Fibreglass panel repairer needed

Dean Dark ( snipped-for-privacy@comcast.notthis.net) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

You got a stalker, Steve?

I appear to have a collection at the moment.

The death threats will be emailed within days, I suspect.

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember snipped-for-privacy@italiancar.co.uk (SteveH) saying something like:

Lucky bastard; I never get any at all - I'm so looking forward to getting one too.

: Adrian wrote: : : > Dean Dark ( snipped-for-privacy@comcast.notthis.net) gurgled happily, sounding much like : > they were saying :

: > > Like I said. Your dad says so. We have the definitive answer to the : > > question. : > : > You got a stalker, Steve? : : I appear to have a collection at the moment. : : The death threats will be emailed within days, I suspect.

Depends. If your dad's bigger than his dad, maybe he'll run away.

Ian

Now you know why so many cars have bonnet straps. Don't forget to check the safety catch as well.

John

I'm simply agreeing with him. You can't argue with what his dad says, you know.

: : > Amusing sidenote. We gave the bonnet a close examination today. It has : > already been repaired, for the same damage in the same place. Time to : > replace the catch, I think ...

: Now you know why so many cars have bonnet straps. : Don't forget to check the safety catch as well.

Here's what happened - I know, because I was driving at the time. As far as I can tell, the stud on the "body" side of the right hand bonnet hinge (which is a Morris Minor boot hinge) undid itself and dropped into the car. Subsequent investigation showed that most of the nuts on the hinges were finger tight or loose - the car had just (I was collecting it) been restored by its previous owner, and I suspect he simply forgot to tighten them. When the hinge let go, the back right-hand corner of the bonnet lifted. This rotated the whole bonnet along an axis from left hand hinge to catch, which was enough to release the catch and then let the safety catch come out sideways from under the locking plate on the car. At this point the bonnet was held on only by the left hand hinge and things took a predictable course. All very interesting, as I was going round a fairly busy roundabout at the time...

Bonnet straps would look naff, but I think we might beef up the internal locking arrangements a tad ...

Ian