Yes, I'm fitting a towbar to the 5. Yes, it's a MK1, Yes I know how canoe it's going to look....
Anyway, I need some ideas on hiding the electrics. I have a plan for hiding the bar itself despite not being detachable, but standard electrics mount to the ball mount and because they run out the bottom of the boot to get there it'll be tough to get it hidden without ziptie-ing out the way between tows.
Current thought is to put the number plate on a hinge at the top with a magnet at the bottom so it sits secure on normal driving, and then cut a hole in the panel behind and flush fit the socket but a little worried that it's cutting into the boot panel and also wouldn't be waterproof and the boot could fill up - unlikely due to position but possible.
I think I already have a plan. Ive managed to take apart my socket, take out the core and put it in the housing backwards, so the flat back of the housing can now bolt into the back of the boot. I need to cut a hole in the back of the car so the trailers plug can pass through it, and if I get some soft rubber on the back of the number plate it should water seal it too.
I think i'll just take the rear plate off when in use, is there a law against that?
Can't you have the socket inside the boot space, when you need it open the boot, plug it in and close the cable on the boot? Am pretty sure with the rubber seal there you won't damage the cable when the boot lid shuts...
Other option would be to put the socket up behind the bumper, there should be space up there, or mount it vertically above the bar behind the bumper...
I like that idea very much! I could even cut a bit out of the seam below the seal so it has more give when it's closed. I'll start looking for a mount point in the boot instead - cheers!
The towbar is for my motorbike trailer. I like to go to rideouts and trackdays all over, but sitting on the motorway to get to them squares off tyres really quickly so I like to tow there, have a rideout and then town back. A small trailer with some tools and tyres will be handy for car trackdays though, might look into that.
I'd keep the socket on a small flylead, you can tuck it down into the recess on the left hand side of the boot when it's not in use. Either that or remove the fuel tank filler guard and mount it on that...
The towball is removeable and will live in the boot anyway and I have a bracket that came with the electrics that sandwich between the bracket and the ball, so if I leave the electrics on the bracket I can swing it out the boot and mount it on the ball when I'm fitting it.
It may be crazy but would it be possible to replace the reversing light lens with the socket then when not towing put in the reverse light. Would require some work but I reckon it would be possible?
Mazda Eunos Mk1 1.8l Yellow (dubious reputation of being written off twice now!) Porsche 997 3.8l S Black, Tailgate McNoIndicate 330d Touring Gunmetal chipped and tweaked.<p>Previous:- Nissan Figaro, Porsche 935, Porsche 944S, Tailgate McNoIndicate 528, Tailgate McNoIndicate 535, Tailgate McNoIndicate 327, Tailgate McNoIndicate 325, Lotus Elite, Lotus Esprit, Lotus Elan, Lotus Europa, VW Golf GTI Mk1, VW Golf GTI Mk2, + other lesser cars! (I apologise for the Nissan, I'm better now!)
Simon: 600 quid to get through an MOT 2 weeks ago and now my crank pulley has decided it would like to be Bluetooth le sigh
Jul 15, 2023 20:03:52 GMT
atlex: at least you can get new crank pulleys!! :-)
Jul 18, 2023 10:29:14 GMT
Simon: Alas! turns out the keyway in the crank is knackered!
Jul 18, 2023 15:45:49 GMT
Zed.: there are other ways to repair, how bad is it?
Jul 25, 2023 15:55:37 GMT
atlex: And a murray murray crimbo to you all :-)
Dec 24, 2023 22:20:35 GMT
Zed.: condiments of the seasoning?
Dec 26, 2023 11:10:41 GMT
queenie: Hiya fellas and fellettes. My name is Gary, I am 72, live in rural Victoria (Australia), am an unashamed Anglophile and own a gold 1998 NB. I bought her in 2016, reflecting at the time that I had wanted a car like this since age 15. Yep, took me 50 years!
Dec 31, 2023 5:58:34 GMT