30 replies to this topic

[GreaseMonkey]

^^ Sounds reasonable enough to me.

[Mini 360]

As ever, people don't take the time to contact the company to come to a resolution.  Much rather they did that than spout off how bad it is without getting the companys take on it first.  It's a shame as running a niche business like Bens isn't easy and to get a bad review can be incredibly damaging to a brand.

[antcole]

As ever, people don't take the time to contact the company to come to a resolution.  Much rather they did that than spout off how bad it is without getting the companys take on it first.  It's a shame as running a niche business like Bens isn't easy and to get a bad review can be incredibly damaging to a brand.

[antcole]

The bonnets are not strong enough to handle the flex caused by the added stiffness of the struts.
I bought these without any thought that they would require an additional stiffener installing. There was no mention of it actually.
As for the product, it is a brilliant retrofit and perfect if you add some form of stiffening addition before installation.
As it happens, my bonnet is a genuine Heritage part and was brand new.
Ive only noticed the kink in it since it suddenly weakened causing the side edge to bulge outwards and chip the wing. I hadnt noticed it slowly deforming, and since the car in in the middle of restoration, the bonnet has been opened and closed a lot.
Luckily, its not had the full paint job yet and only the 2k primer is cracked at the edge..... still doesnt help, because its going to have to be rubbed right back and re-primed.
As for 'spouting' defamatory comments, ive done no such thing.
The product is great, but its too stiff for an unmodified bonnet.

[Mini 360]

I bought these without any thought that they would require an additional stiffener installing. There was no mention of it actually.

Sorry but they are mentioned quite clearly on their site on the same page as the hinges themselves (link below).  You say the product is great, which is true but your original post says that you wasted your money on it.  To me that says you think its crap, hence my initial post.

 

Hope you come to some form of resolution to the problem.  I would buy the stiffener kit from their site - http://minivation.ne.../mkiii-onwards/  Its two along from the hinges I presume you bought.

Edited by Mini 360, 04 August 2016 - 08:43 AM.

[tiger99]

The web site could be better organised, however the information about modern thin bonnets buckling is there so I think they are being scrupulously honest about their products. The price looks quite reasonable too, for something made in small quantities from stainless steel.

Not sure about bonding in the stiffners with the special tape. The principle is ok but will people manage to do it successfully at home? Cleanliness is one of several potential problems. But other fixing methods are possible, so not a show stopper.

Just how THIN are the current generation of bonnets? The originals were of course 0.9mm which is why I have never had trouble, except with the one that flew open at a highly illegal speed, due to a wrongly adjusted catch. But I would be far from happy with anything thinner, so next time it may have to be composite.

[antcole]

If my post is ill founded, then get it pulled. Its a forum..... a public forum.
Im not looking for any compensation, i simply vented some steam when a brand new bonnet and primer were damaged.
If the stiffener was in the kit as part of it then im sure the problem wouldnt have materialised.
As ive said, its a good bit of kit.... but that doesnt help me now does it...
So.... if youre not happy with my opinion, get the post pulled.

[sonikk4]

VHB tape is quite forgiving cleanliness wise although the IPA wipes should be more than enough to clean the area providing the paint is good.

 

We use a very similar product in Aviation and once its on its a bugger to remove. I still have a reel of it in my garage cabinet and its gets used for some odd jobs around the house and has stayed the test of time.

[Carlos W]

If my post is ill founded, then get it pulled. Its a forum..... a public forum.
Im not looking for any compensation, i simply vented some steam when a brand new bonnet and primer were damaged.
If the stiffener was in the kit as part of it then im sure the problem wouldnt have materialised.
As ive said, its a good bit of kit.... but that doesnt help me now does it...
So.... if youre not happy with my opinion, get the post pulled.

 

You're entitled to your opinion.

[Davidmt]

Sorry for another thread revival but I found this conversation after fitting struts to my own car this week.  I have a simple pair of small struts attached the inner wing and then fastened to the bonnet hinge using a simple bolt on bracket.  Should I now be concerned that my bonnet will now start to deform or was that specific to later models and just the vertical kits?

 

 20231204_143723.jpg   79.9K   6 downloads

[sonikk4]

Sorry for another thread revival but I found this conversation after fitting struts to my own car this week. I have a simple pair of small struts attached the inner wing and then fastened to the bonnet hinge using a simple bolt on bracket. Should I now be concerned that my bonnet will now start to deform or was that specific to later models and just the vertical kits?

20231204_143723.jpg

Now I’m not an expert on this but having a set of minivation articulated hinges fitted on my clubby I had issues with the rear of the bonnet sitting high. You could push it down and it would sit flush. However not ideal so Ben put out with a modification which moved the dampers fwd in the bay and this stopped the lifting.

If you look at Project Paddy in my signature roughly three quarters of the way through you will see the new position. Now looking at yours, you have them right at the rear which will cause the lifting as mentioned. However the Clubby bonnet is way stronger than the round nose and is far less prone to distortion.

[Steam]

If it aint broke don't try to fix it. It takes 2 seconds to pop the bonnet and use the prop. Worked for 50 odd years no problems.
So tell me why would want to fit a gs strut at all?

[stuart bowes]

for mine I've made hinges that open slightly further than standard because I'm more than 3 foot tall and don't like stooping down all the time .. so for mine I am definitely interested in gas struts, instead of either lengthening the bonnet stay, or repositioning the stay bracket

 

you can get struts with an allen key to gradually let gas out until they're just at that perfect strength to hold but not be too hard to compress.  and I plan to weld in some strengthening as well

 

the other option would have been just some sort of completely removable bonnet I guess but then you've got to put it down somewhere without it getting damaged

Edited by stuart bowes, 07 December 2023 - 10:04 AM.

[IronmanG]

for mine I've made hinges that open slightly further than standard because I'm more than 3 foot tall and don't like stooping down all the time .. so for mine I am definitely interested in gas struts, instead of either lengthening the bonnet stay, or repositioning the stay bracket

you can get struts with an allen key to gradually let gas out until they're just at that perfect strength to hold but not be too hard to compress. and I plan to weld in some strengthening as well

the other option would have been just some sort of completely removable bonnet I guess but then you've got to put it down somewhere without it getting damaged

Did you make your own articulated hinges then?

I like the idea but maybe a hinged stay for extra length rather than gas struts would be better?

[stuart bowes]

yeah :) https://www.theminif...ild-998/page-17

 

still not proven to work yet, possible the wiper motor position might need adjusting and how far it opens before hitting the wipers is another question .. but every extra few degrees of movement helps I guess (with nothing in the way, 40 degrees extra by my measurement)

 

to be fair a hinged or sliding/latching extendable stay is one of the options in mind still ..  if I can find or make one that doesn't look like it comes from a meccano set, appearance-wise a pair of gas struts does look much better, and access from both sides is easier without a big metal rod in the way.. although it's not like the bonnet area is that big unlike the volvo where I actually have to walk from one side round to the other to reach bits

Edited by stuart bowes, 07 December 2023 - 12:35 PM.