Hi
Has anyone attempted to fit lightweight front and rear trunk lids WITHOUT the GT bonnet pins? if so, we're any additional reinforcements required / did the panels lift at speed?

May be that the pins are a total necessity but I'm looking to fit them to a standard road car and don't like the look of them.

Thanks

Chris

try a flush hood pin system. These guys are even on your side of the pond.
http://www.aerocatch.com/

They make the trunk lids (bonnets?) in various thicknesses and weights

the really light weight skins will need pins

the heavier fiberglass panels with reinforcement webbing have the ability to bolt on to factory hinges and use factory latches without pins

thanks for your replies. The Aero catch is a great idea but too modern for my tastes. I'd rather go with the old style pins if I have to.

Attached pics are the repro panels. I just think they will flex in the wind without the pins...

Both "bonnets" on my car are re-enforced fiber glass. I used the regular hinges and latches for them both with no problems.

pretty panels!

does the front bonnet have the threaded insert for the hood hinges made in?

if so it likely was designed to be adequate...
but best to call the manufacture and ask them about their experience with or without pins....

would you call that bonnet on your car or more of a fuselage?

Elliot Cannon, i'd be interested to see the underside of your panels to see how they compare to mine. Do the corners not flap at all at speed ?

Also as you might see from the photos, the centre section of the frame isn't bonded to the outer skin. This needs to be rectified to give the panel more rigidity - not quite sure how to do this and may need to get the supplier to rectify.

Brant, yes the threaded insert is already cast into the fibreglass frame.

Chris

Bonnet is british for hood.
Bonnet in clothing is a girls hat or covering, most machines, ships, etc are referred to as feminine, "She's a good ship".
So car = female, hood = covering, therefore bonnet.

Now....figure what "Boot" means and how it relates to a car and a bonnet.
...and why a 914 has two boots.

The fear of not running hood pins is at high speed the composite hood could flex and bow down causing the possibility of the hood striker latch to become disengaged. It has a safety catch, but if the hood flexed enough it might not work causing the hood to fly open. I heard the factory GT cars at Le Mans would completely flatten out at speed even with the balsa wood reinforcements.

Those panels look really nice ! Where did you get them? ? ? ?

They look like Martin and Walker panels to me. http://technic-motorsport.com

Very good quality and sensible prices and probably what I will use on my car

And this is what happens when the hood pins are not put in properly......disclaimer this was the POs work at Spa about 10 years ago. He lost the hood onto the windscreen, picked up another car on the drivers side and then Armco on passenger side

Click to view attachmentClick to view attachment

Are original hood springs the issue ? creating gaps that allow air under the sides of the hood ?

I had an aftermarket fiberglass front bonnet that was a tad short up front. It had a bit of a gap that the wind could catch. One day at very high speeds with a strong headwind, the wind forces overpowered the fiberglass threaded inserts holding the OEM front latch. D'OH! After that, I went to pins

Not all bonnet lids are created equal. Many are better, some worse. In addition to adding hood pins after my "accident", I also added some metal threaded inserts to the fiberglass core. Solid!

Chris, where did you get yours from? Jon

Jon

they are Martin & Walker panels. They are good, but i dont like the fact that in the middle part of the bonnet & boot lids, the frame isnt attached to the outer skin - just doesnt seem right - even if they are the same type of construction as the originals.

As others seem to testify, pins seems the 'belt & braces' solution but I'm just not keen on those pins...

Chris