Broken hood - ideas?

[Sheepdip]

Lifted the hood to put it up and one corner sort of waggled on its own, looks like where the front rail attaches to the side rails has broken off, next to a sort of rivet. Dug out an old hood, removed side seal and it looks like the front rail is attached to the side with a flat headed bolt or rivet which I can't move. I'm hoping if I can get the rivet out and retrive the broken part then can weld it up without removing the frame, although rather near the hood material! Attached couple of pics of the old hood showing the item.

DSC02801.JPGDSC02802.JPG

Anyone come across this before and successfully repaired it?

Cheers
Paul

[Bazstag]

This is a common fault, the front rail is fastened to the sides with a rivet, they're supposed to be able to move slightly for roof alignment. If you just weld the corner so there's no play, it'll just snap after time. You can make up another bend with a hole for the new rivet/bolt and weld it to the front rail or get another rail. I dont think the front rails are available anymore, Chris ( V mad) is posssibly the man to see.
Baz

[73stagman]

Lifted the hood to put it up and one corner sort of waggled on its own, looks like where the front rail attaches to the side rails has broken off, next to a sort of rivet. Dug out an old hood, removed side seal and it looks like the front rail is attached to the side with a flat headed bolt or rivet which I can't move. I'm hoping if I can get the rivet out and retrive the broken part then can weld it up without removing the frame, although rather near the hood material! Attached couple of pics of the old hood showing the item.


Anyone come across this before and successfully repaired it?

Cheers
Paul

I have two frames with the same break! Still to be fixed! Ideas very welcome. Was thinking along the same lines... ie take it apart remove the broken piece. Make new piece put back together! So simple to type so hard to do!

[V Mad]

The picture doesnt seem to show any break but if you say it has beroken then you need to remove the old rivet, and broken part then make a new part and weld it on. Alternatively remove the whole front section and swap it with a good one (or send it to me to fix).

[Sheepdip]

Hiya, thanks for replies. Didn't realise it was common problem, first I'd heard in my advanced years. The pictures were of my other hood, which is not broken just to show the rivet better. As you mentioned Baz that has a small amount of movement in it, I assumed it was wear! I was proposing removing the rivet, recovering the broken tag and welding that bit back onto its matching part, probably replacing rivet with a bolt. Chris, don't know how you do it but is that feasible without removing hood fabric? How is the leg attached to the front rail, can the leg be removed easily? In its current state it seems to hold together when erected, just need care. With a holiday planned was aiming for a simple temporary repair to tide me over teh summer.

Cheers

Paul

[jbuckl]

broken hood ideas

[QUOTE=Sheepdip;142924]Hiya, thanks for replies. Didn't realise it was common problem, first I'd heard in my advanced years. The pictures were of my other hood, which is not broken just to show the rivet better. As you mentioned Baz that has a small amount of movement in it, I assumed it was wear! I was proposing removing the rivet, recovering the broken tag and welding that bit back onto its matching part, probably replacing rivet with a bolt. Chris, don't know how you do it but is that feasible without removing hood fabric? How is the leg attached to the front rail, can the leg be removed easily? In its current state it seems to hold together when erected, just need care. With a holiday planned was aiming for a simple temporary repair to tide me over teh summer.

Cheers

The repair you suggest is possible. Seq:- Drill out a few of the rivets securing the seal holder......peel back the fabric.... remove old siezed rivet ....mask up....... prepare broken faces for welding ....weld up...grind down.....fit bolt & nyloc....lubricate.....re-rivet seal holder.

Have done a few this way and no further trouble arose.

If you have the stuff ready I.E. welder, drill, bolt & rivets it should be less than 1 hr

Atb

[Sheepdip]

Hi Atb (isn't that Julian?), thanks for reply - sounds exactly what I was thinking and reassures me feasible - fantastic! Had visions of removing hood and completely b******* it up. Played with the other hood yesterday so understand removing seal and the plate below. The only bit I couldn't see was whether the leg would simply drop out of the side arm when rivet removed but presume it does. When you repair it, do you remove the hood from car? Just hassle and realignement. Also when I took the side seal out was quite difficult, do you end up replacing it?

Cheers

Paul

[jbuckl]

Atb = All the best!

I have only repaired the hoods in situ.

Carefully drill the rivet out of the front rail. (I used a couple of sizes of carbide drills dia 3mm & 8mm iirc)

The side seal slid out and in easily.(but there were different types supplied over the years hard/soft & original was hard and soft)

All the best
Julian

[Sheepdip]

Brilliant, thanks Julian, will let you know how I get on. Now to find a few wet towels to cover the roof.

Cheers

Paul

[Sheepdip]

Hi Julian, had a look yesterday on the car and after removing seal and strip can see what you mean, looks fairly easy and better in situ as all held together. Plan to do at w/e after mot! - a silly question but your experience appreciated, what did you use to cover the car with while welding (I'm using mig)? Can just see a load of old blankets catching fire.....

Cheers

Paul

[jbuckl]

Theres often a water filled plant sprayer to hand when welding.
Sometimes a fire watcher if available.
I think a heavy curtain was used for the last hood / screen masking but domestic fabric is not ideal. The burn marks did look attractive when they were put back up
Btw the hood was only 4-5" open when I did the repairs.
The best thing for seeing whats going on is an automatic welding mask.... got one on special for £30+vat

Perhaps if the blankets are sprayed with water first?

It is only a small amount of welding, so its only the spatter and sparks not the build up of heat.

Take care of the seat and windscreen too.
Atb
Julian

[Sheepdip]

Hi Julian, managed to get the side rail off this evening with all the knackered screws, drilled rivet out and was suprised to see the broken tang is hardly bigger than a thick washer, no meat on it all, surprised it lasted the years. Do you weld the old bit back on or make a new part up? Its about 8.5mm thick, nearest I have in one piece is 7.5 + a washer I guess.


Paul
Cheers

[Dieter H. Marschall]

Hello Paul,

Would you have pictures?

Kind regards,
Dieter.

[Sheepdip]

Hi Dieter, sorry saw your mail afterwards, sorry no photos but did the work today, wasn't quite an hour job (more like 3!). Took ages to get the side rail off (tight and sheared bolts). Suprised the tag was so small but reused it, difficult to get round it to weld back on securely, a hail storm didn't help either! Loaded it with weld and carefully ground away and looks good, at least until I have to recover the roof.

Cheers

Paul