Firenza

[phil dawson]

Right Folks,

Decided to position both my electronic ignition and coil towards the front of the car, elec ignition on the inner wing just behind the driver side headlights and the coil beside it on the inside front panel, got them sorted out on Saturday.

Next question: I've come across a part that I can't remember where it goes/what it's for and obviously hadn't marked it up to remind me for when I started re-assembling the car!!!!!
It's a sturdy L shaped steel part with bolt holes, see pics.......I'm hoping it's a spare part that has no importance/not required anymore but just can't recall what it is/where it came from??

Await your responses, hoping that it doesn't mean I've missed something major and got to start taking everything to bits again!!

Cheers,

Phil

[steff]

Phil

Is it the washer bottle bracket?

Steff

[phil dawson]

Hi Steff,

That was my first thought but it is a bit heavy duty for that and also I recall scrapping the wash bottle bracket as it was so badly corroded and falling apart.....having all sorts of nightmares now trying to recall what it is for!!
My other thoughts were something to do with engine mounting or alternator bracket but engine is back in and alternator is mounted so still none the wiser.
Hopefully someone will recognise the part.

Phil

[1972nail]

I've never seen that part on any HC saloon or Coupe, it might be an estate part though. Are you sure that it's not from something else?

[ken707]

That looked familiar to me and I had a look and found one the same. Mine has virtually no rust on it suggesting an interior part but, more likely, it may be something to do with the rear gearbox/ crossmember mounting on some HC model.

I had a look at the parts manual but no clues, now got me wondering as well.

[droopsnoot]

Not the washer bottle bracket, that has two pairs of vertical holes (as the bottle mounts with the same plastic clips used to fix the loom in place across the bulkhead) and a cutout in the rear section. It's too nicely shaped to be home-made but I don't recognise it, so that must mean OHV, or saloon, or not HC in origin. I can't think where it would go on an estate, and I've had most of the bits out of mine. I'd guess engine or gearbox-mounting related - aren't there some variations that have a bracket on the gearbox mounting designed to stop the engine and box jumping forward in the event of a collision?

On the mounting of electronics just behind the headlights, have you taken steps to ensure that water can't get in if you're driving in heavy rain? It's a while since I've seen a flat-front close up, but I could picture rain getting around the lamps so check connector covers etc.

[phil dawson]

Hmmmm, the mystery deepens then....definitely not from any other car as I don't have spares for anything else so not sure what it is.

I'm sure that I've cleaned it up and repainted it previously so that is why it appears nice and clean, was in a box with other bits from engine bay thats why thought maybe part of mounts/alternator etc.

Regarding the electronics, they should be pretty well protected where they are positioned, any problems and I could always shroud with a bit of rubber etc.

Cheers for all the suggestions.

Phil

[phil dawson]

Hi Folks,

Well, its been a long time again, this restoration is becoming a marathon epic!!!!
1) The bracket - still none the wiser as to where it came off of, may find out some day!!!!
2) Electronic Ignition - Well, although it was new, or should I say old stock/unused, doesn't appear to be working so have reverted back to the standard system for now.
3) Good point: Have had the engine running, sounded brilliant to hear her again after not having been started for 7 1/2 years and having had a few modifications (Big valve head, twin 45's, full stainless manifold/exhaust system). Couple of small bits currently being fixed (fuel feed pipe to carbs & extended throttle cable) to have her running smoothly.
4) Only got a few small tasks to carry out and hopefully time for MOT soon (not again I hear you say!!!!)

Hopefully, I'll be keeping up a more regular update again as things move along.

Phil

[1972nail]

It's always good to see progress being made. Back to the bracket again, the spacing of the ribs on it may give a clue. The only 3 places where those ribs are used are inner wings, interior floor and boot floor. If the spacing matched one of those then you could have narrowed it down a bit.

[droopsnoot]

1) The bracket - still none the wiser as to where it came off of, may find out some day!!!!

I'm glad you updated this - I remember someone asking about this bracket, but couldn't find the post.

Anyway, I believe it's the engine restraint bracket for vehicles that use the older-style gearbox mount (not the round rubber, the one with two squares moulded together), and it's function is to help stop the engine jumping forward in the event of a sudden stop.

I'm not 100% certain, but I've been doing a lot of looking at the gearbox mounts recently while trying to find mine. If you look at this appalling hand-held photo of a bit of the manual, I think it goes where I've shown with the badly-drawn red arrow.

It's worth adding that while I said above that I don't recognise it, I have since found two in my boxes of stuff while looking for something else. I can think of one car it might have been removed from (and have the early crossmember and mounting to go with it) but not where I got the other one.