bfashbolt Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 Hi you knowledgeable people, my Vitesse Mk2 bonnet catch 'unlocks' if I drive over even a slight bump in the road? Anything I can do to make it more secure? One side only does it so no danger of bonnet flipping forward under braking. Barry Ashbolt, MEX322H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 whats the state of your bonnet cones ? , they are height adjustable , to add more clamp load , the hooked lever can wear and the roller sieze this can make the over centre lock action weak and allow the bonnet to pop the latch open , to see this close you need to lift the hook up away from the roller, its sprung look for grooves in the roller and worn edge to the hook compare both sides , that assumes the ok one is ' OK' you can strip them down by rdrilling the rivets out and replace with nut/bolt if needed but add some height to the cone to add load on the lock as first job Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 Or use one of the harder cones that (used to be) available; they don't permit the bonnet to bounce as much as the softer rubber version. My set is more than a few years old now but I'd assume someone somewhere is still making them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 club shop sells better ones Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gully Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 I bought some polyurethane bonnet cones from Rimmers thinking they'd be harder, but they came with a metric thread and were unusable - returned for a refund and bought the Club ones. Gully Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 6 minutes ago, Gully said: I bought some polyurethane bonnet cones from Rimmers thinking they'd be harder, but they came with a metric thread and were unusable - returned for a refund and bought the Club ones. Gully I think with the Vitesse you can just use a metric nut in place of the original imperial one..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gully Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 3 minutes ago, johny said: I think with the Vitesse you can just use a metric nut in place of the original imperial one..... The GT6 has a captive threaded plate and a nut to lock it, so needed to be the correct thread. Gully Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 I thought it must be different but Barry is lucky enough to have a Vitesse🤗 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Truman Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 Don't have the problem with the Vitesse, but the daughters Spit was bad only on the drivers side even after cone adjustment, yes they are worn. I suppose I could have had the Michelotti hook welded to restore its profile, I did have the body mounted lugs reprofiled with a little weld and filed it. I also fitted bonnet locks to cure the problem, and obviously improve security, that definitely fixed the bonnet coming loose, and we do have some really bumpy country roads here in Oz! the Vitesse was done too. Regards Peter T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted October 16, 2019 Report Share Posted October 16, 2019 Gully, I fell into the same trap! ☹️ But too disorganised to try and fit them straight away and then damaged the thread. I’ve still got them as a reminder to USE THE CLUB SHOP! Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfashbolt Posted October 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2019 Thanks all for your suggestions, adjusting the bonnet cones seems the obvious thing to try first. To be honest one is looking like the guilty party already - it has a sliver off one side!! Seems to be the smart money is on the club shop bonnet cones so I'll get a couple of those, looks like mine haven't been touched in quite a while! Barry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfashbolt Posted October 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2019 By the way, just had a quick look at Club Shop - where do I find bonnet cones? Not finding them easily! Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 17, 2019 Report Share Posted October 17, 2019 Hello Barry, I've not looked but do the club shop sell them ?? If not, give Canley Classics a buzz and they should have some.................... probably better price as well. Regards. Richard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfashbolt Posted October 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2019 Thanks Richard I'll try them, away this weekend so I'll have to put up with bonnet catch loosening and order some things be here when I get back. Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 17, 2019 Report Share Posted October 17, 2019 As has been mentioned, it does not take much vibration for worn bonnet catches to pop when worn. When I purchased my Vitesse, I had exactly that - the runners were worn and the catches just looked well past it. Purchased a new set of latches and popping catches gone, no matter the road surface, which are generally poor in the UK !! The other addition I did was to add bonnet catch locks. Worth thinking about and not only do they assist worn catches from popping , but are a visible deterrent for nosey parkers wanting to check under your bonnet. Regards. Richard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted October 17, 2019 Report Share Posted October 17, 2019 Unfortunately the online shop is still not up to scratch, give Ange a ring, she will sort you out. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted October 18, 2019 Report Share Posted October 18, 2019 the shop search tab is very reliant on how the awful system goes looking and how the base decription is names and filed if you type bonnet in the search it will find cones if you type cones it wont keep the search simple and often nowt to do with what you are looking for https://shop.tssc.org.uk/search?search_api_views_fulltext=bonnet Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpitFire6 Posted October 18, 2019 Report Share Posted October 18, 2019 2 21 hours ago, classiclife said: As has been mentioned, it does not take much vibration for worn bonnet catches to pop when worn. When I purchased my Vitesse, I had exactly that - the runners were worn and the catches just looked well past it. Purchased a new set of latches and popping catches gone, no matter the road surface, which are generally poor in the UK !! The other addition I did was to add bonnet catch locks. Worth thinking about and not only do they assist worn catches from popping , but are a visible deterrent for nosey parkers wanting to check under your bonnet. Regards. Richard. Do people really do this? I would freak out! I would swear at least. I wonder how important the plates are at the top? I don't have any. Cheers, Iain. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpitFire6 Posted October 18, 2019 Report Share Posted October 18, 2019 Edit is not working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted October 19, 2019 Report Share Posted October 19, 2019 Iain, Doesn't happen these days as oiks are generally unaware how the bonnet works, however, it happened to me a few times decades ago. I particularly remember pressing my klaxon button and nothing happened, it had been sawn off it's mounting bolts. My passenger side catch popped open, unnoticed. As I put the car in the garage the catch ripped open the front of a speaker cabinet and got bent to a jaunty 45 degree angle How I wished I'd had catch locks. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted October 19, 2019 Report Share Posted October 19, 2019 Ian my edits working ?? many of the aftermarket catch locks are pretty wimpy a good tug on the release just bends the tin plate out the way best replaced with some meaningful tin work on the end of the lock barrel Doug sorry to hear your speaker fret got nobbled ...Oh sorry miss read .......... you said catchlocks !!! Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpitFire6 Posted October 19, 2019 Report Share Posted October 19, 2019 3 hours ago, dougbgt6 said: Iain, Doesn't happen these days as oiks are generally unaware how the bonnet works, however, it happened to me a few times decades ago. I particularly remember pressing my klaxon button and nothing happened, it had been sawn off it's mounting bolts. My passenger side catch popped open, unnoticed. As I put the car in the garage the catch ripped open the front of a speaker cabinet and got bent to a jaunty 45 degree angle How I wished I'd had catch locks. Doug I had the AA man try to left the front of the bonnet. I knew I would be getting home on a car transporter. LSD helps. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpitFire6 Posted October 19, 2019 Report Share Posted October 19, 2019 1 hour ago, Pete Lewis said: Ian my edits working ?? many of the aftermarket catch locks are pretty wimpy a good tug on the release just bends the tin plate out the way best replaced with some meaningful tin work on the end of the lock barrel Doug sorry to hear your speaker fret got nobbled ...Oh sorry miss read .......... you said catchlocks !!! Pete I tried to Edit post. I wanted to say; I have no spreader plates for the gas struts on the inner wheel arches. The garage took them off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Truman Posted October 19, 2019 Report Share Posted October 19, 2019 Ref Pete's comment re quality of the lock lever I fitted mine on the Mk2 Vitesse around 1970 and there a substantial thickness. I fitted them for security before doing a UK tour of England, Scotland and Wales, with Canadian friends & also several European tours (wife worked for a tour co and we used to check the tours out, freebee's), the ones I purchased early norties for my daughters Spit ex UK are the same, so good quality ones are still available. I don't know if where you locate the lock makes a difference to their strength, mine are fitted as per instructions ie Canley style the lock located at the front and side of the catch, I have seen some with the lock above the catch? I don't think it makes any difference as there's the same leverage force required. I fitted the Spits locks as I had to apply too much force to hold the catch down and it seemed to distort the bonnet side panel! this was after cone replacement and adjustment. Peter T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted October 20, 2019 Report Share Posted October 20, 2019 I have the same type of locks as PeterT mounted in front if the catches. The locking lever is a very substantial plate steel. A proper job but they were bought 25 years ago! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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