1954 jack retaining spring attachment in right fender cavity

[Peter R.]

On my early '54 (#814), the jack and lug wrench are stored in the right rear fender cavity. The jack and lug wrench are retained there by a spring that has a large ring on one end (see picture). According to Noland Adams' Vol. 1 restoration book, the spring attaches to the car in 3 places. Working from front to rear, the forward hook (way down at the bottom of the fender cavity) was mostly rusted away on mine, but it looks like an easy item to replicate in what appears to be 16 gauge steel. I believe the large ring on the spring is to be hooked over this forward hook. The spring then passes up and over the jack and through a trough-like bracket above the jack and finally permanently fastens to a retainer at the rear of the cavity. My problem is that I don't know what to make of the rearmost spring retainer, or at least what I think is the rearmost retainer. I've attached a picture of the only thing I can find that might once have been the rearmost spring retainer. But if this is the retainer, how does the small end (see picture) of the spring attach to this retainer? It looks like this retainer might have been threaded to accept a bolt and perhaps a washer. If so, it must have a bolt broken off inside of it because there is no longer any opening, threaded or otherwise. Can anyone explain what the rearmost retainer should look like and how it is supposed to work?

An associated problem is how to reinstall any new brackets/hooks. They were riveted in place with round-headed aluminum rivets--probably before the body parts were glued together. Has anyone had experience re-riveting these brackets/hooks to a finished car? Any tips on how to do this?

Thanks,

Pete

[Chris S.]

Re: 1954 jack retaining spring attachment in right fender cavity

I would ask Brett Henderson - He has done many 53's and early 54's