Fibre glass repair to bonnet hinge - what fibreglass?

[ben2083]

Well I introduced myself on here yesterday and today it's time to start asking advice! I have the issue a few people have seen with the bonnet hinge fixings becoming detached from the bonnet in one corner and it needs a fibreglass repair. Have read a couple of threads on here on how best to do this, and will have a go myself but wondering if there is a particular type of fibreglass repair kit I need, or if I can buy any repair kit from fleabay/halfords/local motor shop?

Also, I remember reading somewhere about quick release bonnet hinges, does anybody know if these are still available and if so where from?

Thanks.

[AV8]

I bought the kit from Halfords and it is perfectly fine.

[phazed]

The QD bonnet hinges were made by Steve Heath, sadly no longer in production.

[over_the_hill]

If you haven't actually removed the bonnet yet be warned they are heavy. It will need two of you to lift it off and some space to move around. Possibly even three for the spare pair of hands you usually end up needing but never have.

I managed to get mine on and off on my own when fitting the quick release hinges you mention but only by using a rope system through the vents on each side and up and over the garage roof joists - raising or lowering each side a bit a time.

[ben2083]

Thanks for the tips, surprised it is heavy, feels really light when opening, guess all the weight is in the front end. I will recruit some friends to help with the lift, and add beer to the materials list required as payment!

Does anybody know of any spare second hand Quick release hinges on sale.....or have any photos of them so I can investigate simialr alternatives?

[Sardonicus]

Heavy my arse in fact its deceptively light

[Richard 858]

Sardonicus said:

Heavy my arse in fact its deceptively light

Agreed but you do need that 3rd pair of hands (hoist system) when refitting as bolts / set screws are a tad fiddly.

[Sardonicus]

Richard 858 said:

Agreed but you do need that 3rd pair of hands (hoist system) when refitting as bolts / set screws are a tad fiddly.

Granted its a 2 pairs of hands removal & fitting job

[over_the_hill]

found this image for the hinges

[ben2083]

Oh that's great.....any chance of the picture a little bigger though (or am I being stupid and there is a why of opening it larger??)

[phazed]

I've got those fitted on my 4.6.

Can't decide whether to go to the trouble of swapping them with the standard ones on the 55.

[over_the_hill]

ben2083 said:

Oh that's great.....any chance of the picture a little bigger though (or am I being stupid and there is a why of opening it larger??)

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=107...

[phazed]

over_the_hill said:

ben2083 said:

Oh that's great.....any chance of the picture a little bigger though (or am I being stupid and there is a why of opening it larger??)

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=107...

Ha, ha. That's my picture of my 4.6 when I had a different name.

[jojackson4]

Don't the griffs have some kind of fancy pants hinge for fast removal ?

[nigelj77]

Ben, as somebody has already said the halfords kit will do you fine.

What repair route are you taking, I put a guide on here some time ago i think on how I repaired the bonnet on my current 450 6 months ago and also repaired my 400 many moons ago, my way seemed much easier than some I've seen where people make up brackets etc?

[chrispitman]

When I did mine, I drilled one hole about 30mm in size in the box to get to back of the bar, repaired the cracked loose bar then got a black plastic bung to put in the hole I cut. Then fitted a mudguard style wash on outside to help spread the load.

[ben2083]

nigelj77 said:

What repair route are you taking, I put a guide on here some time ago

I have seeen a couple of guides previously, not sure if one of them was yours. I thought i'd saved the links but I don't seem to be able to find them now and I am struggling with finding them with a search, do you have a link?

[nigelj77]

I used Halfords fibreglass kit as previously mentioned, the following was how I did it.

Remove bonnet (with wife as assistant)
Lie bonnet on it's side and remove the rose joint part of the hinge assembly.
Thoroughly clean and degrease the threaded stud sticking out of the bonnet and the fibreglass in the surrounding area.
Key the fibreglass with coarse emery cloth.
The area where the stud sticks out is sort of triangle shape, cut the glass matting to cover that area and cut a slot in the part which will face downwards on the car so you can slide it down from the upper face of the bonnet, test fit it and when happy cut a further 7 pieces of the same shape.
Mix the resin as instructed and brush it onto the bonnet, slip the 1st piece of matting into place and stipple it down as instructed, repeat until you have 4 pieces in place, put plenty of resin on as it will fill any gaps around the captive nut in the bonnet.
Avoid getting resin on the stud sticking out and make sure it looks correct positioned before it cures.
Repeat the process on the opposite side then give the whole lot an hour or so to go off completely.
I hope this helps.
Cheers
Nigel