I have the original bonnet which I did a lot of repairs to and which on reflection was a step too far in the patination stakes. I've been trying to get an original in good condition but even if I could find one at a decent price I was concerned that years of use and the troubles of transporting it would mean that I ended up with something that was hardly any better. So deep breath and I bought one from AG. It was actually a little more expensive than I could have found in the UK but I think I read somewhere a while ago that they were being re-manufactured to a better quality than used to be the case.
So expertly packaged and with only a couple of very small flaws, one of these being a spot-weld depression from the front-catch mounting, I had it prepared for paint in no time.
It needed some minor tweaking as I had to grind away a small amount of surplus flange on one side and do a bit of gentle hammering on the other. On the test-fitting it needs a bit more of a slam than before to get it to shut but it all sits better than I expected.
I noticed something that confirms what I had always thought...that the two main ribs can be pre-tensioned to make the bonnet sit properly. The hole on one side has clearly had some kind of bodger put in and the rib has been twisted expertly to make it sit right.
FER_3468 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
There are a few minor constructional differences from original....longer hinge-studs, lack of a built-in rubber buffer to the hinge-stay, no holesfor the corner buffers (a good thing) and a slightly poorer quality of pressing of the parts in the area of the catch. One thing...the depth of the depression where the front connet buffer sits, might cause problems of alignment and closing on some cars.
FER_3471 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
FER_3470 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
FER_3467 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
FER_3466 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
I won't be leaving it rally-style; now I'm just waiting for the paint to dry.
FER_3487 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
So expertly packaged and with only a couple of very small flaws, one of these being a spot-weld depression from the front-catch mounting, I had it prepared for paint in no time.
It needed some minor tweaking as I had to grind away a small amount of surplus flange on one side and do a bit of gentle hammering on the other. On the test-fitting it needs a bit more of a slam than before to get it to shut but it all sits better than I expected.
I noticed something that confirms what I had always thought...that the two main ribs can be pre-tensioned to make the bonnet sit properly. The hole on one side has clearly had some kind of bodger put in and the rib has been twisted expertly to make it sit right.
FER_3468 by Peter Thompson, on FlickrThere are a few minor constructional differences from original....longer hinge-studs, lack of a built-in rubber buffer to the hinge-stay, no holesfor the corner buffers (a good thing) and a slightly poorer quality of pressing of the parts in the area of the catch. One thing...the depth of the depression where the front connet buffer sits, might cause problems of alignment and closing on some cars.
FER_3471 by Peter Thompson, on FlickrFER_3470 by Peter Thompson, on FlickrFER_3467 by Peter Thompson, on FlickrFER_3466 by Peter Thompson, on FlickrI won't be leaving it rally-style; now I'm just waiting for the paint to dry.
FER_3487 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr
