent interference with the floor boards.

Looking at the pics and trying to remember the exact configuration, I am getting the feeling this is another area I should have taken more pics when I took it all apart

[alaric]

Yes I keep taking pics but finding that I need more.

The boot lid is on now - I've put the hinges on and it's all lined up beautifully - the tolerance doesn't need to be perfect in my opinion - part of the character.

On that bracket, something as simple as a bolt through the floor may help - pushed in from under the car with a nut on the inside, with a length trimmed to support the outer edge of the bracket. Then there's no need for a hole in the bracket etc, although you could bolt to the bracket and put a little cut out in the underside of the boards. A large spreading washer or two should be enough on the boot floor. I'll see if there's a sensible position to put one (or two). Bear in mind I took the boot apart about three years ago, and it was a rusty mess at that time, so if this is bonkers bear with me and I'll retract the idea once I've tried it.

All the best.

Sean.

[alaric]

Hello again. I'm trying to figure out the boot catch. I've got all the parts, but the diagram in the parts manual looks, to me, like it's showing the fixed plate (the one with the captive nuts) upside down. There's a tag on one side of the hole that looks like it's there as a stop for the sliding plate.

I know this has been asked about many times before but if anyone can confirm how that little assembly goes together in practice that'd be great. As usual a picture would be the best for me.

Thanks.

Sean.

[Jason1]

Hi Sean

See attached, I had a problem with mine as I had not put the little washers in.

Jason

[alaric]

Hi, so the parts manual appears to show the plate that bolts to the cross member having the captive nuts upwards. If that's the case, what does the little tag one one side of the hole in that plate actually do? I'll just try bolting it together with things swapped round until it works.

All the best.

Sean.

[Gordon Sauer]

On the remote release mechanism, my captive nuts are up but then the captive nut assembly and slider piece are on top of the large sheet metal piece. I couldn't get the captive nuts to be up, with the slider piece tab away from the contact point of the cable, to go below the large sheetmetal piece. The tab acts as a stop for the slider piece once full open is reached and male piece from the trunk lid is released. I installed a new cable and it was long enough to make the turn at the end of the assembly and reach all the way to the slider piece where I attached it. Could not find that long rod pictured in parts book at reassembly time, but may change later if I do. I then used a long spring from the opposite side of cable to keep tension on the slider mechanism. It consistently releases as is. Gordon Sauer

[alaric]

Thanks Gordon. I'll try it your way too, and see which way works the most effectively. There can't be that may permutations.

All the best.

Sean.

[alaric]

Hi all.

I've got my boot lid on and brackets and catch in, but have lost the bar that connects between the catch and the pivot in the corner of the boot. I've turned the loft upside down and even tidied the garage, all to no avail. I have the latest type +2 S 130/5, manufactured in Oct '72. If anyone has one of these bars, is breaking a +2 with the same actuator etc, then please let me know. Happy to pay etc.

All the best.

Sean.

[gerrym]

As previously noted on this forum, the rear support for the boot floor puts a concentrated bending load on the fibreglass skin beneath the bumper. This results in tearing and cracking, which then results in water ingress, rusting of the brackets etc.

Attached sketch is an alternative. The balsa (or alternative) does not protrude too far forward, otherwise it would interfere with spare wheel removal, exhaust mounts etc. The loads now feed directly upwards in line with the rear curved panel (behind license plate). The balsa should be well glassed into the boot floor and bumper moulding, tieing the structure together. As shown, a stainless plate with captive stud is bonded onto the core. This provides a means of securing the original angle bracket.

Note, I've now added photo of Balsa core and stainless plate with the captive studs

Regards

Gerry

S130 BOOT FLOOR REAR SUPPORT.doc

(465 KiB) Downloaded 752 times

[kstrutt11]

I just wedge the jack and wheel hammer underneath it, seems to work a treat.


Kevin

[gerrym]

Boot Floor Rear Support

Photos below show the bootfloor support glassed in place. The steel bracket bolts on to the captive studs. Loads are transferred to bootfloor and bumper molding and the whole structure is properly tied in place.

Regards

Will need de-nibbing and finishing - eventually

[andyelan]

Hi Everyone

Re the long boot floor support across the back. On my car (a '73 130/5) this is not bolted directly to the fiberglass but to two additional steel "L" shaped brackets comming down from under the horizontal section of bodywork behind the bumper bar. These brackets have slots rather than holes so the height of the floor support can be adjusted

Andy