A question for the esteemed owners of the Panda's Italian cousin. I've just swapped the rotten bonnet on the Terra with a s/h one from a Marbella. The Terra had a spring clip to release the striker from the bonnet catch whereas as the Marbella bonnet doesn't have one. It seems to open without the need of a spring release which seems a bit odd to me but is it right? Can anyone confirm the arrangement on theirs (Si, Alixcompo, Dragon Man, Vernon...)? Or maybe there were different arrangements? Ta.

Do you mean the spring clip that you have to push in to lift up the bonnet (ie the safety catch). My Marbella used to have one but it rusted and snapped not long after I had got the car. So now all that holds it on is the latch and the bonnet pins I installed.

Hope that answers your question, sorry if I have misunderstood.

Si

Yes, that's right. Thanks. My poor explanation. I guess the catch is required for the MOT? I'll have to see if I can get the old one off without it disintegrating.

Bougainvillea Rosso said:

Yes, that's right. Thanks. My poor explanation. I guess the catch is required for the MOT? I'll have to see if I can get the old one off without it disintegrating.

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For the MOT it has to lock securely.

If it's a 2 stage catch like other cars, it will pass the MOT. The secondary catch is a failsafe in case the first fails.

I can't picture what you mean, but if it doesn't fasten down securely with whatever is there, it should fail (if the tester checks properly!).

For the record; on the Terra Van (see no names yet) it is a large clip which pulls forward over a plastic hook. I suspect that this is a diesel thing.

I used the Terra clip onto a Panda bonnet. The means of fitting was pretty identical.
I'll try to get some pics tomorrow and I will put a memory card in the camera unlike wot I dun today.......

Looks like the others have this one covered, just as well as mine isn't very accessible at the moment.

on the Terra Van (see no names yet) it is a large clip which pulls forward over a plastic hook. I suspect that this is a diesel thing.

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My pandabella 1991 903ccm had the same large clip and plastic hook. I think all depends on the year of manufacture of the car.Saw early marbella from mid 80's , it had the same "system" as panda.

Thanks for all your replies. The bonnet locks down securely but only requires a pull on the wire to open it. Chatting to my normal MOT man this morning, he seems to think that may be enough. I may try to see if I can fit the catch before it goes in though. It does look as if there were different arrangements depending on the year.

Our van doesn't have a name either. Nothing seems to have suggested itself yet...