MGB & GT Forum

Today's drive didn't go very well! Driving around for a few hours giving it a good run. Just came off the highway and just got up to around 60km/hr when I hit a bump on the road and I'm suddenly staring at the hood!

Couldn't close the hood/bonnet so had to get a friend to come and help me take it off and carry it back home

Hood looks shot, its all bent at the back. But I think the biggest thing that saved me and a lot more damage to the car is the gas hood struts I put in last year. If it wasn't for those the hood would have folded right over and smashed the windscreen and my head!!!



Will be calling the insurance company tomorrow. Hopefully it'll be covered. I have $200 deductible

Bummer! A nice day spoiled.

Just tell people you are running without a bonnet to test out your new race engine!

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member - Emerald Necklace MG Register,
NAMGBR member #1-263
infantry RVN 1969,
Grunt 1/20th inf. 11th BDE, Americal Division

Sorry to see that George

Glad you weren't hurt. Your story can serve as a reminder to us all to be careful. It's a good reminder to the rest of us to:

1. Make sure the release handle fully retracts after releasing the hood.
2. Thoroughly lubricate the release mechanism at the latch.
3. Make sure both the primary and secondary latches are properly adjusted and engage correctly.
4. Close the hood firmly by pressing on the sides as shown in the John Twist video.
5. ALWAYS pull up on the hood after closing to be sure it is firmly latched.


I follow these rules without exception. I have a 1969 MGC roadster that underwent the same mishap by the PO. The bonnet may be salvageable but it will be expensive. So much so that the accident occurred in 1981 and the car sat in a barn, unfixed, until I bought it 2 years ago. Original MGC bonnets are made mostly of unobtanium.

I'm guessing that you have an aluminum bonnet. They are getting pretty rare these days too.

Good luck

So the latch just completely failed? Wow. I'm glad you are okay.

I'd be interested in finding out how and why so I can check mine. Was there any warning? Hood vibrating? Damaged latch?

Edit: Thanks for your post, David. I didn't see it before I posted. Scary!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2017-04-30 08:39 PM by Gary G.

I'm not sure what happened. Everything looks OK and aligned. I haven't touched any of the latched in years! I know the hood cable sometimes sticks open, but when it does the hood won't stay closed and it keeps popping up.

That bonnet looks salvageable. But probably cheaper to replace. I'd replace and sell it on eBay as "slightly used".

This happened to me back in the early 90s. Hood opened up on the highway while I was doing 70-75mph. Opened faster than the shutter of a camera. Steel hood folded over the windshield and smacked me in the head good. I had to stick my head out the side to see enough to get over to the shoulder. The windshield was fine. I found a nice aluminum hood to replace it in just a couple of days.

I am curious as to why the safety catch did not engage... It is pretty much "pre-engaged" at all times if adjusted properly. Did it tear off or something? Can't see the underside of the bonnet in your pictures. 60 KPH should not be a factor. Mine popped open years ago at speed and the latch did it's job.

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Those who confuse Burro and Burrow don't know their @ss from a hole in the ground...

In my case, at 60mph/100kmh the safety catch prevented the bonnet from raising further than a few centimeters. I wonder why yours did not work.

After my experience I not only re-adjusted the primary catch, renewed its pullback spring, but also replaced all parts of the secondary latch by a full stainless steel set from an UK specialist
Safety fast

In 1982 I was driving a Datsun pickup and making a delivery from Amarillo Tx to Dumas Tx I was probably traveling around 75 Mph when my hood blew up. Folded the hood, busted the windshield and caved in the cab, and ruined a perfectly good pair of jeans when I crapped my pants. You were a fortunate man, with no more damage than you had. You are correct, the gas struts probably saved your car.

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There is a big difference between stupidity and ignorance and logic.
Ignorance is not knowing how to disarm a bomb.
Stupidity is doing it anyway.
Logic is running like hell.

A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step.

Billy



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017-05-01 06:19 AM by Billyjoe.

Happened to me on my GT, about 50 MPH. Must be something about the design but mine too only ruined the hood? Much worse then yours.

glad it wasn't worse!

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1974-1/2 Roadster, "Bumble Bee", Corvette Yellow - in shambles, wire wheels
1976 Roadster, "Virus", Sandglow - "driver" condition (stock + 32/36 Weber DGEV, cast iron header, 25D distributor), bolt on wheels, ON the road!

Bummer. Strange that the safety latch failed. Upon repair make sure that the latch catches the bar at its deepest point. I just replaced mine with the SS kit. Nice kit and bling.

I also run with a bra so that would never happen to me.

Bonnet looks repairable. I've seen much worse recovered.

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GEO

It seems like you have some extra holes on the underside of your hood. Did you do that?

Why, yes I did. I've got "extra" holes all over my cars and motorcycles, and bicycles for that matter.

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GEO