GT3 Front PU - Captive Nut

[uk_sub]

Hi all,
I'm missing a captive nut (let's call it that anyway) for my front PU. It's hard to describe but on the GT3 front PU on the bottom face of the PU (about a foot in from the side and directly in line with the plastic scoops that direct air towards the brakes) there are two 'lugs' facing the rear of the car and there are meant to be fixings in these that screw into these captive nuts (I have all the other fixings present...i.e. expansion rivets, screws into sheetmetal style clips etc...), I'm just short of one of these nuts.....it's rectangular and clips into a hole in the floorpan.

Can anyone shed any light on the part number? I can't find any reference to these in the PET....

Thanks

 

[Richard_Hamilton]

Does anything on this look like it?

If not, can you take a photo of what you mean?

 

[uk_sub]

Hi Richard,
No it doesn't. This diagram (from the PET I think) shows the fixings around the edge but not the two fixings through the two rectangular lugs I mentioned).
I've attached (I hope) an image showing the lug on the PU and arrowed where the captive nut is meant to be. This is the near side of the car and to the right you can just see the lead edge of the brake cooling duct/spoiler...

Items 14 and 15 are the screw and tapered washer that screw into the captive nut...there are a number of these two items all round the PU...Most screw into a typical sheetmetal 'nut' made from a u-shaped piece of metal but not the two I'm referring to...

 

[Richard_Hamilton]

I still can't quite make it out, as I can't see a listing for the two screws along the botton edge. The PET only shows expanding rivets.

Edit: Unless it is the speed nut Item 32 in the above diagram...........

 

[uk_sub]

Item 32 is the u-shaped clip - I have these (I had to take the front PU off to replace a leaking aircon rad so I ordered a 'full set of fixings from OPC" so I could replace everything with new and at the same time fit this one that's been missing for some time).
I ended up with everything in your diagram.....just nothing for these two lugs (so I've re-used the one existing one I had - I don't want to take it all off again just to take off the one I have to show it to someone!).

Car will be up in the air tomorrow so I will take some better photos if that will help...

 

[Rodney Naghar]

I know which part you mean. I'll have a look tonight and see if I can pull out a part number for you

 

[spyderman]

If they're basically just spire clips, this company might be able to help:
http://www.fixingsupplies.co.uk/clips/spire-clips.html

I recall spire clips in use on my Boxster's PU - one was in the very bottom-right corner here, but had rusted almost to nothing:

 

[uk_sub]

Here's another (wider) view. Again I've arrowed the lug on the PU.
I have the screw for this but the missing nut clips into place behind the black plastic trim you can also see (i.e. the screw goes through the lug, through the trim and then into the nut).

I had a look at a Boxster PU yesterday but found this didn't have these two lugs, it goes straight across until it reaches the lugs which clip into slots in the trim underneath (you can just see this in the very top left of my picture).

It's not like the PU is going anywhere, all the other fixtures are holding it solidly in place....but now I'm determined to get to the mystery of this missing fixing and its elusive part number!

 

[Richard_Hamilton]

I think the black part is the front of the wheel arch liner, and the screws are item 11. However, it doesn't show what they screw in to - unless it is the liner itself?

 

[uk_sub]

Hi Richard,
I think you're right that this is the scew. There is a hole in the liner that the screw goes through but then under the liner is another hole where the captive nut is meant to fit...

 

[Rodney Naghar]

Stuart I've taken a picture of the screw, send me a pm and I'll email you a picture of it.
My Internet connection is poor atm so can't photobucket it.

Edit by Richard: See photo below.

 

[bobsprats]

I think you will find the screw, screws into a ( No. 6 ) as on Richards workshop picture.

It could also be one of the plastic clips, see photo.

Hope that helps.

 

[Richard_Hamilton]

Rod's photo of the screw:

 

[uk_sub]

Thanks everyone....I have all the fixings in the photos....I think the only solution is (next time it's serviced) to rip the front PU off again and take off all the black plastic liners etc...
I suspect what looks like a 'clip-in' fixing suddenly becomes one of these slip over fixings once the metalwork is fully exposed!

Now...having spent so much time crawling around the front PU I'm starting to think the gap under the headlights (between the headlights and the top of the bumper) is bigger than it used to be....given 99% of the fixings are in place (and the fact I can't see how you could adjust the height of the bumper as the top clips under the black plastic rail near the catch) am I just imagining this? Or is there an adjustment of the bumper and/or headlights?

 

[Mark_Bennett]

It doesn't "clip under" the black trim at the catch - there are a couple of screws under the trim that the bumper is attached with at this point. (Sorry if this is what you meant).