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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Bonnet alignment

Hi, Just fitted the bonnet to my 67 1275 midget, am quite pleased with the fit and gaps except bits a little bit high on the drivers side top corner, if it was low i could place a washer or too between the honge and bonnet, but can see no way of lowering it, anyone any ideas, its not much but i would like it right, as its been 4 years since i started!!! Cheers Martin.
m a frame

You can still lower it with washers.

Placing washers at the front edge of the hinge - furthest from the pivot - will lower it. Washers at the back edge will raise it.
Dave O'Neill2

Exactly right Dave
And a technique I have described on more than one occassion on this very BBS.

It is always difficult for enthusiasts to understand how that can be possible but it certainly is and if you are logically minded then understanding the mechanics behind it should be easy to understand. Normally joe public expect placing washers under the hige would raise the bonnet, of course that does not work.
Bob Turbo Midget England

I remember at one time trying to raise my bonnet by fitting a thick rubber pad between the hinge and the bonnet. Kept adding more and more thickness and still it didn't have the desired effect.

Then one day I read Bob's explanation and the penny finally dropped! Its all to do with the angle that the hinge bracket rotates through so that adding quite thin washers at the back or at the front of the hinge plate serves to raise or lower the rear of the bonnet.
Guy

Brilliant, when i sat and thought about it, i could understand how it works, very grateful for advice!!. Martin.
m a frame

Interesting thread - I have the same issue with my boolid - which sits slightly proud at the hinge edge - I would imagine the same approach can we used to resolve this - had annoyed me in the past as the boot lid doesn't seal against the rubber properly...
John Barber

Yes that is exactly right John the very same theory applies, as it does to my MGA and again the amount of times I explain it to MGA owners is incredible. They tend to disagree however. :)

Pity it is not covered in the dreaded handbook!!!!
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

>>Pity it is not covered in the dreaded handbook!!!!<<

not part of the Driver's Handbook's remit, not that it would matter as the handbook's not bought and/or read anyway

. . . and surely people should be able to work this out for themselves intuitively or be able to work it out for themselves by experementing and not need to read it anywhere, especially not in a book, web site ok, fair enough - but a book, oh no :)
Nigel Atkins

LOL

In my experience, the main problem with ill-fitting bootlids is that someone at some time has tried to close the bootlid without relasing the telecopic prop, thereby bending the lefthand hinge. The bootlid then sits high on the lefthand side.

It is relatively easy to bend the hinge back again. I have done this on several Spridgets.

As for the bonnet, I can only imagine that the guys in the factory would have some method of 'reforming' the hinges to attain correct alignment, as they never fitted any shims or spacers.

Bob, do you know anyone who did this? ;o)
Dave O'Neill2

I was told that Mini doors were bent to fit

this was 2nd or 3rd hand and not from a production line worker though :)

lest we, ever, forget, previous remarks :)
Nigel Atkins

Via tweaking the hinge ("bend to fit"), to raise the bonnet up, block between the bottom of the Vee of the hinge and the bottom of the hinge cavity, and pull the bonnet downwards (gently). This tweaks the hinge to the same effect as washers at the front.
To lower the bonnet is a bit more awkward but do-able - block the Vee to the top of the hinge vaity and push the bonnet upwards.

Or use washers as described above, which is simpler!
Paul Walbran

This thread was discussed between 29/04/2012 and 01/05/2012

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