The 'E' Type Forum

Hi ya,

I will, in a few days, maybe weeks, start working on the bonnet. Before I will of course get the chassis to drive, but then, its bonnet-time.

Now, this chunk of metal is a monster. I work alone in nightshifts, so it won't be easy.

First of all, the front left wing has some wobbles below the indicator. This will have to be fixed. Pete sold me another wing with other small issues, maybe I should simply switch over to this one.

Then, the mouth has a bit damage- the round lip part is a bit bent back in on the left side.

One of the hinges shows abuse- PO fitted long bolts, lots of washers, one eye is broken off. I ordered a new one.

It all looks like a minor accident damage maybe 40 years ago.

It needs de-rusting but nothing serious. I think no blasting needed, maybe some edges. It is complete.

I see two options:
- fit it, and adjust, mark all parts, dismantle, clean up, paint, assemble, fit ?

- dismantle, clean, assemble, fit and adjust, dismantle, paint, assemble, fit ?

I think the problem is that the old accident damage would hind me from proper fitment- but how can I repair that with a dissassembled set of loose parts ?

Carsten

I dismantled the four main sections and after stripping the paint, discovered the adhesive for the ducts had debonded in a few places. Off came the ducts. Found rust under the adhesive (even where it was still bonded), and also along the flanges for the four major sections of the assembly. Stripped and derusted everything, etched, epoxy primed, roughed in the body work, and then painted the mating flanges body color myself. Reassembled the shell and fit it (minus the ducts) to the chassis....then removed the bonnet shell and bonded in the ducts. Then fit and adjusted the bonnet one more time and sent it off to the painter who finalized my ding/dent repairs and painted.

By the way, I made a spreader bar to lift the assembly, as I also work alone or at best with my 100 pound spouse as an occasional helper. It's simply a wooden 6' x 2"x6" with a large eye screw in the center. This eye attaches to my engine lift via a length of chain. Two smaller eye screws are set out toward the ends of the wooden beam. A thin piece of metal attaches each of these eyes to a bolt in each wing-to-center section flange (at the longitudinal balance point). These two eye screws are slightly farther apart than the two flange seams, so the links are angled inward toward the (angled) seams...so they don't impinge on the paint during the lift. I also apply tape to the adjacent painted surface just in case. Spouse handles the hoist jack, I maneuver the bonnet into position. I used this because my car has been up on an elevated trolly for most of the restoration, and "tilt-on-end on a piece of carpet" bonnet mounting method was not an option. At the moment, the painted bonnet sits on it's own trolly waiting for final installation.

Hi Carsten,

I dismantled mine, did the repairs, primed all the separate parts and then rebuilt it. I then made it fit the bulkhead and sills while built up. I then reprimed the adjustments and repairs ready for taking off as a complete assembly for the final colour coat. The only problem with colour coating the parts separately is that no matter how hard you try it will not go back together the same. The bonnet must be a perfect fit at the primer stage. It is too late if it does not fit once it is colour painted. This is the way Hutsons do it and it worked for me. If you look at my build thread there are some more pictures .
In the meantime, as another who is forced to adapt to the confines of working alone, I made a system of ropes and pullys to lower the bonnet into position. ( more times than I care to remember!)




Simon

I was talking to a friend the other day & he told me that the factory allowed two men four days to fit a new bonnet. He also told me he knows somebody who can change the clutch without taking the engine out, but I don't yet know how! I'm guessing the engine may 'technically' still be in the car but it must be as good as out.