TR2/3/3A How's this sound3A

[davjac889]

A friend down south told me he leaves the bonnet unfastened
on his TR3, only uses the latch to keep it in place, and what a
difference that makes in keeping the engine cool.
I'm thinking about trying it.
Thoughts?

 

[mrv8q]

I'd be too scared to try it. I was working on my '55 BelAir Sport Coupe many years ago, and had the hood fly up and over. Thankfully ripped out the hinges, didn't block the windshield. Wouldn't want to come close to replicating that again. The latch on the '3 is not that stout...

 

[NutmegCT]

Maybe a cooler engine, but hit a bump and the latch disengages and - it just may ruin your day.

eek

 

[M_Pied_Lourd]

Not something that I would be comfortable doing....

 

[Jesus]

Aside from extremely dangerous (please don’t do it), in some countries here in Europe that would be obviously illegal...

 

[luke44]

A friend down south told me he leaves the bonnet unfastened on his TR3, only uses the latch to keep it in place, and what a difference that makes in keeping the engine cool. I'm thinking about trying it. Thoughts?

An accident waiting to happen....

 

[bertl]

Hope your insurance is paid up, I inadvertently forgot to lock mine down on my first TR3. While driving the bonnet came off, ripped off the hinges, hit the windshield and managed to hit the car behind me. So if you like excitement in your driving go ahead ......

 

[NutmegCT]

Looks like the consensus is "don't do it".

I've fortunately never had an overheating problem in my TR. Actually found from several references here on BCF that (1) the cardboard shroud needs to be in place around the radiator, and (2) some of the later replacement front grill units had abnormally small air passages.

If all else fails - I guess you could completely remove the bonnet.

Tom

 

[CJD]

Take your camera when you do it!

 

[smdichter]

I have had the bent, bloodied, and bruised original bonnet off my '59 TR3A in a storage closet since 1977 from an experience like this. Fortuntately, I had a spare body parts car so could use the bonnet off that car pluse the windscreen, since the original windscreen was bent shattered when the bonnet let loose at no more than 5mph. Did I mention that I did this about an hour after the car came home from the paint shop, where it was completely repainted? Must have left that out. You can get some nice lift under that bonnet, sort of like a wing.If you really want to run the car with the bonnet slightly open - for cooling purposes I suppose - use the p[egs with the keys in them and raise the assembly a few inches. I installed a six bladed yellow fan off a TR6, an aluminum radiator and a therostatically controlled electric pusher fan above the added on oil cooler in front of the radiator ( a good idea in "warm" climes). I live in Phoenix, where it was a frosty 112 degrees today and the car ran fine.

 

[MDCanaday]

My brother needed a jump start one dark night back in the 70's. I neglected to re-fasten the duz
fasteners when I got him going and sped off into the night for about 2 blocks.The hood snapped off both hinges,
smashed the windscreen so badly there was just a small triangle you could see through, and nearly knocked me
senseless.All in a micro second, I literally saw stars. The odd thing was that the bonnet was only lightly
damaged and I fastened it back on and limped home with my aching head out the door to see.
MD(mad dog)

 

[CJD]

The experiences could have been shared so much better if you guys only had a camera at the time....there's still hope he'll try it, though!!