I am still having trouble getting my Avon bonnet to fit nicely...

I have the Zetec type bonnet (even though I'm running a pinto!) and first off can't work out where to fit a front drivers side catch? I have made some locating pins which fit into the nose so it is fairly well secured but the corner where the bulge is tends to flex a little so would like to secure it...

but thats a minor issue...

the rear of the bonnet just won't sit flat on the scuttle... I have trimmed it nieatly and it lines up ok but at the sides where it curves round the bonnet won't follow th lin of the scuttle. If i push hard I can get it to lie flat but I can't think of another way top secure it! the rear rubber type side catches are fairly well forward because of the chassis design so they don't help much.

I have a couple of dzus fastners and am considering fitting them to the rear corners but I am not convinced they will hold it down...

so what have others done?

I was hoping that opnce it was running and building up some heat in the GRP that it might 'mould itself' a bit better.... but no

I've no experience of your problem specifically but why not try a hook from under your bonnet into your scuttle.

I think it would work well and would be invisible from the outside.

Steve
Rescued attachment bonnet hook.JPG

unfortunatle I can't do that because I have 2 locating pins at the front that need to slide in..

thanks anyway

Could you do a sideways catch then, with the sticky out bit coming from the scuttle?

You would be able to slide the rear of the bonnet sideways a certain amount albeit only a small amount, but if you could it wouldn't matter that it was only on a bit because then your catches hold it in position?

Steve

problem is it needs pushing down....

this crappy pic shows what I mean...

it's supposed to show a cross section just where the bonnte lip sits over the scuttle...


[img][/img]

i thought thats how all tigers are. or am i wrong, when i've looked around at shows the bonnests always have an air gap.

How flexible is your bonnet, Dave?
They can easily go out of shape. Mine's pretty flexible and I found when I fitted my rubber bonnet catches they pulled the bonnet tight to profile of scuttle. I do have a uniform gap of about 1/2" or so on either side between lower edge of bonnet and side panel.
Have you got access to a halogen heater or similar which you could warm the garage with?
Try pulling bonnet tight to scuttle with duct tape in a warm garage for several hours and it should mould to profile of scuttle.

I have tried pulling it down with a ratchet type luggage strap and that seems to work... maybe if I fit one and leave it on whilst I heat the GRP? but how careful do I have to be with the heating? was going to use a paint stripping gun that I use for heatshrink...

I'd say that's a bit too much heat to safely apply without risk of damage! With the ratchet strap applied, I reckon even standing the car outside on a warm day for several hours will be sufficient.

Maybe I will leave it on for a few runs.. the heat generated by the engine should help a lot.....

I was thinking that judicious placing of some much need vent cut outs might weaken the bonnet enough to bend better as well....

as above, you will need to get some heat into it which will settle the bonnet into position. The front of my Super 6 nose had a huge gap on the bulge but settled out after a while. Try leaving the car outside in the sun and / or running the engine up to temperature. I've even got a Supercat scuttle front perfectly flat by warming it with an IR patio heater and putting some weight on it while sitting it on a flat surface.

I pushed the nose cone back as far as it would go,and fitted it with Dzus fastners, then had to trim both front and back edges of the bonnet (not the easiest jobs) Then trimed off the lip from under the bonnet about half way along towards the front. I then fitted the rubber plull down catches which pulls the bonnet to the shape of the lip on the scuttle. All fits Ok now. One of the jobs I didnt like doing...

I had a similar problem with the bonnet allighment. I eventually spent a lot of time cutting back the rear edge whch helped. Eventually I fitted some rubber trim on the edge. This help get away from the fit problem. It also provides a safe edge on which to stand the bonnet.

Hope this helps.

Ian

think it is a design feature:if you look close enough alot of tigers range seem to have this enginge bay cooling feature.

think it is a design feature:if you look close enough alot of tigers range seem to have this enginge bay cooling feature.