Fitting Bonnet/scuttle/nose Cone

[Guest charlie]

Just a feeler for any info on fitting a bonnet to a 2b. after fitting a new clutch which some may recall gave me greaf on

the M25 and a subsequent altercation with a BMW the ins co kindly allowed me to do the repairs, i have also fitted a fast road cam and upgraded water hoses & engine fans etc but am now in the throws of sorting the body work ,currently

the bonnet is of the alligator variety to which the nose cone had been "made to fit" to cut a long story short,

my intention is to fit a "normal bonnet/nose cone, as the ones supplied by GBS dont "fit" the bonnet

"at last" question (1) can i use the current bonnet as it is with wipers fitted for the scuttle?

(2) and does the standard bonnet fit flush to it or over?

(3) and any advice on fitting the nose cone would be appreciated.

 

any help much appreciated, Charlie,

ps i`m desperate to get on the road again to try out the new cam etc.

[Guest Dee Jay]

Just a feeler for any info on fitting a bonnet to a 2b. after fitting a new clutch which some may recall gave me greaf on

the M25 and a subsequent altercation with a BMW the ins co kindly allowed me to do the repairs, i have also fitted a fast road cam and upgraded water hoses & engine fans etc but am now in the throws of sorting the body work ,currently

the bonnet is of the alligator variety to which the nose cone had been "made to fit" to cut a long story short,

my intention is to fit a "normal bonnet/nose cone, as the ones supplied by GBS dont "fit" the bonnet

"at last" question (1) can i use the current bonnet as it is with wipers fitted for the scuttle?

(2) and does the standard bonnet fit flush to it or over?

(3) and any advice on fitting the nose cone would be appreciated.

 

any help much appreciated, Charlie,

ps i`m desperate to get on the road again to try out the new cam etc.

 

 

Hi Charlie,

 

I cut my 2 stainless bonnet pieces to give a fixed scuttle which I supported on the dash top and at the front on a hoop across the car,

The bonnet pieces I then fixed together with a length of stainless piano hinge to allow either side to be opened when fitted.

The nose cone I hinged at the front cross member with piano hinge and fitted a reinforcing hoop at the join between cone and bonnet.

The two hinged bonnet pieces then are supported on the two hoops.

Wipers fitted to fixed scuttle as per normal fixing holes.

Hope this makes sense will try to post some photos but am not very good at that.

 

Dave

[Guest chris brown]

(1) can i use the current bonnet as it is with wipers fitted for the scuttle?

(2) and does the standard bonnet fit flush to it or over?

(3) and any advice on fitting the nose cone would be appreciated.

 

any help much appreciated, Charlie,

(1) Yes you just have to decide where you are going to cut it

(2) When you say standard bonnet I assume you mean the rest you have cut off or a new one from GBS which would have to be cut to fit.

I cut the bonnet and then fitted a strip of SS about 12swg thick and 25mm wide under the cut edge of the scuttle then a wider strip of 0.7 SS which came out from the scuttle by about 25mm on to which I fixed a bonnet tape (see photo)

(3) I think if I was to rebuild my front end I would go for a forward hinged one where the nosecone and bonnet are fixed together and the nosecone has a hinge fixed along the bottom edge. You may have problems getting it past the lights so these may have to be altered slightly or change then for 5.75" ones

My nosecone is fixed by three M6 nuts and bolts along the front lower edge where I attached a strip of SS to the front cross member and an M6 bolt into a lug welded on to the headlamp mounting plate (this lug has an M6 rivnut fixed in it)

[agent_zed]

Its nice to see other poeple are as crazy as me when i took a saw to my brand new bonnet and made it into a scuttle bonnet and nose cone .

 

For the nose cone i made a former out of Aluminium flat which matched the bonnet shape. This was then bolted down to the chassis and the nose cose pulled down over it to give it the correct shape. My bonnet has a very little gap now on the corners where it meets the nose cone. A couple of alu "tags" on the bottom front bar secured the nose cone at the bottom.

 

hope this helps. i can take pictures if required...

[Guest Dan_Beeston]

If you PM Joel he might be able to send you some info on creating a forward hinged bonnet, his car is really slick.

 

I've stuck with the Croc bonnet, no extra weight from the supports you need for other solutions and gives excellent access to the engine bay and dash area, the main downside is it's difficult to get it to fit perfectly if your main concern is asthetics!

[Guest Takumi]

If you PM Joel he might be able to send you some info on creating a forward hinged bonnet, his car is really slick.

 

I've stuck with the Croc bonnet, no extra weight from the supports you need for other solutions and gives excellent access to the engine bay and dash area, the main downside is it's difficult to get it to fit perfectly if your main concern is asthetics!

 

 

The only downside to the croc bonnet is, if the front end retainers come loose at high speed it might kill you. and your passenger...

[Guest charlie]

Its nice to see other poeple are as crazy as me when i took a saw to my brand new bonnet and made it into a scuttle bonnet and nose cone .

 

For the nose cone i made a former out of Aluminium flat which matched the bonnet shape. This was then bolted down to the chassis and the nose cose pulled down over it to give it the correct shape. My bonnet has a very little gap now on the corners where it meets the nose cone. A couple of alu "tags" on the bottom front bar secured the nose cone at the bottom.

 

hope this helps. i can take pictures if required...

Thanks for the info, i had a thought about using alum flat to support the cut end of the scuttle i like the idea of using

the existing bonnet for the scuttle as it will save a lot of fitting of screen/washers etc, using the alum to support the nose cone looks a runner many thanks .any pics would be great.

CHARLIE.

[Guest charlie]

If you PM Joel he might be able to send you some info on creating a forward hinged bonnet, his car is really slick.

 

I've stuck with the Croc bonnet, no extra weight from the supports you need for other solutions and gives excellent access to the engine bay and dash area, the main downside is it's difficult to get it to fit perfectly if your main concern is asthetics!

Great idea to hing the bonnet i will take aserious look at that! thanks and the possibility of higing the nose cone

also looks a runner. thanks Dan

[Guest Ian & Carole]

Hi Charlie

Might be of use.

 

 

We welded two bolts on to the chasis each side, drilled two holes in the lower folded part of the "scuttle"

I can now lift the scuttle off by undoing four bolts if I need to gain access to stuff behind the dash.

 

HTHs

 

Ian J

[agent_zed]

 

here is a picture of the aluminium former i made. I had to add the diagonal supports to stop the curve bending out as the glassfibre is quite strong.

[agent_zed]

 

heres my car from the front, with the bonnet section standing at the back of the picture

[agent_zed]

 

and finally my scuttle area. The bulkhead was actually made from an old seat ibiza bonnet

Ive made it a bit weird as the original rh bonnet piece just sits over a panel which holds the windscreen wipers and heater box. The wiper spindles just poke up through and are not actually bolted to the top panel so i didn't have to have bolt holes. The heater channels again just line up with the original holes in the rh bonnet.

 

hope this helps

[Guest charlie]

 

here is a picture of the aluminium former i made. I had to add the diagonal supports to stop the curve bending out as the glassfibre is quite strong.

 

Brilliant! many thanks guys, I am still waiting for the bonnet from GBS promised for wed/thurs.

maybe i should of checked which week? but the pics are great i only hope i can do as well!

Thanks again Charlie.

[Guest charlie]

Brilliant! many thanks guys, I am still waiting for the bonnet from GBS promised for wed/thurs.

maybe i should of checked which week? but the pics are great i only hope i can do as well!

Thanks again Charlie.

 

Just an update at last GBS have delivered the bonnet and i find it only takes the 26" nose cone so the 24" i had

painted Lotus yellow and trimmed to fit will have to find another home. but i have now (bit the bullet) and cut the

existing bonnet for the scuttle and bolted it down. when i have talked to a sheet metal company reccomended to

me who it seems can press out some side vents , it is then on to fitting the "new nose cone" and bonnet

thanks for all the info guys.

CHARLIE