Bonnet Opening on road..

[stephenpolhill]

Well this is great, my own Moggy broke down (headgasket/ignition etc problems) on Friday on the way to Thetford for the weekend so I'm missing her and today on the way from Bedford doing 65, the bonnet on the project moggy blew open. Admittedly I didn't close it properly...
Fortunately yards away from a layby I looked through the gap and pulled in. Two snapped hinges, a big dent and I had to pull the brace off . I have pushed the dent out again so thats not too bad.

Nothing like a bit of car problems to make you want to sell all classics you own!

Instead of a new car, I will take her to the best Moggy place around (in Ely ;)) to have a once over.

[chrisryder]

bonnets really shouldn't come open. they've got a safety catch even if you didn't push it shut all the way. i'd check to make sure you've got a catch there. and if so, that it's little spring is functioning properly!

sorry to hear of your misfortune. don't let it get you down!

you're still not paying road tax

[bmcecosse]

Can't blame the car(s) for your own failings..... Not closing the bonnet is a basic mistake. And as above - the safety catch should have held it. You are lucky not to have a smashed screen/dented roof -or indeed for the bonnet to have blown right over the top and caused an accident as it could have hit another car - or caused other traffic to swerve and have their own accidents. You could well have been charged with careless driving. If in any doubt about bonnet fixing in future - fit rally style straps to secure it........

[stephenpolhill]

Yep. But mistakes are learnt from.
Only the bonnet is damaged, and a few scratches on the wings but hey ho.

[stephenpolhill]

And with my car, she's been looked after, just doesn't like something. I love it to bits, just hate it when it doesn't work. Classic motoring

[chrisryder]

rally-style straps are still only any good if you remember to do them up.

one of the race cars at uni had a nasty dent in the roof, a scrap bonnet, and a smashed windscreen because somebody forgot to fit the pins. and somebody else forgot to check that the pins were there!

[minor65]

Whilst on holiday one year I called into the 'best moggy place in Ely' and Ian had a minor in at that time with the same problem as yours.

[kjm]

The same thing happened to me about 10 years ago with our first Minor, I had stopped off at a garage for petrol and also opened the bonnet intending to check the oil after , but forgot when a queue started and i moved on only for the bonnet to lift down the road , it lifted up onto the windscreen , breaking hinges and denting it , from memory the swan neck catch had been broken , some fellow club members sorted it for me very kindly .
As in life you learn from experience , enjoy your car.

[stephenpolhill]

Glad to know I'm not the only one. I learn and move on. We're still trying to sort my green one! Runs but misfires and sounds bad. I'll get magic Ely man if I can't sort it

[bmcecosse]

If you really can't trust yourself to remember to close the bonnet - you could fit a micro switch and a warning light.........

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

This also happened me once...... The car hadnt been out for weeks and I had to start it on the handle, obviously I didnt shut the bonnet properly and had driven about 5 miles when the bonnet blew up at 50mph A scary experience. It broke both hinges and bent the bonnent crossmeber, but thankfully that was the only damage. It also happened Bert but completely detached from the car and ended up on the road behind him, happily a nice quiet road......

[stephenpolhill]

I can trust myself it was just the one time I forgot. I definately check it everytime now. David, that's the damage on ours and the bonnet is pushed in a tiny bit but not serious is what i'd say. I'm missing driving a classic but in this rain, its good to know the Honda won't rust as much. ;)

[robberred1993]

My spring was too weak and it popped open, luckily it caught on the safety catch, made me realise the necessity to maintain the Bonnet catches, and all catches on my Morris