Door latch thread - heritage doors

[gs.davies]

I’ve had to grind out a bit of metal to expose fully the thread for the door latch on my heritage doors. However, the screw does not want to engage at all.

Is the thread the same as the original or do I need a different screw?

[Peter Laidler]

Exactly which screw threads do you mean? Photo?

[gs.davies]

These two...

[gs.davies]

I’ve managed to get the captive nut exposed and it definitely isn’t the same thread :-/

[Peter Laidler]

Ah, yes..... They were all UNF surely? Maybe you could ID the thread by screwing a bit of hardwood into the hole. The thread will mark the wood and you'll be able to do a core dia and TPI check. A bit agricultural but it works. Or maybe the threads just need re-tapping. I wonder if they've gone to metric.

[gs.davies]

Well, I did try the screw and it chewed the end so I presume the thread is different and probably metric.

I’ll try ringing heritage tomorrow and see what they say.

Just wondered if anyone else had encountered this before.

[Peter Laidler]

Maybe someone with a new set of doors from Heritage could conform the thread. Then GS could tap out the threads to suit. Might save a bit of aggro

[gs.davies]

I spoke to heritage this morning - they confirmed that what SHOULD be in there is a 10/32 UNF captive nut. I'll try to obtain a tap and run that through, see if that helps. I'll also measure the screws that came out of the original doors and see if they are 10/32 UNF...

[gs.davies]

..and I also tried Peter's suggestion of running a piece of dowel through and see what happens.. Initial measurements seem to indicate that my doors have a number 8 captive nut.. I shall make enquiries with my mate who I had entirely forgotten owns a fastener business, so hopefully they can give me a few sample to try.

Until then , my doors are flapping open

[Old English White]

I purchased a new Heritage door when restoring one of my Minis. It was not a happy experience and the panel was all over the place Very poorly assembled and never fitted properly. I had exactly the same issues. Nothing lined up and I had to re-tap the threads - although that in itself is common on newly painted panels of course.

[gs.davies]

I purchased a new Heritage door when restoring one of my Minis. It was not a happy experience and the panel was all over the place Very poorly assembled and never fitted properly. I had exactly the same issues. Nothing lined up and I had to re-tap the threads - although that in itself is common on newly painted panels of course.

Yes, I guess that retapping to the correct size is the proper fix for this. Did you just go through the captive nut that was already there with a 10-32 tap?

[Peter Laidler]

In a word, yes......., but....... If the hole is full of paint then just go through and back out. But if it's got weld spatter in it, just go very carefully. In a bit and out... gently does it

[mk1]

Another example of Heritages superlative quality! How much are those doors? Over £500 a piece if I remember rightly!

[Herbert]

I had a mate with the same problem, the thread was metric. Why? no idea. Bought some metric screws and they fitted fine, although the aperture wasnt in the right place. All the Heritage bodyshells are the same. Be careful of the door hinges, they are metric as well....

[Peter Laidler]

Clearing/tapping out the hole shouldn't be a problem. But it'll be a bit of a bugger if it's 5mm metric - or not positioned correctly.

[gs.davies]

Another example of Heritages superlative quality! How much are those doors? Over £500 a piece if I remember rightly!

Yep. £500 a side and I had a pair.

Bit late to take them back now since I’ve had them six years

[Fanfaniracing]

Unbelievable that nowadays with modern technology they are just not capable to produce the same quality or better than back in the days...

[mk1]

Unbelievable that nowadays with modern technology they are just not capable to produce the same quality or better than back in the days...

I really don't think that is the case. The thing that makes stuff like this so difficult nowadays is small batch production. When they were making thousands of doors a week they HAD to be perfect every time. If they weren't, the line would grind to a halt every 5 minutes. Now these things are made in 10's if that. There isn't the chance to get a system in place to ensure REAL quality control.

Yes, I agree when you are paying £500 for a single door, you should be able to fit it without problems, but if the volume isn't there, the quality probably won't be either.

This is the exact problem that effects the vast majority of remade parts.

[mini_surfari]

Another example of Heritages superlative quality! How much are those doors? Over £500 a piece if I remember rightly!

On a side note

I've heard a rumour from a well known heritage supplier, that there are a new batch of wings that are being tested at the moment....

Apparently when the press was moved, it was reassembled without a certain set of shims in it. They've now been added, and tested. Will see if I can find out more on the subject.

[mk1]

I bet they will still need a load of fettling to fit right.