bonnet / hood mount modification

[leifanten]

After the horror stories about bonnets flying off at speed I though to find a simple and safe solution to this. I bought two plumber brass pipe nipples 1/8''MIP x 1-1/2'' and drilled out the threaded part of the bonnet to a tight fit for the OD. Pressed through the right distance between the bonnet and the body to get the panel gap right and mounted bolts with straight shafts as axles into the threaded part of the body. Looks good and is perfectly safe as the bonnet no longer will gradually undo bolts when opened and closed.

[summerinmaine]

Anyone else think that a pair of hood pins would look just fine on the rear edge of the Elan bonnet?

[bast0n]

Summerin maine -

I think that he is referring to a Plus Two bonnet. Elans don't have the same problem. A small aluminium tongue at the front of the bonnet going forward under the bodywork is perfectly satisfactory to hold it all together should the spring fail. (anyone ever known a spring fail?).If it pops open at the rear it aids cooling!!

[rgh0]

Anyone else think that a pair of hood pins would look just fine on the rear edge of the Elan bonnet?

Yes i think they look fine on my Elan and are not really noticeable up near the base of the windscreen. I never use the nose spring. The fibreglass lip at the front holds it fine in combination with the pins at the rear and I always totally remove it to access the engine.

cheers
Rohan

[summerinmaine]

Anyone else think that a pair of hood pins would look just fine on the rear edge of the Elan bonnet?

Yes i think they look fine on my Elan and are not really noticeable up near the base of the windscreen. I never use the nose spring. The fibreglass lip at the front holds it fine in combination with the pins at the rear and I always totally remove it to access the engine.

cheers
Rohan

That's exactly what I was thinking.

I have had a bonnet come off of my other Elan "at speed." It was a bit embarrassing for me, but the driver of the Opel GT I was passing on a mountain road probably shart his knickers.