Discussion
I stripped my bonnet today, just to say I have actually done something to the car in the last month, and realised that, actually, the extent of crazing is so bad that I probably have to consider a new one. I think something like 50% of the surface is crazed and the thought of re tissuing that lot and trying to obtain a good finish afterwards is too much.
So, who makes series one road weight bonnets and how much?
So, who makes series one road weight bonnets and how much?
I believe Keith (Chassyman's) oppo, Duncan does bonnets.
http://tvrclassics.weebly.com/index.html
From the recent Chassyman thread - Duncan's new number is 07583 966471.
Other providers may be available.
http://tvrclassics.weebly.com/index.html
From the recent Chassyman thread - Duncan's new number is 07583 966471.
Other providers may be available.
Didn't do many pics today. None showing the crazing but here's one showing the hinge trying to return to nature
And a comparison with the new and beautifully powder coated hinge, which will probably have to wait for the new bonnet now. I will have to review tomorrow with the benefit of a glass or two.....
And a comparison with the new and beautifully powder coated hinge, which will probably have to wait for the new bonnet now. I will have to review tomorrow with the benefit of a glass or two.....
difficult to show by photo, but this illustrates
the car seems to have had a couple of impacts in the past, that have been repaired, but probably also poor handling and storage have lead to quite bad gel coat cracking all over, including some that run down the whole right hand side.
the only approach that I can think of other than a new bonnet, would be to improve the repairs and then re tissue the whole bonnet, but this would be a huge amount of work to get the surface up to standard
the car seems to have had a couple of impacts in the past, that have been repaired, but probably also poor handling and storage have lead to quite bad gel coat cracking all over, including some that run down the whole right hand side.
the only approach that I can think of other than a new bonnet, would be to improve the repairs and then re tissue the whole bonnet, but this would be a huge amount of work to get the surface up to standard
Edited by Astacus on Sunday 9th February 11:37
It's a good question! My bonnet was very similar to Matt's and I must admit that repairing all the cracks was a long and gutty job. Matt's bonnet looks very do-able to me but I guess the decision making process is all about your budget and how much time you want to spent on this element of the restoration. In my mind this is a spring/summer job for tackling on your drive or in the garden. At least when laying up GRP matt or tissue on the bonnet you can move the bonnet into a position where gravity is on your side! Not to say that you can't with the shell but it's a whole lot easier with the bonnet and doors.
Repairing cracks, chips and missing chunks along the flat wheel arch tops was for me the hardest part. I could get it looking nice and straight to the eye and then when I ran a straight edge against it of got down at eye level and looked along the line I realized this job was a lot more difficult than I thought it was going to be! The good thing is that it is only time and not lots of money wasted if you make a cock-up. just grind it off and start again.
I haven't got a clue how much a new bonnet would cost and I'm not even sure if the Tuscan style bonnet fitted to my Vix is available? But unless you can get the old bonnet to a good flat finish for the painter then he is going to be spending a decent lump of your painting budget on prep work.
Repairing cracks, chips and missing chunks along the flat wheel arch tops was for me the hardest part. I could get it looking nice and straight to the eye and then when I ran a straight edge against it of got down at eye level and looked along the line I realized this job was a lot more difficult than I thought it was going to be! The good thing is that it is only time and not lots of money wasted if you make a cock-up. just grind it off and start again.
I haven't got a clue how much a new bonnet would cost and I'm not even sure if the Tuscan style bonnet fitted to my Vix is available? But unless you can get the old bonnet to a good flat finish for the painter then he is going to be spending a decent lump of your painting budget on prep work.
Our Taimar bonnet was crazed and cracked all over, with poor repairs everywhere.
Probably wouldn't have been economically viable to repair if we were paying for labour.
Many many hours spent grinding, tissueing and shaping. I think it was about 3 months in total, maybe more.
Now all good, just waiting for the painter to come back with a price and date.
Probably wouldn't have been economically viable to repair if we were paying for labour.
Many many hours spent grinding, tissueing and shaping. I think it was about 3 months in total, maybe more.
Now all good, just waiting for the painter to come back with a price and date.
Please any pics of grazing and cracks?
My hours costs nothing so I want to do the rapairing myself.
And the painter will come along bedroeg he makers an offer. So remidial works can be done.
I do understand the reaction about the edges but those are good.
Most work were the doors and the top of the wings where the meet the bonnet. Trial fitting of that has to be done later this week.
Hans
My hours costs nothing so I want to do the rapairing myself.
And the painter will come along bedroeg he makers an offer. So remidial works can be done.
I do understand the reaction about the edges but those are good.
Most work were the doors and the top of the wings where the meet the bonnet. Trial fitting of that has to be done later this week.
Hans
I am not sure whether this is what you need Hans, but here are some close-ups of the cracked areas. This is the front, above the lower air inlet. Probably caused by the bonnet hinge rusting and expanding under the fibreglass
This is the corner of the scoop where it meets the bonnet top
This crazing covers almost the whole of the curve above the driver's side wheel arch
this is some collision damage, you can see cracks in the gel coat radiating away from the impact
and this one is a classic caused by a stone thrown up under the bonnet , or someone closing the bonnet on a spanner left on the engine top
In order to fix them you have to grind away the gel coat over the whole area and about 2cm over, then lay in some glass fibre tissue (not chopped mat). Then fill and shape.
This is the corner of the scoop where it meets the bonnet top
This crazing covers almost the whole of the curve above the driver's side wheel arch
this is some collision damage, you can see cracks in the gel coat radiating away from the impact
and this one is a classic caused by a stone thrown up under the bonnet , or someone closing the bonnet on a spanner left on the engine top
In order to fix them you have to grind away the gel coat over the whole area and about 2cm over, then lay in some glass fibre tissue (not chopped mat). Then fill and shape.
.I think Andy is quite right, it will ultimately be a job for the warmer weather where I can get it outside and work on it, It would be a shame to abandon it really so I am going to see what I can do. I managed to source some almost new fittings for it a couple of years ago too, so all the rusty crap can go!
Your pictures made all clear to me.
Luckely none of this on my body ( car I mean)
Only some little things as a crack on the front lip and chips everything where.
I only have a lot of raw/rough repaired area's .
And underbonnet the footwells are uneven and repaired with heavy glassfiber mats
I want it better looking.
I hope you can find enough time and pleasure in repairing your bonnet.
In the end your happiness will come.
Have fun.
Hans
Luckely none of this on my body ( car I mean)
Only some little things as a crack on the front lip and chips everything where.
I only have a lot of raw/rough repaired area's .
And underbonnet the footwells are uneven and repaired with heavy glassfiber mats
I want it better looking.
I hope you can find enough time and pleasure in repairing your bonnet.
In the end your happiness will come.
Have fun.
Hans
I had the same problem years ago. Lots of cracks all over the body. I did sand it off till bare glassfibre and did not cut the cracks out. What I did is, a complete new woven glassfibre cloth all over the bonnet. Now , 20 years later the same bonnet still looks very good and NO crack is visible. I did the same technique on a couple of other TVR's incl. roofs and doors with good results.
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