New Bonnet and Hood Time

[bfg1961]

Hi all, it is a couple of in fact years since a large branch wiped out the car porch with our V8 S underneath..(.just out of insurance), smashing the Bonnet and mangling the Swirl Pot, Last post on here was a very sad picture.

Now the time has come to get back on the road for summer. Swirl pot replaced and all seeming to run well. Having had quotes for repair of the Bonnet, we are considering biting the bullet and opting for a new Bonnet. Anyone had experience of TET or Black Cat mouldings? At the time I was Quoted £1800 + VAT by and established TVR garage and Parts Supplier for a new bonnet, but the guys above are asking £1,000 on their website which is an order of magnitude difference.

Also, any advice on an upgrade or replacement for the bonnet hinge?

In a separate post and when the time comes I will be asking the sage and the wise any advice on Hood replacement and whether it should be left to the professionals or can be done well on a DIY basis.

Any advice gladly received

[phillpot]

Was the £1800 supply only or fit and paint?


Have you seen this thread............ clicky....... Surface and Design can do your hinges and no doubt a bonnet

[bfg1961]

From memory it was just for supply, I think in primer, thanks for the link to surface and design

[bfg1961]

From memory it was just for supply, I think in primer, thanks for the link to surface and design

[v8s4me]

Are TET still manufacturing? Last I heard (back end of last year) they were selling up and trying to find a buyer for their moulds.

I have a TET bonnet on mine and it's a very good fit.

[phillpot]

v8s4me said:

Are TET still manufacturing?

Now you mention it!

There was a chap, who's name I forget, bought up the moulds and thinks he is now able to mould any variant of S bonnet.


here's another option, but possibly need more work than yours? ......... V8S bonnets

[mk1fan]

TET have morphed into Blackcat Mouldings.

Got a set of 400SE bonnet vents from them at the begining of the year.

iirc, the only mould they don't have is the S4 bonnet.

[v8s4me]

mk1fan said:

...iirc, the only mould they don't have is the S4 bonnet.

TET definitely had a mould for the V8S bonnet so maybe worth checking. Which ever one you get ask if they will mould extra glass matting around the weak spots. That's the corners of the air vent on the bulge on the V8S and around all the side vents on the S4 bonnet.

How about an S4 bonnet with a V8S style bulge in the middle of the bonnet? That would look good.

[glenrobbo]

I spoke with Graham Walden at the recent TVRCC AGM. He is the Club's Competition Secretary and director of Black Cat Racing.

He tells me that in addition to procuring the TET mouldings stuff, he now has a full set of bonnet moulds covering each variant of the S Series, even the S4, and can produce any bonnet to your requirements. Great news to know that we still have a reliable source if the worst happens to our precious P&J's.

Graham can be contacted on 07976732026
or email: [e-mail]
for further details re cost etc.

It would be great if somebody could add this information to the Useful Links section of this forum. ( Tim? )


There are various people on here that have fabricated better bonnet hinge arrangements allowing wider opening for improved access. Try googling "Pistonheads TVR S wide open bonnet"

[mk1fan]

TET definitely did not have an S4 bonnet mould.

Good to hear one has been found. Having chatted to Graham he comes across as open to improving things, ie adding strength where required.

[bfg1961]

Thank you all so much for your responses, The TET Blackcat guys seem really genuine. all being well, a new bonnet on the way in a about three weeks.

The links to TVR bonnet hinges are really useful so I have some work to do on that front as well, a friend hugely talented in the art of all things metal is also scratching his head on the matter, I'll post pictures of what we come up with.

The next big question is whether to do a DIY fit on a new hood or to leave it to the professionals....thoughts opinions welcomed?

[TVRees]

glenrobbo said:

It would be great if somebody could add this information to the Useful Links section of this forum. ( Tim? )

Will do Glen, next week when I'm back home.

Travelling in S.Wales at the moment.

Actually visited the proposed new TVR factory on the Rassau Industrial Estate yesterday.
Sadly, there was ZERO sign of any car building activity

[phillpot]

bfg1961 said:

The next big question is whether to do a DIY fit on a new hood or to leave it to the professionals....thoughts opinions welcomed?

Guess it all depends on your skill sets, abilities and self confidence!

Could be a lot of money down the pan if you c#ck up, cut it wrong and you can't stick a bit back on like you can with metal or fibreglass. But there again they are fitted by mere humans so it can be done