PARDON THE RAVE, BUT.....
Try as I might, I just couldn't get my bonnet to wrap far enough over my
windscreen so it could bash my skull in and put me out of my misery!
The subject of this mail was going to be a very well know rude word that
starts with "sh" and end with "it"... but I have made it a point never
to swear on this list.
Yep... I went and did it.
I have spent this LONG weekend tinkering and tidying up bits and pieces
on the 'B. I installed the new thermostat and housing; replaced my
dying horns and tracked down some wiring hassles along the way; bought
myself a torque wrench; some padded thingies for my racing harness (to
ease my sore shoulders) and I got some stick on velcro strips to install
my vintage ashtray (because I didn't want to bolt it on the tunnel). I
then tightened up some loose bolts on the bonnet hinges... these seemed
to be the cause of the bonnet not quite seating correctly along the rear
(windscreen) edge. Ahhhh, that is better!
I even worked on my Ford... replaced the rocker-cover gasket and changed
the oil and tidied up some door hassles.
I was feeling very productive in this wonderful weather... so I should
reward myself with a drive to settle everything in and just enjoy the
autumn sunshine.
Funny how fastidious I am when racing... that bonnet strap (secondary
securing device) always gets done up. Pity I ain't the same when
driving for pure pleasure.
I was only doing about 40MPH when the bonnet popped onto the 'saftey'
catch... check the mirrors... try and stop quickly but safely. All is
well down to about 10MPH when the 'safety catch' loses its grip. And now
I have locked up the brakes (in a nice straight line) out of shock and
out of now only being able to see a wall of primrose in front of me.
The windscreen is still there but the bonnet ripped off the left side
hinge and was left clinging onto the right side hinge by about four
spotwelds. There is a slight crease across the bonnet from the top of
the windscreen, but if I was going any faster I have no idea what would
have happened... from the hinge situation I feel the bonnet would have
disappeared over (hopefully) my head... and hopefully not into the face
of the car or motorbike behind (luckily there was neither).
So, bent and buckled she is (along the windscreen edge)... and we all
know how aluminium LOVES to be straightened, and I fell plain ILL!
Any thoughts or calming suggestions would be gratefully received. I am
going to make out an insurance claim form now but hopefully I will find
a bonnet cheaper than my excess lying around somewhere in the meantime -
or someone who can tell me how cheap these things are to repair (and
nicely match the faded primrose colour exactly).
I am assuming that by tightening up the bonnet hinge bolts I actually
made the thing sit forward a few millimetres so that it did not properly
grab the bonnet catch. Maybe!
BUGGER!
Eric
'68*** MkII
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