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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Forward opening hood / bonnet

Has anyone ever done a forward opening hood / bonnet for a midget Mark III? I've seen the ones where the entire front end tilts forward but I am referring to just the "sheet metal engine cover". This would give the benefit of better headroom & accessibility without the complication of extending the wires to the lights and horn.
Stan Kowznofski

Interesting idea. It might be worth looking at some bonnet hinges from a TR6, or similar.
Dave O'Neill 2

Or an elan--just sits there and held by a spring
William Revit

My Dolomite also has a front hinged bonnet. It does give good access except for the front of the engine and radiator. I have circled the hinges here.


Mike Howlett

The best way for access is to have a fibreglass single skin bonnet. Attached with pins at each corner it can be removed entirely and placed away from the car and you can get to everything. No banging of head either!

Downsides are paint finish isn’t as good onto fibreglass, bonnet pins are ugly on a non competition car and if it’s a windy day you need someone to hold the bonnet!







John Payne

I just searched Google images and found this. Is this what you had in mind?

https://www.mgexp.com/forum/mg-midget-forum.3/front-mounted-hood-hinges.3133441/

Jon


Jonathan Severn

I am sure there was an article in MASCot about this where someone had done it . Dave you have got me thinking did every triumph have a forward opening bonnet ,Dolly , Stag , Spitfire, Tr4-7 , 2000 I reckon they did
Mike Fairclough

Perfect, that IS what I was thinking about. Nicely done!
Stan Kowznofski

Mike
You are correct: Kent member Mike Pearson wrote the article for Mascot Magazine about his front hingeing bonnet and the manner of securing it. He afterwards went on the make and fit the securing method for another member's front hinged steel Frogeye bonnet.
The magazines are archived and the technical articles indexed for reference by members on the Midget & Sprite Club website.
Alan Anstead

It would definitely make it easy to remove/replace the battery. And if the bonnet opens, and you have a broken catch, that's a potential problem removed with front hinges too.

I can't say I've really been bothered though for the last 43 years, by the way the bonnet opens. I suppose if they were made that way in the first place, someone might want to hinge it rearwards instead.

My 62 Capri hinges at the front. I like to do tappets from the front facing the radiator. Doing it from the side, as I have to with my Capri, makes my back ache far more than it does when doing on my Sprite.
anamnesis

This is my front opening bonnet Alan mentions above.
the article in Mascot I think was entitled I can see clearly now.
It makes any work so much easier.
Hinges from B&Q catches from Car Builder Solutions the rest of the material I had in my garage.

Image size too big will have to do 4 separate

Mike Pearson


M J Pearson

catches





M J Pearson

Here's one that has popped up on FB!


Malcolm

This thread was discussed between 04/03/2021 and 07/03/2021

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.