DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

I made a bonnet strut today as the gas struts were messing with the bonnet gap, and that’s priority!

There’s a magnet under the bonnet that holds the rod in place when it’s folded.

It’s a bit lower than with the struts, but does the job.




Gaps and profile back where they should be

What were the struts doing to the lines, lifting it near the bulkhead end?

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RobFrost wrote:What we're the struts doing to the lines, lifting it near the bulkhead end?

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Exactly that. The hinges were adjusted right down but the struts were so strong they flexed the hinge when fully closed.

This is the ‘before’

Car is looking fabulous Gary, lovely job!

I recently did this job on my 3.2 and discovered the same phenomenon. To have the struts in without lifting the rear of the bonnet, on each hinge I left the bottom bolt into the inner wing of three tightest with the other two loose, rotated the hinge to bring the front down a few degrees. This also moved the bonnet forward few mm so then I moved it back a touch at the two bonnet to hinge Allen bolts. I'm happier with the struts in because they damp the bonnet opening and closing, e.g. if the wind got under it or when it comes down towards your head due to gravity.

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RobFrost wrote:I recently did this job on my 3.2 and discovered the same phenomenon.

Me too. I weighed mine down at the top left corner with concrete blocks (on thick card) with spacers all around the bonnet, then climbed under the bonnet and nipped up the bolts. Mine is still raised slightly higher than the ideal height... Its almost as if new shocks are a couple of mm too long. Would I have done that with fresh paint on - heck no!

Viper1 is looking gooood ! (it is viper green right?)

Had just the same but way back on the car's first rebuild, so 1988. They were real Porsche struts, steel bonnet, the original.
Impossible to fix, raised corners, so removed them and use a DIY stay, bit like Gary's but not so posh. I arranged the geometry to give almost the same opening as with the strut asisters.

For the few times I raise the bonnet (about once a week/fortnight) it has never been an issue after 33 years ownership.

Been raining like mad here, did you turn the car round for the engine install?

It’s only posh as it’s got a rod end from a 90’s Cosworth F1 throttle linkage

Other than that it’s a steel tube from B&Q…

Horrible weather here as well and I’ve not quite finished the front lights, so once that’s done it’s time to spin the shell and have a major tidy up as I’ve got lots of empty parts boxes to skip.

Thanks to my Mum for sewing up the headlining today. Looks good so far!




Plenty of excess for fitting to the car.

Like that gary. You’ve got me wanting a black lin8ng in mine now

Gary .. your mum should set up shop along with JT parr .. him doing the wheel s, her doing the headlining . You going to get her to fit it too

Sunvisor experiment coming on. Going to take some pattern development and careful shaping of trim boards/scrim foam to make them largely crease free.



Sewed 1/2 the way around then a line of separate stitching that can be cross stitched together afterwards

Always wondered how to close off the top opening once the cover is in place, glue?
Om Moggie's electric program last night, an upholsterer did a pair for a Landie but never showed how he closed them off.

Charge was £200 the pair!
Good to tell the wife how much you have saved..

The top (closest to the roof) is open now but then plan is (once I’ve cut the boards foam etc) is to use the lines of heavy stitching you can just about see in the photo, and sew between them.

I’ll use two threads and two needles so you end up with a cross like you sometimes see on steering wheels. But it will be really small and the threads will pretty much pull together so won’t be obvious.

I need to work out the areas where the fittings go as that’s going to need some careful cutting the sewing.