Installing a Set of Member Steve Pickering's Bonnet Props

Installing a Set of Member Steve Pickering's Bonnet Props

Many of your Roadster 100's will either have been delivered with Bonnet Props fitted by the Dealership. Others may have had theirs fitted by a Previous owners.

For those of you who do not have Bonnet Props already fitted and do not want to risk the Bonnet blowing backward or closed on a windy day, when the Hinges may be strained or have the bonnet and bodywork mortally damaged, I can fully recommend buying and fitting an excellent set of Stainless Steel Props manufactured by one of our members, Steve Pickering.

I bought and fitted my set a few years ago now but for anyone who wants to fit a new pair now, here are some pointers that I used when fitting my set.

I do not have a photo of the kit as it appears when delivered but here is a list of the parts included.

The Stainless Steel Props with an Open Nut Riveted to the Straight End - 2 off

( The opposite end of the Props will have been bent through 90 degrees. )

The Male Screwed Bonnet Attachment riveted to a Small Steel Fixing Plate - 2 off

The Lower Bearing Clip with Rubber Grommet inserted - 2 off

Small Spring Steel Retaining Clip - 2 off

An Alternative - Self Adhesive Plastic Retaining Clip - 2 off

 

The Photo above shows - 

Top Left - a Spring Retaining Clip

Top Right - a Plastic Retaining Clip

Bottom Right - The Bearing Clip with Rubber Grommet

The other part is obsolete and will not be included in your set.

This photo shows the Straight End of a Bonnet Prop with the Open Nut Riveted to the it. 

Just below the Nut is fitted a White Plastic Sleeve. 

This Sleeve should be positioned so the the there is about 3mm of movement of the Nut allowing easy attachment to the Bonnet

The easiest parts to fit to the car first are the Bonnet Plates containing the Male Screw Thread.

On the Inside of the Bonnet, at the Bonnet Catch nearest to the Windscreen....

The Small Plate concerned may be seen to the left of the Bonnet Catch Mechanism.

It has one hole in its short plate to be used for attaching it to the Bonnet

The Bonnet Catch at its lower edge is attached by the Two Nuts and Bolts seen in the Photo.

Carefully, so as not to damage the Paintwork, Undo and Remove the Nut and Bolt nearest to the windscreen.

Carefully loosen the Right Hand Nut.

Slip one of the Plates between the Bonnet and the Bonnet Catch Mechanism and Carefully Replace the Bolt and its Nut.

Carefully Tighten both Nuts ensuring that the new Plate is in line for neatness.

Placing it in this way traps the New Plate so that it cannot swing about.

Repeat this process for the Other Bonnet ensuring that Both Plates point towards the Windscreen after fitting.  

 

Our activity now switches to the Attaching of the Bonnet Prop itself to the car.

In the photo we can see The Offside Bearing Clip with Rubber Grommet with the bent end of the Bonnet Prop fitted into the Grommet.

The Bearing Clip is attached to the Forward Retaining Bolt of the Bonnet Catch Plate nearest to the Windscreen.

This part of the Job is a little tricky due to having to lie down to fit a spanner to the Nut which is located under the Running Board part of the Wing and above the Exhaust Pipe. 

This is best achieved using a second pair of hands to Hold an Alan Key in the Hex Hole set in the top of the Bolt.

Undo the Nut and remove the Bolt taking care to retain the Locking Washer. 

The Washer may remain under the car fixed by the Waxoil coating under there.

Take either of the Props and either of the Bearing Clips and Slide the Grommet onto the end of the Prop so that it appears as in the Photo with the 'Raised Profile' uppermost and the Flat Part towards the Bonnet Catch Plate.

Place the Bolt through both parts of the Bearing Clip so that when it is placed back into the hole in the Bonnet Catch Plate, the 'Elbow Bend' faces the Inside towards the Bulkhead. 

If the Bonnet Prop is fitted into the Bearing Clip the other way around then it may vibrate out of the Grommet over time.

Re Fit the Nut and washer onto its Bolt and tighten ensuring that the Bearing Clip is set as in the Photo.

Here is a photo of the Offside Bearing Clip fitted in position.

 

Just for the Record, This photo used on the instructions with my set show the Bearing Clip in a different location. 

I think that this was taken on an older model of Morgan where the Bolts were slotted and the Clip is fitted to the the opposite Bolts. It is your choice.

You are now in a position to attach the Bonnet Prop to the Bonnet Plate which will keep the Bonnet is nice and secure while we move to the Front End of the car and Attach the Retaining Clip to the Front Bonnet Catch Plate.

This is a photo of my car which I will explain later.

This was the Photo with my kit.

For Me, the issue here was - Which was the best type of Clip given the two options.

To use the Metal Spring Clip requires Drilling a hole in the Front Bonnet Catch which I was not prepared to do.

The Plastic Clip, which I used, has a 'Peel Off Self Adhesive Backing'. 

To use this clip and locate it as shown in Steve's Photo you must first clean off any grease or Waxoil traces to ensure that the Bond I Strong.  

As you can see from this photo, the Top of the Rod when Clipped in Place will sit just below the top edge of the Wing.

This way the Open Nut Screw Head will be inside the Engine Bay.

To prevent it Rattling I also attached a piece of thick Neoprene Foam to the Engine Bay using double sided adhesive tape.

As you can see in this Photo, the Foam has adopted the profile of the Nut Head. 

Here you can see my Offside Prop located in its Plastic Clip with the Nut Head located in its piece of Neoprene Foam.

 Here is my Nearside Prop also in its Clip

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One last Comment on The Bonnet Props themselves.

Some People actually Bend their Bonnet Props to follow the Shape of the Engine Bay. 

I have deliberately not bent mine because:

           1. I wanted my Props to remain Straight.

            

2. When the Props are located in their Clips they are under Tension and therefore less likely to ever bounce out of the clips.

I hope that you find this useful and not too confusing.

Frank

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Why did I mount My Plastic Clips onto Metal Plates?

I was unsure that the Adhesive on the Plastic Clips would adhere strongly enough and be durable.

Having already got two Stainless Steel plates with Keyhole holes in them I was able to use both the Adhesive Backing and then to Pop Rivet the Plastic Clip to the plate as well. 

I then covered the Sharp Edges with Black Insulating Tape.

I was then able to slightly loosen the Bonnet Catch Fixing Bolts without removing them and slide on my small plates using the Keyholes.

Now that I know that the Adhesive is durable (provided the metal is cleaned first) I would have just applied them directly onto the Bonnet Catch Plates.

Frank