Bonnet panel gap help

PostPost by: thegman » Wed Aug 09, 2017 9:45 am

Recently I had the bonnet catches and cable replaced at the garage. Seems like (although memory my be wrong) the panel gap at the front of the bonnet has grown. The bonnet closes fine. How can I adjust the bonnet to even up this gap - it looks larger than others I have seen (although perhaps well within norms?!)

Thanks
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PostPost by: Grizzly » Wed Aug 09, 2017 11:06 am

It does look a bit big but the flash doesn't help....... i never Gaped my bonnet when it was stripped/repainted, the back edge gap is approx 4mm and the front edge gap is approx 5.5mm.
p1040522.jpg and

One thing i did notice with mine was when i refitted the metal skids on the front edges if they weren't flush with the GRP it tried to drag the bonnet up and back. I also understand if the two metal supports aren't fitted under the bonnet skids it does odd things to the gaps.

I assume nothing is trapped under the front edge?? or in the slides? Do you know if it's had any history of GRP work around the front? as thats often the reason bonnet gaps aren't too hot.
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PostPost by: elanfan1 » Wed Aug 09, 2017 11:33 am

The panel gap looks excessive on the sides aswell as the bottom edge, the top edge looks tight. I suspect even if you adjusted the nylon runners on the skids and how far the catches might be pulling the bonnet up you would still have gaps. I reiterate suspect.

Chris might be right if the car has sustained damage at sometime, however are you able or close enough to another owner to swap their bonnet on to your car - if that has the same fit issues you know it's your bodyshell, if it fits you know it's your bonnet. You might need to get some glassing and repaint to get a nice fit.

Good luck with it, must be enormously frustrating.
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PostPost by: Craven » Wed Aug 09, 2017 2:20 pm

Hi,
Check the large front of bonnet hold down spring is correctly located.
Ron.
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PostPost by: thegman » Wed Aug 09, 2017 2:59 pm

Ron - sorry for beginner question but where is the correct location? Suspect the bonnet has been off in the garage and not correctly refitted.
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PostPost by: alan.barker » Wed Aug 09, 2017 3:19 pm

When the car was at the garage if they took the bonnet off and kept it the correct way up it would be resting on the spring hook. Maybe the spring hook got bent forward which when refitted it would pull the bonnet backwards :shock:
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PostPost by: Craven » Wed Aug 09, 2017 4:21 pm

Hi,
Lower end of the Spring should be centrally positioned on the steering rack, the top end pulled up and located in the HOOK provided in the centre on the underside of bonnet. The force thus provided ensure the curved sections of the hinge are pulled together correctly when shut, there is a small amount of adjustment available for both bonnet height and fore and aft position with the plastic screws. But your pic?s gives the impression the spring has not been re-fitted at all and the hinge sections not mating properly.
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PostPost by: Grizzly » Wed Aug 09, 2017 6:46 pm

May be a bit of an illusion but in your picture the bonnet looks flush with the front nose of the car, is that correct?

From past experience without the spring my bonnet fits better (more equal gaps all around) but opening the bonnet without the spring on is a nightmare. My original bonnet spring was quite weak so when i pulled the release it wouldn't fully clear the catches so one would constantly snag (Pain in the rear) to remedy this i fitted a much stronger spring that slightly distorted the bonnet when closed (not that anyone but me would notice) but now when i pull the release the bonnet slides up a good 10 inches (although it's not easy to get on with the aftermarket fan installed)

Out of interest what sort of gap do you have across the back edge?
Last edited by Grizzly on Wed Aug 09, 2017 7:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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PostPost by: Grizzly » Wed Aug 09, 2017 6:54 pm

Spring goes from the steering rack to this hook on the bonnet......
dsc02515.jpg and

(Bit of a disclaimer.... this isn't my Picture, Google special so i hope the owner doesn't mind me using it)

p1040186.jpg and

(This picture is mine :P)
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PostPost by: thegman » Mon Aug 14, 2017 3:48 pm

OK - haven't taken the bonnet off but have had a look. It does actually seem that it is the spring pulling back on the bonnet (ie towards the radiator that is causing the gap. One other thing I noticed is that on the left there is a bracket supporting the fibreglass around the "hinge" whereas on the right (next to the cool air intake) their is no such bracket and I can see the FB visibly bend when the bonnet is open and closed. See attachments - is this normal or am I missing a bracket?
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img_20170811_120919.jpg and
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PostPost by: alan.barker » Mon Aug 14, 2017 4:23 pm

That doesn't look right at all. In the concave groove in the body there should be Nylon Screws along each.
The Stainless Steel Runner fixed to the bonnet slide on the Nylon Screw heads.
Your car seems to have a strange set up to me.
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PostPost by: thegman » Mon Aug 14, 2017 4:44 pm

Can somebody take pictures of your own bonnet hinge area when you get a chance - thanks
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PostPost by: Gray » Mon Aug 14, 2017 5:28 pm

The alloy strip on the bonnet should follow a curve all the way to the end. It looks as if someone has cut a bit of the bonnet off and added some studs to the body to support. A temporary solution might be to make the required shape up from a piece of wood to support the strip in a curve to the end and remove the metal stud. At worst you should only need a new bonnet, much cheaper than realigning a front section on the car! Let me know if you need a photo of the bonnet showing the correct shape.
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PostPost by: thegman » Mon Aug 14, 2017 5:49 pm

Yes please - photos very much appreciated !
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PostPost by: Spyder fan » Mon Aug 14, 2017 5:52 pm

Here's two previous topics worth reading, they give a good bit of information on the bonnet skids etc.

lotus-chassis-f36/hood-hinge-skid-plates-t37798.html

lotus-chassis-f36/bonnet-connections-t26418.html

Helpful photos from google search

Image
Image
Image
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