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Phil.1380
Part built GTM
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2020 7:27 pm Posts: 64 Location: Lincoln, UK. GTM: Libra
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Silly Questions part 1
Firstly thanks to you all for the warm welcome here.
Now for the first part of the Silly Questions !!
Wipers - Has anyone tried different size wipers, either different length blades or arms, to improve the wiper sweep??
My eyeline is quite high up the screen near the top of the swept area of the 19" blades. I've put a 20" blade on the driver's side and it's a bit better but much bigger than 20" will clash with the passenger side, putting a smaller passenger side blade will reduce the sweep on the passenger side.
Modern small cars have asymmetric sized blades and longer arms on the passenger side, I wondered if anyone had found something which worked.
Interior lamps - my car has a small manually operated lamp in the centre near the mirror - looks like the glove box lamp from the Metro.
Has anyone fitted alternative interior lamps and door switches, or maybe used the centre mirror from MGF with "map lights" ??
Stalk switches - Has anyone fitted alternative stalk switches from later/more modern vehicles ?? Rover100/MGF or Freelander/Rover800 for example ??
Wing Mirror covers - Are Metro covers the same as MGF ??
Looking forward to hearing any comments or feedback !!
Phil.
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Fri Nov 13, 2020 3:02 pm |
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roger
Ready for SVA
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 6:06 pm Posts: 389
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Re: Silly Questions part 1
Yes Metro mirrors are the same as MGF Elise etc Yes I used an MGF rear view mirror wired in to some random door switches Yes I used aero wiper blades that were a little longer but both the same. Perhaps lowering the seat will help? Mine had Rover 100 stalks as it used Rover 100 as a donor. If you have the Metro ones some people have cut them off and fitted alloy ones (S1 Elise I think) Dave Boud did this. He has a build blog on facebook https://www.facebook.com/GTMLibraBuild details are there somewhere I think Those questions were quite sensible. Ask some stupid ones and we can then give some stupid answers!
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Fri Nov 13, 2020 5:19 pm |
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Phil.1380
Part built GTM
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2020 7:27 pm Posts: 64 Location: Lincoln, UK. GTM: Libra
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Re: Silly Questions part 1
Thanks for the reply Roger.
Did you fit the MGF mirror complete, and mounted on the windscreen using a glue pad or some other way ??
Where did you locate the door pin switches ?? There isn't much room in either the A-pillar or b-pillar area.
The seats fitted to the car is from an MR2 so it's already pretty low. I might try a 21" driver and 17" passenger wiper blade if I can find some to try before I buy.
Plenty more questions to come !!
Phil.
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Fri Nov 13, 2020 5:46 pm |
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roger
Ready for SVA
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 6:06 pm Posts: 389
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Re: Silly Questions part 1
Yes MGF mirror with the slug glued with the correct glue
I also fitted MGF electric door mirrors as I got fed up of them getting knocked in the garage and having to constantly adjust them.
Door pins in the A pillar. I seem to remember there being plenty of room. Unfortunately I no longer have the car to take a picture.
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Fri Nov 13, 2020 10:16 pm |
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Juls
Ready for SVA
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:31 am Posts: 255 Location: Rowley Regis, West Midlands GTM: Spyder
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Re: Silly Questions part 1
Phil.1380 wrote: Thanks for the reply Roger.
Did you fit the MGF mirror complete, and mounted on the windscreen using a glue pad or some other way ??
Where did you locate the door pin switches ?? There isn't much room in either the A-pillar or b-pillar area.
The seats fitted to the car is from an MR2 so it's already pretty low. I might try a 21" driver and 17" passenger wiper blade if I can find some to try before I buy.
Plenty more questions to come !!
Phil. Hi Phil, I used an mgf mirror but it was new so had the adhesive tab attached. I mounted my door pins in the side of the dashboard and glued a metal strip to the door to stop it rubbing the glass fibre away. I can take pic tmz if you want? I do have different wiper sizes but it was only so i didn’t need bend the wiper stalks as per the manual. Again I can look at the sizes tomorrow. Cheers Juls
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Mon Nov 16, 2020 8:32 pm |
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sidewinder
On the Road
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2010 9:27 am Posts: 621 Location: Sheffield GTM: Libra
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Re: Silly Questions part 1
My interior light door strikers went on the flat ends of the dashboard.
_________________ 2000 GTM Libra 1.8VVC 145BHP
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Mon Nov 16, 2020 9:56 pm |
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Phil.1380
Part built GTM
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2020 7:27 pm Posts: 64 Location: Lincoln, UK. GTM: Libra
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Re: Silly Questions part 1
Thanks for the replies everyone.
I was thinking of non-contacting door switches, like magnetic reed switches, but they have a very low current rating so maybe pin switches would be easier !!
Phil.
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Tue Nov 17, 2020 9:41 am |
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Howie1129
GTM delivered
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2011 2:13 pm Posts: 33 Location: Surrey/Hants border GTM: Libra
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Re: Silly Questions part 1
Hi Phil Re the wipers, 20inch both sides and if the passenger side arm is nearly straight as the manual suggests it goes across to sweep quite a bit of the right side of the screen so you may be worse off with a short left blade. I seem to remember I also bent the right arm a little more than standard so the end of the blade did not go over the screen edge. Door switches on the A post high enough up so the back is accessible from inside the dash with its top off. Try and find some with a rubber seal round their base and the sort with single screw fixing so bolt though and then earth the end of the bolt inside the dash (that is assuming the interior light wiring has not been stripped out of the loom). Sorry I cannot find/remember where I got my switches from, it was 20ish years and 40K miles ago. Good luck Howard W
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Tue Nov 17, 2020 4:53 pm |
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Phil.1380
Part built GTM
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2020 7:27 pm Posts: 64 Location: Lincoln, UK. GTM: Libra
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Re: Silly Questions part 1
Thanks Howard.
I've fitted a spare 20" blade on the drivers' side and it is marginally better. I was thinking about unequal length arms, like those fitted on a Honda Jazz for example, but I think they would be too long.
I'm sure I'll figure something out !!
Strangely wiring isn't something which bothers me - having built custom and bespoke wiring looms for various Mini's, a loom for an Alfa-Sud race car, fitted a new loom Autosparks loom to a 1935 Austin Seven Ruby, fitted (sympathetic) LED lights to a 1933 Morris 12 etc. I'm sure I'll be sorting some "wiring anomalies" on the Libra soon !!
Keep the good info. flowing everyone !!
Phil.
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Tue Nov 17, 2020 7:26 pm |
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Phil.1380
Part built GTM
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2020 7:27 pm Posts: 64 Location: Lincoln, UK. GTM: Libra
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Re: Silly Questions part 1
Another interior type question.
My car has no sun visors - there are blanking plates over the holes in the upper screen rail.
I presume the fittings are Metro/R100 but I also presume that the standard sun visors would be too deep for the windscreen on the Libra.
Anyone fitted sun visors and if so what kind did you fit ??
Again thanks in advance.
Phil.
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Thu Nov 19, 2020 4:53 pm |
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sidewinder
On the Road
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2010 9:27 am Posts: 621 Location: Sheffield GTM: Libra
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Re: Silly Questions part 1
I used Rover Metro sun visors, work well for me. Attachment:
Sun visor1.JPG [ 99.56 KiB | Viewed 2488 times ]
Attachment:
Sun visor2.JPG [ 93.78 KiB | Viewed 2488 times ]
_________________ 2000 GTM Libra 1.8VVC 145BHP
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Thu Nov 19, 2020 5:08 pm |
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Phil.1380
Part built GTM
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2020 7:27 pm Posts: 64 Location: Lincoln, UK. GTM: Libra
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Re: Silly Questions part 1
Thanks Sidewinder.
That was what I pictured.
Phil.
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Thu Nov 19, 2020 5:29 pm |
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Juls
Ready for SVA
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:31 am Posts: 255 Location: Rowley Regis, West Midlands GTM: Spyder
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Re: Silly Questions part 1
Phil.1380 wrote: Another interior type question.
My car has no sun visors - there are blanking plates over the holes in the upper screen rail.
I presume the fittings are Metro/R100 but I also presume that the standard sun visors would be too deep for the windscreen on the Libra.
Anyone fitted sun visors and if so what kind did you fit ??
Again thanks in advance.
Phil. I’ve felt a spyder so I think the screen has a little more rake, I’ve fitted mgf/mgtf visors and have never used then Juls
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Fri Nov 20, 2020 1:06 am |
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PhilBSpyder
Looking like a GTM
Joined: Tue May 17, 2016 9:48 pm Posts: 163 Location: Selkirkshire GTM: Libra
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Re: Silly Questions part 1
Never have fitted visors to Spyder or Libra and can think of one occasion when they would have been useful when I brought the Libra home and travelled cross country on the A66 into the setting sun.. solution was to pull my GTMOC baseball cap down a bit further to shield the sun. Works for me
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Fri Nov 20, 2020 8:47 am |
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sanzomat
GTM Nirvana
Joined: Sun Oct 19, 2014 10:10 pm Posts: 1140 Location: Bristol GTM: Spyder
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Re: Silly Questions part 1
BMW Z3 are perfect size and very neat. That's what I fitted to my Spyder. I think you have more options with a Libra as the screen header is slightly deeper. Attachment:
visor.jpg [ 271.07 KiB | Viewed 2451 times ]
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Fri Nov 20, 2020 9:51 am |
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