Hello,
I am a bit confused. I have been looking into refinishing or replacing front hood. I noticed that my hood has a hole in the front. In looking at other pictures it seems possibly newer models have a front charging plug receptical in that hole, while other pictures show no hole. Did 2002 come with a front plug hole or did someone in the past put the wrong hood on my car?
Is there a way to add that plug hole?
My 2002 does not have a plug hole in the front. Does your 2002 not have any way to charge it?
I would think your 2002 would have the charge plug and cover in the rear seat support directly behind the front passenger seat. ie right side rear seat.
it is a hole… find the hardware to go into the hole, determine the diameter hole needed, get a holesaw and make the hole and put your plug adapter/cover in the hole and connet it to your charger. It is really just like an extension cord for your charger.
Right, but i already have the receptacle on the seat. I can get the fitting i guess, but they both cant be used i assume. It would need different or additional wiring.
The one on the rear seat is stock for a 2002. The hole in your front hood was for a newer model so as you suspect, someone put a newer hood on your older GEM.
You can do what ever you want with your GEM. keep it charging the way it is or move the charge receptical to the front hood. Heck, you can hand a pigtail under the dash and charge via that. What ever you want to do. The battery charger takes in 120VAC and has one of those 3 pronged computer plug receptacles. From that point back you can do anything you want as long as you provide 120VAC 60Hz( US ) so the charger can convert it to what the batteries need.
Using a holesaw to expand an existing hole usually ends badly because the pilot bit has nothing to grab and stabilize on.
With plastic, if you can’t add backing for it to grab on, you can sometimes get away with spinning the holesaw in reverse and get a relatively clean and somewhat round hole. It’s when the cutter teeth dig in going forward that the holesaw will like to skip all over the place. In reverse it’s more like a friction drill.
Of course, if you can get the part into a drill press, then that’s the ideal for this situation.
Good points but I think he was stating he has a 2002 with a later model front hood which has a hole in it where the charge port goes. I was figuring it was already to size for the charge port.
Def tough to use a hole saw on an existing hole.
That was what I was thinking too and I guess I kind of misinterpreted your comment about the holesaw.
Any decent hardware store or maybe even an Ikea or office furniture store should have some flush mount plastic plugs that could go in the hole in the hood.
Or better yet, take a broom handle, drill a hole in the end, paint it black, put a sleeve of perforated metal over the outside and have it stick out the the front like an old WWII .30 machine gun barrel. Bonus points for tying it into the steering so it looks like it’s tracking.
Exactly. Now I want to see how to best fill it. I’m thinking g of figuring out a way to get the receptacle and splice into the other power line so we can use with port to charge. Still looking for where to get that receptacle though.
It’s a Marinco Park Power receptacle.
Also, what you are talking about doing is unsafe and dangerous without a lockout on both plugs .
What not fiberglass over the hole, sand, and then slap this sticker over it
“Decals and paint make me look like the fiberglass guy I ain’t…”
Thanks all…Glad my hunch was correct. I will probably just put a receptacle in it, and not hook it up. At least it will look finished.
You should hook it up to a solenoid and an air horn. Anyone lifts the cover of the dummy receptacle cover and “HOOOONK!!!”.
HAHA…Yeah, i have too many other projects…Fun idea though.