I saw a Spit with gas lifts at the British Car Day near Toronto last September.
If I recall, they were off a Mazda or Nissan.
If it is there again on Sunday, I'll take some notes.
Vic Whitmore
76 Spitfire
Thornhill, Ontario
"Simmons, Reid W" wrote:
>
> For the first 20 years I owned my Spitfire I raised the hood by lifting on
> the latches. Then I read the message from someone on this list that that
> was not the proper way to do it. So now I lift by the wheel arch, which as
> Dean mentioned below, gives you much less leverage. Therefore, I am now
> designing a gas strut system to assist in raising and lowering the bonnet -
> kind of like what you have on a hatchback.
>
> Reid
> '79 Spitfire (original owner)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dean Dashwood [mailto:ddashwoo@ect.enron.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 1999 1:45 AM
> To: spitfires@autox.team.net; Goodlift@Sprintmail.Com
> Subject: Re: 64 Spit Bonnet
>
> On the subject of bonnets, what is the correct way to lift a bonnet?
>
> I have always lifted mine by the latches, but I read somewhere (may even
> have
> been on this list, I can't remember) that this causes the bonnet to bend and
> eventually crack, and you should in fact lift the bonnet by the wheel
> arches.
> Is there any truth in this? Purely from the point of view of leverage, the
> latch seems more sensible...
>
> I hope that by next weekend my car will have returned from the garage fitted
> with a brand new shiny bonnet, for which I will have paid a vast sum of
> money.
> Since my bank manager is unlikely to let me spend a similar amount of money
> again, I would like to make sure I look after this new bonnet!
>
> Looking forward to hearing conflicting views!
>
> Dean
> -----------------
>
> Date: Tue, 14 Sep 1999 10:12:14 -0400
> From: Jerome Judge <Goodlift@Sprintmail.Com>
> Subject: Re: 64 Spit Bonnet
>
> Hi George:
>
> I have a 72 GT6 but the hood is about the same as yours. There is quite
> a bit of flex in my hood also. When I lift up from the drivers side it
> is less, and I cannot lift the hood from the passenger side without
> supporting from the middle. I do have a brace from each fender to a
> tubular cross member, just the standard setup. I think what happens is
> the latch roller, which runs up the ramp to the location pin gets hung
> up. When you lift up one side it makes the hang up even worse. My only
> suggestion is to be sure the latch roller is lubed and free. Also make
> sure the ramp is smooth and lightly oiled.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Jerry Judge
> Jupiter, Florida
>
> EAKETT@aol.com wrote:
> >
> > I'm restoring early '64 Spit. I'm conerned with what I consider excessive
> > flexing of the bonnet. It is nearly impossible for one person to lift the
> > bonnet without something getting scratched. Extreme care must be taken. I
> > have checked all welds and also every book I can find to see if some
> support
> > is missing. Everything appears proper. Is this normal? Has anyone
> addressed
> > this problem by adding a stiffener of some sort?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > George
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