Oops! As an eyewitness to a similar incident, I can tell you what happens
at 70mph -- the bonnet folds back over the windscreen and bops the driver
(or passenger, whichever is taller) on the head (thus rendering the
subsequent "brake of terror" even more unnerving). Glad that didn't
happen to you.
As for your particular situation, for one I am very surprised at the
failure of the hinge(s) in such a low speed situation. In the incident
related above both hinges held securely. For this reason alone I would
not contemplate reusing this bonnet. Secondly, I doubt that any amount of
metal massaging would be sufficient to return this distressed bonnet to
an acceptable approximation of its original form and function. Aluminum
is just "that way". When I bought my B it sported a similarly
"pre-stressed" floppy bonnet. I riveted in a reinforcement panel
underneath just so it would stay open on the prop, and another one under
the safety catch, while I was looking for a cheap (used) replacement.
This must be especially galling for you since you had a bonnet strap...
oh well, I'm driving around with a bungie cord hooked into a hole on my
(SUV-bashed) bonnet at present... it may look tacky but it's better than
some alternatives.
Just be grateful it didn't happen entering a hairpin turn on a mountain
road (now there's a sobering thought).
As you said... BUGGER!
Eric had this to say:
>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
>
--
Max Heim
'66 MGB GHN3L76149
If you're near Mountain View, CA,
it's the red one with the silver bootlid.
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