[Spridgets] Front Shock mount problem - 67 Sprite

Wed Mar 12 10:50:45 MDT 2014

The best thing to use is Keenserts.  These are more than helicoils.  Drill and
tap the hole to the size required, thread in the new insert and with a special
tool, provided with inserts, lock the insert in place with small tabs.
Keenserts are more then helicoils. They are high strength steel inserts.
Absolutely the only way to fix this problem with the oval holes.  The insert
needed for this job will have 9/16-12 external threads and proper 3/8-24
threads for the shock bolts. 

To install the insert you will drill the hole
out to proper size in the instructions, tap the threads to size in
instructions and thread the insert in with the tool provided and tap the end
of the tool to lock in the tabs.  When done, the car will be better, stronger
than original.

Keenserts are available at most industrial hardware stores and
through Amazon. 

To fix the shock problem of the oversize holes in the
shocks, purchase a piece of aluminum tube with the correct ID and press it
into the shock.  Problem solved.  Check out the tubing sizes available on line
from Tube Services.  Tube sizes are listed by OD and wall thickness so you
will have to do a little math to get your correct size.  Since this will be
fairly thin wall tubing, be careful when cutting the short pieces of tube as
they can distort easily and the ends of the cuts can get buggered.

If you
were in So Cal I would say bring the car in to our shop as we have fixed this
problem before.  

Steve Christiansen
Ol Phartz Partz
949-716-2569 office
714-686-1236 cell
www.olphartz.com
schris51 at att.net
________________________________
 From: Richard Ball
<rich_ball at mindspring.com>
To: Phil <psarikas at msn.com>;
spridgets at autox.team.net 
Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2014 9:17 AM
Subject: Re:
[Spridgets] Front Shock mount problem - 67 Sprite

You should be able to
find a Helicoil set in just about any thread pitch you need.  The idea of the
helicoil is to just give you a new set of threads so they aren't meant to be
thick.  I take it from your email that you need a 3/8-24 insert.  There is a
Tacoma Screw in Portland that should have what you need in stock.
http://www.tacomascrew.com/s.nl/it.A/id.6121/.f

It looks like there are
several other fastener supply houses near you in Beaverton so they may also
have what you need.
http://yellowpages.aol.com/fasteners-ind-whol/or/beaverton/

As for building
up material by welding for this application I don't have any direct knowledge
but it should work.  I'm sure others with more experience can tell you for
sure.

Rich Ball
Everett, WA

-----Original Message----- From: Phil
Sent:
Tuesday, March 11, 2014 11:35 PM
To: spridgets at autox.team.net
Subject:
[Spridgets] Front Shock mount problem - 67 Sprite

Good evening!

I have an
occasional pop
in the front end on my 67
Sprite that lead me to conclude it
was time to
replace my shocks as they are
likely as old as the car.  I know
from being a long time lurker here
that
these needed to come from Peter and so
I made that happen.

As I removed
the
passenger side shock, I noticed that
the inside hole was rather egg
shaped.  I went to compare this with the
driver
side and then observed that
the mounting bolts were different
sizes.  It
appears that someone has
drilled
and tapped the frame to a 7/16ths from a
3/8ths and then did
the same
modification to the shock to be able to mount the
unit again.  Wow.  I
would
prefer not to drill out the nicely painted unit
from Peter but this must
not
be that rare as drilled out units are not valid
new cores.  I suppose I could
send the drilled out one
back and have it
rebuilt and not use the proper one
but that would still leave
me with an egg
shaped hole.

I looked thru the
archives
and found an exchange between Peter
and Mike Gigante about a similar
problem
and I think he was planning to use a
treaded insert to get back to the
proper
size.  I like that idea and would
like to
have someone weld in the gap
between the insert and the egg part of
the hole
but would really like to know
if this is likely to work.  I have
looked at a helicoil but these seem a
bit
thin and dont seem to have the
proper thread count.

Any advice?
Thanks, Phil

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