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May 16, 2012 7:21 pm
May 16, 2012 7:21 pm
Subject: LR 126 Bonnet release assembly
If you want to spend a day having fun with your car, may I recommend trying to open a bonnet, when the bonnet release does not work. This is actually a common problem on all the DB cars, and just pulling the bonnet release on the dash-board and nothing happening is a good sign of a few problems behind the dash board.
Christian on his restoration postings has shown in the car with dash-board removed, which shows the bonnet lever / hinge assembly. I have also shown a few pictures of lower part of assembly
Once both passenger and drivers side access panels are removed - straight-forward, but expect a jumble of different screws, things become easier.
Next remove the radio, 4 screws hold it in place and the bonnet release mechanism becomes a little easier to access.
The mechanism is simple. At the bottom is the rod coming through from the dash-board, which is attached to the bottom of the hinge pin, with a slip washer and nut, and then tensioned with a spring.
The hinge pin was rusted solid, no possibility to free it. So managed to remove the rod and spring mechanism attached to base of hinge pin. This should have bneen held on with a nut and slip washer, nut was loose, but this small piece of plate which should turn with the hinge pin was rusted solid to it. Took a good while to release off the hinge pin, in one piece thankfully.
Then spent the next few hours spraying WD40 onto the two bolts which held the 3 inch long hinge to the back of the heater box.
At 5.00, I finally gently pulled the hinge plate towards me, and what a sweet sound it is when a bonnet opens after ca. 40 years.
Looks like this has been a problem before, since the chrome handled bonnet release does not look original. I can't understand why they didn't make the hinge pin a a slightly looser fit, probably was until water seeped in and rusted it solid.
Will look to see next, how I can detach rod (which goes through bulkhead into engine bay) from the top of hinge pin, remove the hinge and then either knock out pin or drill it out. I suspect that the top rod, is also held onto the hinge pin with a nut and washer. That will be fund to remove, if at all possible, with dash-board all in place.
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If you want to spend a day having fun with your car, may I recommend trying to open a bonnet, when the bonnet release does not work. This is actually a common problem on all the DB cars, and just pulling the bonnet release on the dash-board and nothing happening is a good sign of a few problems behind the dash board.
Christian on his restoration postings has shown in the car with dash-board removed, which shows the bonnet lever / hinge assembly. I have also shown a few pictures of lower part of assembly
Once both passenger and drivers side access panels are removed - straight-forward, but expect a jumble of different screws, things become easier.
Next remove the radio, 4 screws hold it in place and the bonnet release mechanism becomes a little easier to access.
The mechanism is simple. At the bottom is the rod coming through from the dash-board, which is attached to the bottom of the hinge pin, with a slip washer and nut, and then tensioned with a spring.
The hinge pin was rusted solid, no possibility to free it. So managed to remove the rod and spring mechanism attached to base of hinge pin. This should have bneen held on with a nut and slip washer, nut was loose, but this small piece of plate which should turn with the hinge pin was rusted solid to it. Took a good while to release off the hinge pin, in one piece thankfully.
Then spent the next few hours spraying WD40 onto the two bolts which held the 3 inch long hinge to the back of the heater box.
At 5.00, I finally gently pulled the hinge plate towards me, and what a sweet sound it is when a bonnet opens after ca. 40 years.
Looks like this has been a problem before, since the chrome handled bonnet release does not look original. I can't understand why they didn't make the hinge pin a a slightly looser fit, probably was until water seeped in and rusted it solid.
Will look to see next, how I can detach rod (which goes through bulkhead into engine bay) from the top of hinge pin, remove the hinge and then either knock out pin or drill it out. I suspect that the top rod, is also held onto the hinge pin with a nut and washer. That will be fund to remove, if at all possible, with dash-board all in place.
Attachments: