XK120 front chin install

Hi, I was wondering if any of you august folks have replaced the metal “chin” area that is under the bonnet when closed and continues its lines to the bottom of the car? If so, I would like to know any tips you might have as far as measuring, attaching and fitting, in general of this item.

TIA, Brian

I’ve done it. Twice. Same car. First attempt a failure.Are you forming the piece yourself or buying it?

It has to be done with the bonnet mounted and locked in place.

Hi Nick, I bought the piece from the California folks a good while ago. I have the bonnet mounted loosly, but not so it could be locked in place. I know that’s paramount. After that what tidbits of wisdom could you impart to me?

Do I have to lock the wings in place so they do not move or are they stabile after I cut what banged up “chin” there is.?

Best, Brin

I have some photos of cars I have gotten from people on the list when I was working on my nose piece- would it help?

I hope they do not mind I share:
PICT0023 PICT0024 PICT0025 PICT0026 PICT0027 PICT0021 PICT0022

Looks like it might be a good idea to avoid running the rotisserie spindle through the hood opening if you’re fitting a chin patch.

I may be doing this… watching…

“I hope they do not mind I share:”

Well, I certainly appreciate it.

Yeah, my car is not on a rotisserie as it is a FHC and I don’t know any folks who are of sufficient strength and age to lift off the body from the frame. Old age is a bitch, but we have to make do with the hand we were dealt.

In the pics what is the pink string stretched across the opening? I can only assume is for a level reference, but it is too far above the chin top land.

Currently, I plan to accurately close the bonnet, but not lock it in any way. From there, I will survey what needs to be done to the slightly mangled existing chime piece, choose enough side metal to weld to the wings, cut the old piece out and fit the new one. I assume I’ll have to futz with the result no matter the care I take as I am not an accomplished body man. I do fine with mechanicals and am confident in my abilities in that regard.

Before I do anything, is there any measuring, cutting, welding, etc. tips that you can impart to me? I ask all this because I like to know all I can about any job I am about to embark on so I can maximize my chances of success and minimize my propensities for do-overs. I have generally made my own flat pieces for the car (parcel shelf, tire shelf, floors) - either metal or wood and am constantly looking for ways others have found to “skin the cat”.

For instance, I have been asking for a long time if anyone knows how to DIY put a 140/150 rack (I have) in the 120. I know it involves possibly slanting a 140 radiator (I have) along with certain modifications to the inner wings, etc., BUT I cannot find an info on this here or, really, anywhere. I have not done anything yet in this regard as, accordingly, there has not been enough info gathered or available to decide one way or another.

I have added front disc brakes to this car and have added more modern Volvo front disc brakes to my XKE (a long time ago). I wrote that one up and I intend to picture and write up everything I do so others can benefit if they wish to.

Thanks again. Best, Brian

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The red car is mine and I am happy to share the pix. Near as I can tell, it is factory work and no accident damage, never restored underneath, although several repaints over 68 years.

Yes, thanks to those who ‘donated’ the photos. This job is on my list for later in the year, and I’m really looking forward to leading those joints upside down.

Roger

Fitting the bonnet is, as you are finding out, a job unto itself. It isn’t a completely rigid piece. It yields to gravity, the alignment of the two hinges and how it bears down on each of the the six buffers. Locking the bonnet in place adds tension to the assembled components and thus changes the shape of the bonnet ever so slightly. Before you fit the chin piece you will need to have achieved the best possible bonnet fit with hinges, buffers and lock in play. I used four vice-grip welding pliers to clamp the piece in place, making minor adjustments to align it with the bonnet then migged it home. There should be a 3/8” rod fore of the radiator that joins the wings and positions their upper flanges to match the bonnet flange. As you adjust the alignment of the nose piece you may need to adjust the span of the rod.

I’d advise not to go with a full rotisserie because you’ll need to fiddle with the bonnet and bootlid fits as you go along. If you position the spindle through the body’s centre of gravity and the boot and bonnet openings then you can’t mount either. Mine is a partial rotisserie that provides about 180 degrees of rotation - the body can’t be positioned upside down but you don’t need that kind of flexibility for doing the work.

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Thanks Nick, that’s the kind of info I am looking for.

It will be a while before I can get the bonnet fitting as good as it can be so I’m still and always open to more comments. Thanks to all.

I thought they were yours Rob! :slight_smile:
The other photos are of Charles Bishop’s car…

Tadek

One of those areas that hardly anyone gets right. I lost count but I’m sure I had this cut apart at least a half dozen times. These lower wings and chin are Ray Shelein parts, needed a ton of rework, even the vent holes were off by half inch. If something is off by an 1/8", it’s very noticeable from adistance, hence the reason I kept cutting it apart. Gotta look at this stuff from a distance to know if it’s really right.

Well, gents it looks like the piece I bought fro So. Cal. is not wide enough to fill the space of the one I took off. I am considering two approaches: 1. Cut he “new piece” at the top ledge and add an appropriately formed piece into the space to fill the gap and 2. Cut the bottom rolled part off the “new” piece and add that appropriately formed bottom with rolled edge to fill the distance to the bottom. I am completely open to ideas at this point. I know it’ll be dicy in any case, but what else can I do?

I am trying to save the already formed not wide enough piece as it was expensive as far as I am concerned. I am also endeavoring to fit the bonnet and lock it into place as Nick suggested before I do any more fiddling with the chin area.

Does anyone know of an more wide different piece from another purveyor which will work? I am loathe to spend more money on this, but may be left with no alternative.

If there is another approach I haven’t considered yet, please let me know?

I have had heart problems ( A-Fib) and have been advised to take it easy until I can get a new left side valve (thankfully, through some small incisions in my chest - not a chest crack). This has traditionally been a pig valve I am told thereby prima face proof that all men are pigs at heart. I am also told that will solve “all” my problems. I am very skeptical, but wait to be shown I am wrong.

Thank for all your help and advice.

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Hi Brian, can you post a photo of the chin piece you have and the area you have cut out .
Kevin

If the bonnet fit is otherwise good and the width of the chin piece is the sole issue then I would cut the chin piece vertically in half and hammer weld in a spacer to increase its width. Body solder was originally used to finesse the XK120 chin piece. This area is as much sculpture as it is coach building.

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Folks, here are some pics of what I have. The first two are side by side front and back.

Next are some of each in situ to show teh differences:


Finally here are few from underneath to show the differences.


)

I feel your pain. I had to stop and do something else for a while.

Yes, it is as much sculpting in lead as anything else.

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Not that it’s not bad enough, but almost the entire bonnet area on both wings are slathered with - I guess lead so the transition to the wings from the bonnet lands is rough and not a crisp delineation.

I went through three chin pieces, the first two I bought, and neither of them worked. Scrapped. The guy I bought the first panel from - he was at the fall AACA Hershey meet in the nineties selling XK and E-type body panels he’d fabbed - actually told me he hadn’t figured out how to make the chin piece perfectly, but I still bought it because it looked good. Not even close. The next one no better. I fabbed the third piece and got it close, but it still took a few ounces of body solder to achieve the fit.

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Nick;
I talked to Brian a day or three ago… given both our 120’s have “taken it on the chin…”
more that a few times… To that end, I have offered to make two “new” chin pieces
using a “Panel Beaters Bag” (and a heavy stand I built for it…}
I have made some “repair pieces” using the Panel Beaters Bag (filled with #9 lead birdshot), and if one takes enough (A LOT) of time, one can “form” a piece of sheet-metal into a decent replica of an original part… Of course I have a LOT of “scrap metal”, as well!!
So, as the Pandemic winds down, I’ll spend some (more) time in my shop, beating the crap
out of some harmless sheet-metal… Hopefully my work will turn-out pretty good looking…
we’ll see…
Charles Ch # 677556.