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Posted By : Mike Bewick, 07-Nov-2006, 03:33pm
As the photo shows I am getting on with a full restoration of an aquired Herald convertible. To repair the wheel arch lip I have welded in a new section
from TRGB - and am quite pleased with the result. However when I removed the inner mudguard sections of course the side of the bonnet moved outwards. When
I repair the mudguard and connect it back to the wheel arch rim I beleive I am missing an important measurement - I think. Can anyone tell me what is the
distance - shown by the arrows - between the lower rear corners of the wheel arch - across the bonnet. I guess that if I weld the mudguards in the wrong
place - too narrow and the bonnet will foul the bulkhead, too wide and it will be difficult to use the bonnet catches. Given the flex in the bonnet anyway
I guess the measeurement just needs to be approx. I can't find it in any of the workshop manuals. Cheers Mike
Width of Herald Bonnet
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Posted By : Chris Taylor, 07-Nov-2006,
04:03pm
As you say, the measurement here is probably not critical because of the flex in the bonnet. More of an issue is getting the right profile of the rear
wing edge to match the door, and that can only really be adjusted when you have the bonnet on the car.
I don't have the measurement, and would suspect that the measurement from one car would not necessarily be the optimum for another, especially after
rebuilds and repairs done with differing panels, by different means and to differing standards!
I can suggest a number of ways forward:
Can you measure across the car. Difficult if the engine is still in the chassis, but if you can get a couple of vertical lines set up at the TOP of the
sills, you could measure under the chassis and engine.
You could try establishing the centre line of the bonnet (plumb lines etc) and measure the distance on the unrepaired side.
You could try and establish the thickness of the doors at the bottom and measure across the inside of the car and add the thickness of the two doors.
Problem here will be getting a tape measure across the gearbox if it is still in situ.
If you can get the bonnet truly level (either right way up or upside down), with plumblines or "set squares" of timber set on the floor you can measure
the "tumblehome" from the bottom of the wings (near the bonnet catches) to the wing/bonnet top joint which is a pretty fixed and rigid datum point.
Hope this helps!
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Posted By : Dan Owen, 08-Nov-2006,
10:19am
Other option is just to play around with it until it looks right. I also doubt, as Chris says, that there is any definitive measurement, certainly
not now if there ever was. Just be careful - I saw a Herald back in the summer that had obviously had work done on the bonnet or possibly replaced
with one off another car and it looked AWFUL - like it was far too narrow and also rather short, the gaps in front of the (rusty) doors had to be
seen to be believed!
Whatever you do be careful when you come to weld it - I'd say definitely best on the car even if that is slightly awkward - and just use a few tiny
spotwelds at first until you're happy with the fit. If it's very awkward it may even be an advantage to use a few nuts & bolts to let you
adjust it more easily before you commit yourself to welding it.
Good luck!
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Posted By : Mike Bewick, 08-Nov-2006,
11:20am
Thanks for your thoughts both of you. Thank God I didn't cut back to the leading edge of the bonnet!! At least I have an original edge to match
the doors up to.
I shall try measurements - and I have just thjought to include the requirements of the bonnet catches and then drop it on the car before I do
anything more to it.
Thanks again.