If you're wondering what a 'captive thread' is, it's nothing to do with the forum threads 
It's a name I thought up for the plastic blocks that the handle screws thread into (I called them 'thread inserts' before...)
Have you ever wanted to relocate one of those captive threads? The type with the two little tabs? It's easy! Don't try to bend the tabs up to remove it - they just break off. Instead, push them across the rectangular hole. See the first two attached pics - showing the installed state, and the pushing-across step. You don't need a forked screwdriver as shown - that's just one of my home-made tools for something else!
Then, just push the block out from the back, as shown in the third pic. Note that on refitting, you put the block in from the front. If you're really unlucky, you'll find that the block is just slightly too large to fit through the hole. Bad luck!
Thought that perhaps someone may be interested to know (and even if not, well, you might be about to find out!) that you can fit Mk1 rear doors with the Mk2 trim. There is a bit of messing about...
If you have a late Mk1 door and you want to fit Mk2 trim, the holes are all there for the redesigned window regulator. Just remember to transfer the captive threads for the door handle/armrest - the holes are in different places. They also seem to be different sizes!
If you have an early Mk1 door, it's more interesting. The bolts holding the main part of the window regulator are the same. The winder handle is in a different place. I'm going to have to drill a large hole for the spindle, and a small hole for one of the two locating bolts. The other locating bolt hangs in mid-air, but I'm not too concerned. As for the other screws that hold the handle/armrest - they are all going to have to be drilled for, ideally with some sort of clip-nut being installed.
The front doors are probably going to be a lot harder to adapt, because you would have to also relocate the pull-handle that opens the door.
Anyway... thanks for reading!
-Alex
It's a name I thought up for the plastic blocks that the handle screws thread into (I called them 'thread inserts' before...)Have you ever wanted to relocate one of those captive threads? The type with the two little tabs? It's easy! Don't try to bend the tabs up to remove it - they just break off. Instead, push them across the rectangular hole. See the first two attached pics - showing the installed state, and the pushing-across step. You don't need a forked screwdriver as shown - that's just one of my home-made tools for something else!
Then, just push the block out from the back, as shown in the third pic. Note that on refitting, you put the block in from the front. If you're really unlucky, you'll find that the block is just slightly too large to fit through the hole. Bad luck!
Thought that perhaps someone may be interested to know (and even if not, well, you might be about to find out!) that you can fit Mk1 rear doors with the Mk2 trim. There is a bit of messing about...
If you have a late Mk1 door and you want to fit Mk2 trim, the holes are all there for the redesigned window regulator. Just remember to transfer the captive threads for the door handle/armrest - the holes are in different places. They also seem to be different sizes!
If you have an early Mk1 door, it's more interesting. The bolts holding the main part of the window regulator are the same. The winder handle is in a different place. I'm going to have to drill a large hole for the spindle, and a small hole for one of the two locating bolts. The other locating bolt hangs in mid-air, but I'm not too concerned. As for the other screws that hold the handle/armrest - they are all going to have to be drilled for, ideally with some sort of clip-nut being installed.
The front doors are probably going to be a lot harder to adapt, because you would have to also relocate the pull-handle that opens the door.
Anyway... thanks for reading!
-Alex
Attachments
Last edited:
