Center dash fuse box cover panel spring

[emccallum]

On the center console (1972) I remember there being a spring that helps open and close this panel. Does anyone have a picture of the spring that I could use to make one? I am guessing it looks similar to the ones in the heater box. Thanks.

 

Pict attached is just one from the web. 

[emccallum]

I found this picture on the site from a post by @Mikes Z car back in 2016. This is for an early z but according to the parts diagram its the same for later cars. Know that I know what it looks like I should be able to bend one.....as wire bending is what I do for a living! 

One of the round tabs on my console was broken. I was able to drill it out and I tapped in a bolt about the same size with the head cut off. I think it was an m6x .8. Worked great. 

 

 

[Namerow]

On 12/17/2023 at 1:18 PM, emccallum said:

Does anyone have a picture of the spring that I could use to make one?

Here are a couple of photos of the spring that I made for the ashtray in my 70Z.  It was made from plain hardware-store wire (16 gauge?).  IIRC, I just clamped a Philips screwdriver in my bench vise and then wound the wire around the metal shaft. The 90-degree bends at the ends were formed afterwards over the jaws of the vise.  The key, of course, is deciding how many winds you need in order to get the right tension in both open and closed positions.  The spring needs to be lightly compressed when the lid is open.

Also visible here is the epoxy repair that I did to restore the mounting boss for the lid's pivot pin (the original boss had cracked and splintered).

[psdenno]

6 hours ago, Namerow said:

Here are a couple of photos of the spring that I made for the ashtray in my 70Z.  It was made from plain hardware-store wire (16 gauge?). 

Great job!  Do you remember what type of wire you got at the hardware store that could be bent and stay springy.  I need a spring for my ash tray lid.

Edited December 22, 2023 by psdenno

[Namerow]

Just ordinary wire.  Most mild steels, no matter what form they take (wire, bar, rod, sheet), remain elastic (i.e. they stay springy) unless they're taken past their yield limit.  If they go past their yield limit, they 'bend' (i.e. they take on a permanent deformation and don't return to their original shape).

In the case of a hairpin spring like this one, you ensure that the wire stays under its yield limit by making it longer... which is done by adding coils.  For the Z's ashtray or fuse box lid, two coils seems to be enough to get the job done.

I just re-checked my work:  I used 0.045" wire.  According to my AWG chart, that's 17 gauge.