On Saturday, 1 April 2000 Max wrote
>>>>>>>>>>snip<<<<<<<<<<<<<
> I need a new bonnet at this time, but if I decide to splurge on the
> aluminum one I will be damn sure to reinforce the safety catch before I
> take it on the road. I will also make sure I have those rubber snubbers
> in position as one lister suggested a while back.
>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Max and Listers,
at the time when I was peddling my MGC roadster
around race tracks, it was a safety requirement to have a 'bonnet,' 'engine
hood' security/restraint device fitted to a car when racing. The simplest
effective way to comply with this ruling was as follows.
>From a boating shop purchase about a two meter [couple of yards] length of
soft/flexable rigging line about 5ml thick or there abouts. [I use the
braided line. YMMV] Open the hood and look for the two round holes in the
front underside two inches or so in front of the spring and spigot, thread
the line through one hole and pull it through the other hole then tie it up.
'A bowline knot works for me here'. The other end is threaded through the
front of the square hole where the hood catch thingie [technical term] is
mounted, loop the end of your line under the cross member, forward through
between the grill and the front of the cross member, pull it up in front
again and tie two or three half hitches, then trim off any excess line. When
you close the hood, pull the 'loop' of line forward of the radiator mesh, to
keep it clear of the fans/fan. I dye my line black for camauflage as the car
is black.
Carry a length of line in the car just in case you need to prop the hood
open on a windy day and need a longer line to do so, [ owners of smooth,
good looking rubber bumper cars, ignore that last bit, we have a hood stay
to fix this, right?]
When I was racing, I used a real short line, just long enough so I had
enough room to tie it, the hood only came up a few inches tied like that. My
daily driver 'B' has this safety feature added and I just toodle around town
in it for the most part, but it's good for my peace of mind.
This 'fix' beats being 'brained' by a runaway hood, IMHO.
All this is my experience only, if you use the wrong line, knots or whatever
and get belted on the head by a runaway hood, it's your own risk. But it
worked for me once, when I needed it, for which I'm very happy. Also it is
removable any time and no modifications are needed to the car to fit it.
L8R
Scotty,
Adelaide, Australia.
Been driving MG's since 1962, and still enjoying them 8^)
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