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I have to admire some of the ambitious jobs that are described in this section here, but sometimes the smaller jobs can be taken for granted and not given a mention at all. Some of these jobs you may never have faced before and can often end up in disaster if certain precautions are not taken, also other problems can arise which make you end up scratching your head trying to figure a way of solving them. It was exactly this, a problem I had which prompted me into writing this thread, so I hope a few tips here may be of help to some of you.
For a while I have been considering fitting a radio in the car. The problem has been whether to drill my newish wing and fit an aerial or come up with some other idea. Eventually I came up with three options:
1 – Roof mounted Aerial
2 - Stick on amplified aerial to the top of the windscreen.
3 – Wing mounted aerial which I had already got
Over the following weeks I have tried to resist the idea of drilling the wing but the alternatives did not seem right for my car either.
With my Mrs wanting to join me on the Lakes Tour I thought I better get this radio fitted to keep her quiet, so considering this along with a bit of help from my friends, helped me to make a final decision and that was to fit the wing aerial. I decided on this as I have an original Ford radio and it seems right I have the wing aerial to match the original factory option on these cars.
Not everyone fancies the idea of drilling the wing but with a few precautions this can be done without too much drama.
After looking at numerous pictures of what I think were factory fitted aerials in Mk2's I ended up marking mine up in exactly the same place as on my old wing which was previously fitted on the car. I then placed masking tape all around the area of the hole to help protect the area incase of a mishap. Just to get a feel of my freshly sharpened drill to see that it cuts ok, I drilled a hole in the centre. When I was happy with that I drilled a course of holes near to the edge of the eventual hole.
When completed these were filed between the holes with a needle file all the way around until the centre dropped out. The edge was then filed out carefully to complete the final size of the hole. When using the file it is essential to file down the hole from the top and remove the file from the edge when lifting the file up, so as to prevent catching the paint and lifting it off the surface of the bodywork.
So the hole does not take all the strain of the aerial, Fords were eventually fitted with a bracket to support the bottom of the aerial. Years ago I removed one off I think a scrap Mk3 Escort. The bracket was well rusted but gave me a pattern to make a new one and hopefully I could persuade it to fit the Mk2.
The bracket I made fitted perfectly, which has made me wonder if the bracket was also fitted on the Mk2 but I have seen no evidence to support this, often only seeing universal type straps fitted.
TIP OF THE DAY
All I needed now was to drill the lip on the inner wing to fit it. The trouble was between the inner and out wing there is only a 4” space in which to position a drill and bit. I could have bought an angle drill, but when could I get one and was it worth it just to drill one hole. After a few hours of thought I came up with this idea which worked!
It is a simple drill/tap holder with a piece of string attached to it.
First the string was wound around the handle and the tool then placed in position with the end of it cupped in the palm of my hand. I then pulling and winding the string several times eventually drilled the hole, at the time I couldn't believe I had got away with it.
The bracket held with a hexagon self tapping screw in place, worked fine and the aerial is now well supported.
The end result.
After a bit of a struggle I got the radio fitted in too. Still not sure if there was a tailored kit for the RS2000 with console, but I have managed to make a standard Escort one fit which does look right when fitted.
Tim.
For a while I have been considering fitting a radio in the car. The problem has been whether to drill my newish wing and fit an aerial or come up with some other idea. Eventually I came up with three options:
1 – Roof mounted Aerial
2 - Stick on amplified aerial to the top of the windscreen.
3 – Wing mounted aerial which I had already got
Over the following weeks I have tried to resist the idea of drilling the wing but the alternatives did not seem right for my car either.
With my Mrs wanting to join me on the Lakes Tour I thought I better get this radio fitted to keep her quiet, so considering this along with a bit of help from my friends, helped me to make a final decision and that was to fit the wing aerial. I decided on this as I have an original Ford radio and it seems right I have the wing aerial to match the original factory option on these cars.
Not everyone fancies the idea of drilling the wing but with a few precautions this can be done without too much drama.
After looking at numerous pictures of what I think were factory fitted aerials in Mk2's I ended up marking mine up in exactly the same place as on my old wing which was previously fitted on the car. I then placed masking tape all around the area of the hole to help protect the area incase of a mishap. Just to get a feel of my freshly sharpened drill to see that it cuts ok, I drilled a hole in the centre. When I was happy with that I drilled a course of holes near to the edge of the eventual hole.
When completed these were filed between the holes with a needle file all the way around until the centre dropped out. The edge was then filed out carefully to complete the final size of the hole. When using the file it is essential to file down the hole from the top and remove the file from the edge when lifting the file up, so as to prevent catching the paint and lifting it off the surface of the bodywork.
So the hole does not take all the strain of the aerial, Fords were eventually fitted with a bracket to support the bottom of the aerial. Years ago I removed one off I think a scrap Mk3 Escort. The bracket was well rusted but gave me a pattern to make a new one and hopefully I could persuade it to fit the Mk2.
The bracket I made fitted perfectly, which has made me wonder if the bracket was also fitted on the Mk2 but I have seen no evidence to support this, often only seeing universal type straps fitted.
TIP OF THE DAY
All I needed now was to drill the lip on the inner wing to fit it. The trouble was between the inner and out wing there is only a 4” space in which to position a drill and bit. I could have bought an angle drill, but when could I get one and was it worth it just to drill one hole. After a few hours of thought I came up with this idea which worked!
It is a simple drill/tap holder with a piece of string attached to it.
First the string was wound around the handle and the tool then placed in position with the end of it cupped in the palm of my hand. I then pulling and winding the string several times eventually drilled the hole, at the time I couldn't believe I had got away with it.
The bracket held with a hexagon self tapping screw in place, worked fine and the aerial is now well supported.
The end result.
After a bit of a struggle I got the radio fitted in too. Still not sure if there was a tailored kit for the RS2000 with console, but I have managed to make a standard Escort one fit which does look right when fitted.
Tim.
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