[SEL] Funny thing happened on the way to the bolt shop.

[Jerry Evans]

Hi All,
         My dog knocked a trestle over and the freshly primed Ronnie N 
barrel fell onto the concrete floor and snapped one of the cylinder head 
bolts off. Not a major problem as I was planning on replacing another one 
that was badly rusted so now I may as well replace them all.
         I am not an engineer and not very clued up on all the bolt sizes 
and threads but the manual says 7/16 Whitworth. South Africa went Metric 
more than 30 years ago so Imperial sizes are becoming a bit hard to find.
         I phoned 3 of our local specialist bolt suppliers (one a 
manufacturer) asking for 7/16 Whitworth and nobody could help. I then 
called a manufacturer in Johannesburg (about 40 miles away) with the same 
question. They said "No, but could give me UNC" I asked what the difference 
was and they said "None" (apart from on 1/2" which has a different number 
of threads).
         I then called the locals back and they all said that UNC was no 
problem and asked why they did not tell me that in the first place. The one 
answered that I had "asked for Whitworth not UNC".
         My point is that these people need some education - surely in a 
case like this they should have pointed out that I could use 7/16 UNC 
instead of Whitworth and made a sale. Just not interested - unfortunately 
many business are going this way in S.A. today.
          I know these Lists have a number of members who are "clued up" on 
bolt sizes - any comments welcome. Am I O.K. to use UNC for the Ronnie N 
cylinder head?
         From my amateur position I think the Metric system is great 
because of the standardization. It seems that in the "old days" every 
country had it's own standards and some even had quite a few different 
standards - it must have been hell!



Keep the revs up (or down)
Jerry Evans
Near Johannesburg in Sunny South Africa.
Tel. (016) 365-5787 or 083 283 7191
Visit our website for old engines in South Africa.
www.oldengine.org/members/evans  

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