Post Photobucket reboot from April 2010:This has not been high on my list of priorities, but I happened upon some anodised aluminium tube (8mm external diameter) in Wickes. Wickes keep a large range of steel & aluminium sections in stock. These tubes are 1metre long and under £4 each. So all I had to do was to prepare some end brackets. I don't want these to be permanently attached like the stainless items available from specialists already, it's just for garage use, so they don't have to be too well finished.
At the bottom end, a simple aluminium push on cover will locate the tube on the bonnet bracket, and at the top I've made a turned over fork which locates firmly on the centre nut. It's important that the stays can't be knocked out of place easily.
So first the templates................
This shows the lower bracket. The one on the left has been bent to shape. This is 1mm aluminium sheet.
Here are the top brackets, both turned over. The hole you can see is for attaching to the tube, but underneath is a larger hole which locates on the nut.
The brackets locate to the tubes with 6mm allen headed setscrews which are araldited in place. Here is the lower bracket over the top of the bonnet bracket. It's a good firm fit. The bracket is lined with 3mm neoprene, although it's not strictly necessary.
To get the right height it was necessary to take 8cm off each tube and bend slightly as is visible in the next picture. If the stays are too long the bonnets will touch.
This shows how the fork locates around the bonnet fastener.
And this shows how the larger hole clips over the nut for a good grip. I've filled the slot with neoprene now, but you wouldn't see the fitting had I done this before these photos.
Finally this shows that the bonnets are just right. There's about a quarter inch between them.
This job took about three hours and needed a bit of fettling along the way, but will be useful for working under the bonnet.
