2b Bonnet Conversions Anyone?

[Guest MJThewlis]

So with the success of a hunt for an aeroscreen I'm inspired to ask further. Has anyone converted the 2B 'crocodile bonnet' to a more 7 esque conventional fixed scuttle and nose + lift out mid section? If so any top tips to offer?

 

Once again inspiration is gratefully received.

 

Cheers, M.

[Guest Ian & Carole]

Hi

This has been on before about 6mths ago with lots of input about cutting etc.

On ours 4 studs welded to chassis rails (2 on each side).

Scuttle bolted down and bonnet hinged.

 

 

 

Like so.

 

 

HTH

 

Ian J

[Guest salty_monk]

Ian,

 

The pics aren't in the album...

 

Mine's cut the nosecone hinges forward off the front chassis member & the bonnet was cut & a fixed scuttle & hinged bonnet added.

 

2 bits of advice, one is make a strong support for the leading edge of the scuttle, mine doesn't have one & the hinges deformed it (I've taken the hinges off & now just remove it like an old Lotus) the second is make the scuttle easily removeable, if you have to get in there it can be a right pain.

 

Personally I wouldn't hinge the bonnet at all (like a sail in the wind) just have a removeable section as I have now but some have hinged it & like it.

 

The croc bonnet on my first car was ok but it's restrictive as to where you can position the steering wheel plus I don't know how good it would be in a crash, just two bolts holding it back...

 

Dan

 

 

Dan

[enforcer]

This crash/frontal impact issue has been raised before. I think it was someone's SVA examiner who had made some comment about the two pivot bolts shearing off resulting in the bonnet sliding back and causing injury.

 

I cannot see how that would happen at all. I used M10 bolts through the chassis member. There is no way that a sheet of 0.7mm stainless is going to sheer them off! Any frontal impact will initially destroy the nosecone and then cause the bonnet to crumple and deform.

[NeilD]

Thought my conversion was good until I saw 'Turbo's - a work of art in stainless!

 

and the electonic handbrake!

 

Jamie - you seem to have disappearedfrom this forum????

[Guest tom2b]

heres a few old pics of how i did mine, ive added a bit of right angle aluminium to provide a ledge for the bonnet to sit on.

 

 

 

 

hope this helps

[Dave R]

i am chopping mine at the moment

will let you know how i get on

 

have already cut the bonnet (further forward than toms, mine comes in line with the middle 'firewall' bit)

the scuttle will stay hinged, to allow access to behind the dash

am intending to hinge the remains of the bonnet forward, though it isnt that unmanagable if it ends up lift off with nosecone attached

 

dave

[Guest salty_monk]

This crash/frontal impact issue has been raised before. I think it was someone's SVA examiner who had made some comment about the two pivot bolts shearing off resulting in the bonnet sliding back and causing injury.

 

I cannot see how that would happen at all. I used M10 bolts through the chassis member. There is no way that a sheet of 0.7mm stainless is going to sheer them off! Any frontal impact will initially destroy the nosecone and then cause the bonnet to crumple and deform.

 

I think he was more worried about the front fixings breaking & the bonnet pivoting on the bolts than the bolts breaking. To me this is more of a concern as it could pivot the top of the windscreen in line with your kneck....

 

It's also possible the 0.7mm stainless (should be 1.4mm in that corner as it's meant to be doubled up) could rip in the area of the bolts allowing the whole lot to be pushed backwards, it is possible they could be ripped out of that corner completely allowing the back end to become free, would take some serious smash though I would think....

 

Dan

[enforcer]

I think he was more worried about the front fixings breaking & the bonnet pivoting on the bolts than the bolts breaking. To me this is more of a concern as it could pivot the top of the windscreen in line with your kneck....

 

Ah, I see what you mean. Hopefully as the front of the vehicle crumpled under a frontal impact there would not be sufficient speed left to raise the bonnet a la Bill and Joey, but at the end of the day I think any significant impact in a Robin Hood is best avoided!

[Guest elwe]

I think the fibre glass would splinter so the force on the bonnet would not be enough to rip out or break bolts until the obstical gets to the front of the stainless section. By this time the obsitcal will be hitting the engine block/head.

[Guest salty_monk]

That same impact would push the nosecone up the slope of the chassis bars stressing the front fixings... makes it worth having 4 strong ones

 

As Enforcer says, prob best to avoid a crash at all

[Guest old_timbo]

I totally splattered the nose cone in my excursion through a hedge and into a field. It put some barely perceptible ripples in the side of my bonnet which is fixed crocodile style. No perceptible change to the pivot bolts (10 mm roofing type) or the bonnet holes. Main impact (courtesy of a 5" dia Hawthorne trunk) was to the front lower cross member (2B wishbones) with a dent that reduced its thickness by a half. I've cut this out and welded in a new member and all is as good as new. I have to say I was impressed. A 2B is well tough!

[Guest scottie686]

Mine was originally like the crocodile stylee, bonnet catch at the front and hinged and the rear. Now i have removed the hinge, left the bonnet connected to the nose and have standard bonnet catches holding all in place!! Now when i lift the bonnet off the nose comes with it!! (just like teh above pic but with the nose attached!) Free's up so much space for working!! and you wouldn;t know the difference!

 

[Guest salty_monk]

But slightly more awkward to remove for a quick oil & water check I'd imagine....

 

Dan