John,
My buddy Chuck has done this with his vintage race '68 Sprite. It is not
hinged but removeable as a unit. The hood can also be removed separately
with the font section on or off the car. Having helped removed and install
it on several occasions, I find it surprisingly rigid and actually not that
heavy. Adding hinges would not be that complicated.
The modifications (as I remember them) are:
* Hood pins at the firewall, close to the inner fender edge (probably where
the hinge pockets used to be). A bracket extends from the fender to fit
over this pin.
* The are two pins at the lower edge of the fender where it mates with
holes drilled into the top lip of the rocker panel. This keep the fender
from literally becoming "wings" if you know what I mean.
* I believe the front is held in place by two horizontal pins and brackets
near or on the frame.
* The hood is held in place by four hood pins, the (same) two at the
fireawall and two more in the front shroud.
* The front fenders are bolted the the front shroud as the normally would
be, and is actually quite rigid without additional modifications.
When more serious work is required, like engine removal, the whole front
end is removed, though the hood is removed first. For lighter duty service,
just the hood can be removed.
Pictures of the car can be seen on my web site at http://www.gerardsgarage,com
Look in the Sprite section under "Friends cars".
Gerard
At 10:13 AM -0500 2/9/00, Holliday, John wrote:
>Has anyone out there attached the hood and fenders together and hinged them
>forward on a mk II or later sprite. If so how did it work? Is it possible to
>get the assembly rigid enough to easily manipulate like that of a bugeye?
>
>Thanks,
>John Holliday
>67 F/Prod Street sprite
G G Gerard Chateauvieux
E A
R R pixelsmith@gerardsgarage.com
A A
R G Pixelsmith on Duty
D E
S http://www.gerardsgarage.com
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