Checking the fit of my bonnet

[mach2andy]

I bought 1R20498 in a partially dismantled state. The bonnet was and remains off of the car. My intention was to have the tub and bonnet blasted, prepared, primed and painted, and then to refit the bonnet to the car once the engine has been reinstalled. But I'm wondering if I should perhaps check and adjust the fitting of the bonnet earlier? Perhaps once it is primed? But without the engine in the car, this may not be practical as perhaps the weight of the engine sitting in the car with the front suspension fully fitted has a bearing on how the bonnet fits?
I really only want to fit and adjust the bonnet once if that's practical, but perhaps you boys have other opinions or experiences? Once the bonnet is fully painted, I really only want to be minimally manhandling it as I can see the potential for damage to the paintwork. Finally, I'm hoping that once the bonnet is reinstalled, the adjustment shimming can be done without fully removing the bonnet again?
Just about to cut the radius arm front bushes off. I've run out of ideas as to how to do it nicely.
Again, your thoughts or experiences are much appreciated.
ATB
Andy

[Tbob]

. But I'm wondering if I should perhaps check and adjust the fitting of the bonnet earlier? Perhaps once it is primed?
Andy

Heartily agree. The bonnet needs LOTS of tweaking in the gussets and mounting points in order to get the right curvature and distances to mate to the cowl. I worked in this area for months to get a decent fit, and I would have wrecked the paint.

Regards,
Bob t

[mgcjag]

Hi Andy.....you can press out the bushes.....note they only go in and out in one direction, haveing said that if you dont have a press it has been known to cut out all the rubber and carefully cut the bush outer metal ring takeing care not to cut the arm, but you will need a press to fit the new ones.....the fit of the bonnet dosnt change with the engine in or out..... once adjusted, it can be removed quite easily by removeing the 2 bolts that hold it to the picture frame, this does not affect the fit ....there is even a way to remove it on you own that works viewtopic.php?t=6058&highlight=bonnet+remove Steve

[Hugo]

I am in the process of adjusting the fit of my bonnet right now. Or I should say my good friend Terry the welder and panel-beater down the road is doing it. This job has been going backwards for several months now, because when I had taken the bonnet off I decided to paint the engine frames and do everything else under there before the bonnet went back on. I've done most of that now, and am currently treating and painting the seams between the centre bonnet and side 'wings'. I intend to paint the seams with good old POR 15, then bolt it all together (as soon as I can find where I put those damn spacers), stick it on the car and then leave Terry to it. His plan is to cut a bit out of the top of the front sill rather than start hacking the bonnet about. But by the time he's finished bending, welding and bashing everything about I'm not expecting there to be much undamaged paintwork left on the edges of the bonnet, so apart from POR 15 inside the seams I wouldn't dream of painting anything until it's on and fitting properly.
Terry tells me the factory used to allow two men three days to get a new bonnet to fit.

[paulsco]

It took me 'for ever' to make my bonnet fit; adjusting this, cutting that; shortening the wings; trying to make sure the bonnet was central on the car and not at an angle.
A very difficult task to get right!

Hugo; I would have thought cutting into the sills insted of shortening/lengthening the wings is likely to make the sill line along the car under the door look wrong??

Paul

[Hugo]

Apparently not, so Terry tells me - there is not a continuous sill line all along the car - the panel is solid between the door and bonnet. We're only talking an eighth of an inch or so anyway. I think they had that sort of discrepancy from new. One of my windscreen pillars (it's an OTS) is visibly bent back - the gusset at the base has a kink in it - but the two pillars are absolutely in line. Who knows?

[Lost Horizon]

Apparently not, so Terry tells me - there is not a continuous sill line all along the car - the panel is solid between the door and bonnet. We're only talking an eighth of an inch or so anyway. I think they had that sort of discrepancy from new. One of my windscreen pillars (it's an OTS) is visibly bent back - the gusset at the base has a kink in it - but the two pillars are absolutely in line. Who knows?

Mine still has the original windscreen, and it has the kinks. It's perfectly aligned. I asked the same question, not believing that it could be original British Engineering.