panel replacement

Boost1n-Et · Post by **Boost1n-Et** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 1:22 pm

hey guys,
had some trouble with my bonnet coming open, it has damaged the panel directly behind the bonnet, the one inwhich the windscreen wipers come out off, just wandering has anyone replaced this panel or know a way in which it could be done, looks as if it's welded to the chassis

Kimmo · Post by **Kimmo** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 4:29 pm

That panel's called the scuttle, and I reckon you're in the poo.

Not impossible, but maybe not worth it...

BennyET · Post by **BennyET** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 4:30 pm

check with ETEEZA he found a genuine one on e-bay, but yes it will have to be spot welded back in (after you cut it out, lol)

Boost1n-Et · Post by **Boost1n-Et** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 5:35 pm

oh this is going to be fun ! not, alright if i cant find a new one, would it be possible to cut one off another wreck ?

Panda_ET · Post by **Panda_ET** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 5:43 pm

theres 4 spot welds drill them out and it wil come free

Kimmo · Post by **Kimmo** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:38 pm

WTF, only four spot welds on that whole bit?!

Geez, a seam-welded shell strikes me as a fine thing

KILNIT · Post by **KILNIT** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:40 pm

i have one if you need one Boost1n

Rohan 84ET · Post by **Rohan 84ET** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:57 pm

you can buy them brand new from Nissan for $40 . . . . aparently.

i am gonna be buying one soon, mine got rooted when i had the crash.

Boost1n-Et · Post by **Boost1n-Et** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:01 am

alright kilnit ill try nissan first if they cant help me, i will tell you, make sure u hold those other panels for me

etturbs · Post by **etturbs** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 1:05 am

$40 you say

jeez thats pretty cheap

Gary vcET · Post by **Gary vcET** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 1:44 pm

A few years ago i had to replace a scuttle on my ET as it was rusted to the shit house and i found it not as bad to replace as some people think.

If you have a wrecker that you can go in and strip the parts yourself you are on a winner and hate to think how much it would cost for a wrecker staff member to remove it for you,and thats if you cant get them new from Nissan etc.

The easiest way i found of getting a scuttle off is remove the windscreen with one of those big Stanley knives going in between the metal and glass.
Take out the dash bolts so the dash drops down so you get better access to the bottom of the windscreen for removal
Once the windscreen has been taken out ,get a drill bit thats about the same size as the spot weld or just a tad bigger.
Drill all the spot welds straight thru and get a hammer and cold chisel to seperate the scuttle from the car.
When its seperated, treat the panel well for painting so the last thing you want is it to rust again then piss fart around again and remove it years down the track.

I pop rivited stainless steel rivits to the panel and after that get a mobile windscreen repair man to reinstall the windscreen.

Just take your time with removal of the windscreen and dont break it.

Hope that helps

Gary ..

Boost1n-Et · Post by **Boost1n-Et** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 1:56 pm

thanks for the input guys,
the dash is already out so shouldnt be to hard,
so do you need to spot weld it back in or can it be riveted ?

Kimmo · Post by **Kimmo** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 3:09 pm

Well, I recall a Hyundai recall where they had to stick a bunch of rivets in the front suspension, but I'd wanna weld it, myself...

If you go to the trouble of organising a welder, it'd prolly be worth stitching it up with a few more welds, I reckon...

Boost1n-Et · Post by **Boost1n-Et** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:17 pm

lol if only i knew how to weld,
i have an oxy and mig, would either be suitable for the task ?,
also if anyone in adelaide wants to give me a hand putting a dash in let me know(im up North, Mawson Lakes), anybody know how much of a head f**k it's going to be

BennyET · Post by **BennyET** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:26 pm

Boost1n-Et wrote:lol if only i knew how to weld,
i have an oxy and mig, would either be suitable for the task ?,
also if anyone in adelaide wants to give me a hand putting a dash in let me know(im up North, Mawson Lakes), anybody know how much of a head f**k it's going to be

there's only about 6-8 screws from memory. just make sure you line up the air passages, the steel support bar behind the dash and the fan controls. put the gauge cluster in last after dash is in obviously.

ah i did it myself with windscreen out, might make it a bit harder if it isnt, lol. yeah there wasnt much length in the wiring that goes in the back of the cluster. i had that out once with windscreen in, took me ages.

gl with it