Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Bonnet strap

The buckle tore off the footman loop on the wing, so while making a new one with fresh leather I got to thinking that since the purpose of the bonnet strap is to hold the wings up, maybe it would be a good idea to strengthen it. I lined the inside of the loop that goes through the fixture on the wing with a piece of seatbelt inside the leather.

ummm.....I thought the idea behind the bonnet strap is to hold down the bonnet? I'm intrigued...any chance of posting a photo?

I thought everybody knew that the real job of the bonnet strap was to act as a kind of 'mobile Brillo pad' and scour the bonnet paint to b*ggery!

G

Been thinking about a Bonnet strap for recently aquired 4/4 lowline - assume strap IS to hold bonnet down (see posts)are they prone to springing up at speed - worried about my paint work (see other post) - to strap or not to strap?

If you do fit one, keep worrying about your paintwork!
Bonnets are not prone to springing open...

Cheers,

Never seen a bonnet spring up using genuine catches. The catch is actually from the original Ford popular, and is very simple and reliable. Some racing variants used much lighter over-centre clips and these were prone to coming undone, or rubber catches which broke, hence the strap. To my mind it's just a "period look" with no real function, and so to be avoided, which can actually cause damage to paintwork (very quickly if dusty/gritty).

Nigel

I have had lots of cars with bonnet catches ranging from Spitfires, Heralds, Vitesse and a Gloria and none including the Morgan has ever had a bonnet fly up when I had inadvertently left the bonnet catches undone. Wobble yes but fly up no.

However, I have put a dust sheet on a black car and even when stationery that left scratches.

My dealer advice when I bought my Morgan.... you spare the strap and dont spoil the paintwork.

So it's just for looks, in that case I'll go without, thanks for advice.

All the strap does is make the car go faster...well thats what I tell myself

Is there a strap that doesn't hurt the paint, like the sheeps wool versus felt?