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Aluminum bonnet question and dilemma

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hottvr

Jedi Warrior
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Stripped the paint from the top of the aluminum bonnet I found in a junkyard. The majority of the dings popped out except for ones I couldn't get to. Is there a way to fix the middle of the nose where you push down to make it latch? It is pushed in. Do I have to use filler to repair this? Do I need special primer for aluminum?
I get the feeling it's going to look good but not great when I'm done. The dilemma is : do I put it on the car I'm restoring (78 B)(not concourse but nice) or put it on my beater 77 B that I don't have plans of fixing up too much but could use a new bonnet because it's bent in the front. Or should I put it on EBAY?
I have a new hood for the car I'm restoring but would like an aluminum hood on it.
Just looking for opinions
Thanks
Rick
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Mine has a dent right there as well. Wanna make a trade? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

How rare are aluminum hoods? How much lighter are they?
 
It surprised me how much lighter it is. I carried it with 2 fingers to the counter with the other hand full of parts.
Rick
 
It probably would crease if someone tried to close it with the hood prop up. Can anyone speak from experience?
Rick
 
Then again, the stock hoods aren't much better. Even my otherwise cherry Midget has two small dimples and chips from exactly what you mentioned. Then again, Moss sells those nice lift cylinders...
 
As many of you know, I offer gas charged struts for the MGB bonnet and bootlid, as well as the GT hatch through "Pieces of Eight!". (Mine were on the market before Moss and the other boys.)

I will NOT sell a set of my struts for use on an aluminum bonnet, as the pressure [laced against the bonnet by the struts when attempting to pull it closed may well end up with a bonnet that is folded in half.
 
rick_ingram said:
I will NOT sell a set of my struts for use on an aluminum bonnet, as the pressure [laced against the bonnet by the struts when attempting to pull it closed may well end up with a bonnet that is folded in half.
Click to expand...

I assumed as much. Is the aluminum used for the bonnet any thinner than the stock unit?
 
Personally, I'd sell it to someone with an earlier car who wants to keep it authentic, and use the proceeds to buy a perfect steel one.
 
I do have a new one (still in the box) for the restoration, just kicking around opinions like that good one.
Thanks
Rick
 
Aluminum is much tougher to repair than steel. I sold one with a similar dent and some other damage for $50 and was glad to get rid of it.

Aluminum hoods are far lighter, but not nearly as strong. I have one of each and have no issues with either except that the steel one bothers me when I raise it being so much heavier than it needs to be. If you use aluminum, make sure your latch is perfectly adjusted. At high speeds, aluminum hoods have been known to bulge upward from wind pressure and let loose!
 
There's no advantage to use an aluminum hood on a street car. Once painted, no one knows you even have one but you. If your building a race car or possibly a concourse car that came with one, then I think it would be practical. Their tough to restore. JMHO. PJ
 
PAUL161 said:
There's no advantage to use an aluminum hood on a street car. Once painted, no one knows you even have one but you. If your building a race car or possibly a concourse car that came with one, then I think it would be practical. Their tough to restore. JMHO. PJ
Click to expand...

What about weight savings? That was my first thought.
 
If you have a good ally one at your desposal, then I would fit it. They are not getting any easier to locate, and at some point you may want one and then have to pay through the nose for it.
You can tell the difference when you raise the bonnet.
Cheers, David.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]There's no advantage to use an aluminum hood on a street car. Once painted, no one knows you even have one but you.[/QUOTE]
It isn't about showing off that you have an aluminum hood, it's about power to weight. That's why MGAs have aluminum hoods, trunk lids and doors. And I suppose an aluminum hood is easier to raise and lower also. Might even dampen sound better. But there is nothing wrong with a steel hood either.
 
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If 10 to 15 pounds on a hood is going to make a difference in the everyday performance of a street vehicle, as per power to weight ratio, I would definitely get the engine overhauled.
 
These things add up. You can easily drop 100 pounds from a standard car, and that is noticeable. Someone here (was it Tony Barnhill?) shaved a ton of weight from a GT. Heck, I know people who leave their spare tire at home just to save weight in a sports car. Every bit counts!

Of course if you're just driving along the freeway you will most likely not notice it. But I assume most MG owners avoid freeways in favor of more challenging routes. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
Anyone know if I need special primer for the bonnet. Also, is the only way to repair the nose of the hood (the raised part where you push down) with filler?
Rick
 
Charlotte (my B) has no interior (aside from seats) out of necessity. Of course, I lie and say it's for weight savings... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif
 
hottvr said:
Anyone know if I need special primer for the bonnet. Also, is the only way to repair the nose of the hood (the raised part where you push down) with filler?
Rick
Click to expand...

Rick, you can get the recess out of the hood with a curved piece of flat stock, rounded off so there are no sharp corners. Then you will probably have to shrink the metal back to it's original position because more than likely it's stretched a little. You have to do this with the heat and quick cooling method. Heat with a commercial heat gun or torch and shrink with a wet cold rag. This is why I hate working with aluminum. It has a very narrow heat range. There is a special filler that works better on aluminum than Bondo. As far as priming is concerned, use an aircraft primer. PJ
 
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