My original XK140 OTS Bonnet has some shape issues, so I purchased an unaltered replacement Bonnet. My cars main body has never been damaged or restored. This Bonnet fits perfect on my car accept most of one side is approx. 1/8" wider then the main body interface point. This is installed with the Bonnet centered between hinge points. Luckily, at least the areas beside Grill & aft Bulkhead-Hinge area match up. I don’t know if this is typical amount of dimensional variation, between all Bonnets. I’m wondering if someone else has been down this path. Aluminum is easy to shrink/stretch, but must be done right. I have quit a bit of metal forming experience, but I wouldn’t want to attempt working this panel without good advice. I don’t know of any metal forming experts close to me for advice or to turn this project over to them.
I have more than one XK-140, including one that even works most of the time. I was thinking 1/8 inch on the bonnet was pretty good by XK-140 standards. Given how the bonnet works on an XK-140, I am surprised it is even visually noticeable. If it were mine I would leave it alone, and put it down as one of the many eccentricities in 1950’s English cars.
Rod
Bearing in mind these are largely handmade cars what you’re describing is not unusual. If you seek a perfect fit it’s a matter of either tweaking the bonnet to fit the steel bodywork or vice versa. In my experience it’s easier to change the shape of the steel.
Hi Brad,
All of the above plus my experience with the 120…
Firstly, depends what stage your car is up to - If its finished then forget it, adjust the hinges for best fit and thats all you can do - 1/2 of 1/8=1/16 which is probably as good as you can expect.
If still doing metal with a repaint on the far horizon, then you can make some tweaks incl. to the front wing with lead as Nick said. My bonnet (not correct for the car) was a terrible fit. I, with the help of an experienced XK workshop, managed to manipulate it using ratchet straps to hold position, some heating, timber blocks and some “persuasion” taking the form of hammers of various weights and slide hammer.
Last photo has gratuitous “Cat content” but not only shows very well the repair and file-work to the bonnet but also the lead-work to the fender. End result is in my opinion very good, but not perfect.
Hi Brad
Great looking front end on your 120. Did you put in the 4 rows of louvres or whoever did may have deformed the overall bonnet shape whilst doing so without realising?
I am contemplating louvres in my 140 but I do not believe they were every factory standard but apparently it helps air flow and improve cooling.
Good to see use of term bonnet used as I thought “hood” was the word in USA!!
regards
Geoffrey
Here is a photo of the louver locations on my XK-140FHC. I thought they were factory, but if not they were very well done.
Yes very nice, a better grouping of 4 louvre sections from an appearance point of view. I see you had a page from the Viart book 120 Explored in your previous second photo. The version of 140 Explored that I have shows no louvres in any of the three body variants chapters so I am of the opinion that Jaguar did not offer them as standard nor as a factory option.
Geoffrey LONDON UK
AFAIK, no XK came from the factory with a louvered bonnet.
Well maybe one or 2
XK140 roadster factory car used for aerodynamic testing with tufts of wool had lourves and the Gable car in theory got them done by factory?
One or two would be the exception: other than that, I think my observation still stands, in the main.
The four rows of louvers I believe were done post factory some time ago (probably decades), but not by me. They are done very well and the centre stiffener was removed and re-welded to do them, thats likely a cause of the deformation. Let me also say, hand sanding all 94 of them several times is an absolute nightmare!!!
Dave.
Maybe this thread helps on the fitment of the bonnet?
Any car that spent more than a couple of hours in the greater Los Angeles area in the 1950’s could have been louvered between breakfast and lunch.