>Make no mistakes. The stress fractures commonly found along the bonnet
>latches are not from any sort of vibration. They are caused by using
>the bonnet latches as handles to raise and lower the bonnet
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I've got news for ya-I NEVER lift the bonnet by the latches. Haven't for
over eighteen years. Ever since one broke and damn near tore my finger
off. I still have the nasty scar on my right index finger to remind me.
I Always lift from the wheel well arches, and the cones ARE adjusted
properly, the latch just barely kisses the restraint so as not to cause any
undue pressure. You can push sideways on the bonnet slightly and not feel
the latch scrape. After many years of use on the GT6, I have stress
cracks. The sharp corner on the cutout, relatively thin metal and
vibration/chassis flex will cause stress and eventual fractures. Its the
same vibration that eventually causes the small radius between the main
bonnet surface and the head lamp bulges around the mounting area for the
head lamp surrounds on square tail Spitfires and GT6's to crack. No
lifting or latch restraints there. Poor (long term) design in these areas
(remember, that these cars were surely not intended to be around 20 some
years after the fact) The round tail has a different headlight mounting
detail and as such doesn't suffer in that area. As for the reinforcements
mentioned by another lister-those were to prevent buckling and to prevent
the hood from opening in the event of a frontal collision-not to reinforce
the bonnet in the latch area (although it may have some benefit)
Barry Schwartz (San Diego) bschwart@pacbell.net
72 V6 Spitfire (daily driver)
70 GT6+ (when I don't drive the Spit)
70 Spitfire
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