vitesse bonnet locks

[willis]

hi everyone, what are the best locks to fit on the bonnet of my vitesse and where's the best place to get them from? i want to fit them in the recess behind the catches on each side. also what sort of problems am i likely to encounter please?                                                                 thanks, Rob

[Guest]

Hello.

 

I fitted a set of bonnet locks prior to an overseas trip and they are straight forward to fit.

 

The important factor is to ensure that the hole is elongated and NOT a pure circle; otherwise the lock will just turn around when inserting & turning the key. The lock have an elongated edge so it's obvious on looking at it.

 

Got mine from either Canleys or Rimmer; they also come up on Ebay but make sure you are buying new, not used for obvious reasons.

 

I used a stepping drill bit to get the hole just under the required dimension and then finished using a flat file to get the correct hole profile. I made a pilot hole first to accept the bigger drill bit.

 

Use masking tape over the paintwork where you will be drilling (stops the drill bit from wandering) and you can also write on the masking tape as to where the actual hole needs to be; plus any other x-ref measurements. Just take your time and all will be fine.

 

Lastly, having drilled both holes I painted the edges (front and back) and once that was dry smeared some grease around the hole.

 

A determined thief will be able to break the latches open, but it is a visual & useful deterrent. At the end of the day it's another obstacle for some low-life to overcome who wants to look under your bonnet etc !!

 

If your bonnet catches are worn and tend to pop open, this will prevent that happening until you buy a replacement set - which I would advise.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Good luck.

 

Richard.   

[dougbgt6]

I once considered bonnet locks but saw a guy circumvent his with what appeared a flick of the wrist. There used to be an alternative which locked and unlocked the bonnet catches from inside the car with no need to drill the bonnet for locks. However, I don't think it was any more secure than the locking mechanism. And as Richard says the locks are a visual deterrent.

[Pete Lewis]

Its also a good idea to close off the open ends of the baulkhead J hook ,

as a right good shove will allow the hook on the lever lock to pop out the end of the J and open the bonnet

 

pete