Great write-up BigJ and thanks to others that have provided additional tips. I'm finally going to do this and have a couple of questions for BigJ and others that have done the install:
1. I ordered the mounts but they won't be arriving before next Monday. I have the studs and 8mm nuts and want to get a head start on the install this weekend. Am I correct in my thinking that if I grind down opposite sides of the 8mm nuts to be 10mm across, they would fit into the slots on the mounts?
2. Do I need the mounts in hand before doing the modifications to the cowl plastic? Or should I just wait to do that once I have the mounts in hand?
Thanks in advance!
Yes, you can grind down the nuts. That's what I did. You will notice that the grind has to be made almost to the threads themselves. I had to throw a few away because getting them parallel to each other is difficult with a large grinder and a small nut.
You must have the mounts before you mod the cowl. Unless you want a gaping hole that would fit anything.
Getting the nuts ground and installed perfectly is challenging. The slots will not fit correctly if these are not lined up just right. Someone mentioned enlarging the slots, but they didn't want to remove any of the protective coating on the brackets.
Patience is required! The final look of the mounts is amazing. It makes you think they were meant to be there!!
Good Luck!
