Bonnet Hinges

[Al Wilson]

Slight disaster with the bonnet opening whilst driving along - oh well its only carbon fibre and money!

Question is how do you remove the bonnet hinges because as far as I can tell they are welded. I can't shut the bonnet at the moment as they are completelt bent, along with the scuttle panel! Arrrrrr!

[Dar]

Just had a look at mine cos the bonnet is off at the mo and the hinges look wielded on and the pivot bit looks like its push through and the flatened at the end to secure it.

You could drill it out and then replace it with a nut and bolt. Bit of an awkward place to get to though.

[Al Wilson]

Exactly what I thought - it'll be a pain in the asse to get a drill in there. Bloody haynes manual is crap. It explains how to take the bonnet off and thats it! Gee Whiz, I think a blind monk could figure that out!

Was considering the guy who does my spraying as he does panel beating to. Not sure though as the hinges are creased and you can't always repair it when its creased.

[Stuart]

i ripped mine out, and will be pinning the bonnet on front and back, so it lifts off. that could be your easiest option

[Al Wilson]

Thats what I was going to do way back before the bonnet was fitted but decided against it as it wouldn't be strong enough with just the carbon.

[Stuart]

surely if a grp bonnet just pinned on is fine then a carbon one will have no problems at all

[Ste_Nova]

just gaz axe the hindges straight

[Dar]

It sounds like thats going to be a real PITA!

Have you considered not bothering with the hindges and making the bonnet completley removable?

[Stuart]

:roll: dejavous

[Dar]

Great minds eh!!

Yea, opps! Wrote the reply and then didn't post it for a few mins (got distracted)

[Al Wilson]

Decided against making it removable as the carbon was to flimsy if the wind got under it. At least with two stronger fixing points ie the hinges it was going to stand less of a chance with coming off or braking if the fornt bonnet pins were to break.....

..... which has sort of worked. if I had used bonnet pins at the back it would of definitely ripped it off with the force it hit my windcreen.

Does anyone know of anyone who has repaired the hinges?

[ad19car]

Ive bent mine aswell mate owing to a slight crash wid a land rover! Im gona get sum new hinges (if i can) from the dealers and am gona get a bodyshop to get them put on, looks to me to be a right mission if you do it yourself! Ill keep you posted mate

[rodgerq]

to do this properly you would need to have the scuttle either moved or removed, then refitted to gain the required acces to the hinges. they are rivetted on to the bracket which is welded to the shell.

i think the carbin will be strong enough for 4 pins mate.

rodgerq

[phazer]

You don't need to remove the scuttle. The hinges are riveted in place, you can leave the bracket alone. If you can get a cutter in there its a piece of cake (my bodyshop used an air tool and a dentists mirror!!).

Vauxhall supply a shouldered bolt and odd shaped washers as a replacement.

[Cheeze]

i had to drill mine out and make them fit wi washers etc, not that bad to drill out to be honest tho guys, had sort of a bonnet/windscreen hit combo going on lol

[Al Wilson]

Cheers guys, I'm going to give it a go on Monday and see how far I get. :D

[Al Wilson]

UPDATE

Went to my local scrapyard yesterday (the Lady came with me as well, it was her first time in a scrappy - what a romantic gester of me wouldn't you say?) and managed to find a turquoise green 1.0l with bonnet hinges that weren't ruined or bent. (it was the third Nova I found in there and the first without a bent bonnet arrangement)

Managed to remove them by wiggerling them back and forth until the rivet thing (it has allen key slots in the back??) broke off. I won't be able to remove the bent ones on my car like this as it ruins the bracket for the hinges to sit in that are welded on the firewall.

The pair were ?5 and half an hours work so not bad.

Now its just spraying them and carefully removing the bent ones and swapping them over. Oh and a new bonnet but that can wait, at least I'll be mobile again. Cheers for all the help again,

Al

[phazer]

I think they are only ?8ish brand new, could have saved yourself some grief!! Still, least you got them now.

[Kruger]

I used a small air powered belt sander to take the top of the rivet off that attaches the hinges, ( a pain in the arse from what I remember) then refixed using some 13mm nuts and bolts

[Al Wilson]

I think they are only ?8ish brand new, could have saved yourself some grief!! Still, least you got them now.

I hope I don't need to again (but just for reference) where did you get them new from because Vauxhall don't list or sell them and I couldn't find any third party manufacturers.