The Rimmers catalogue gives their/Triumphs part number for each bolt. Then
look it up in the price list and it gives you the size, e.g. Bolt
3/8"UNF*2.25" - i.e. 3/8" UNF thread, 2.25" long (with the exception of
specials such as the hardtop bolts). This is all you need to tell your
hardware store. I would never get bolts from B&Q and the like, apart from not
stocking UNF you don't know if they are strong enough (there are different
grades of bolt strenth). Halfords do common UNF sizes, but your best bet for
a local supplier may be a trade car parts dealer (such as Partco), who hang
around in industrial estates, although I've never needed to test this myself.
Old-fashioned, independent hardware stores are often much better than the big
chains, even though they occupy 5% of the floor space. I tend to get all mine
at TRGB, since I can pick up the bolts I need at the same time as the new part
I'm fitting, and they are on my way home from work sort of (lucky me!). I
also keep a stash of common size nuts and bolts (mainly 1/4 UNF and 5/16 UNF)
in case of need. I ALWAYS try and use new nuts and bolts whenever I fix or
replace a part, so that next time I do the job I will only be dealing with 5
years of rust not 25 years!
My MG BGT had UNF threads throughout as well - I always assumed that all BL
cars used this system, but I'm prepared to be proved wrong.
Richard & Daffy
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