Bonnet Struts

[NovaF4]

Hello everyone

I've had some messages recently asking how my nova rebuild is going. Well, it's been going slowly, hence the lack of updates to my build thread. However, I am going to post an update soon as there have been some things done. In the meantime...

I know that some nova owners have used gas filled struts to hold their bonnets up. If you have done this and are 100% impressed with your choice of struts and their workability, I wonder if you could please share with me where you got them from and details such as length and pressure. If possible it would also be great to see a photo of where you have located them. Thanks a million.

Happy Christmas!

[Buffy]

I know that some nova owners have used gas filled struts to hold their bonnets up. If you have done this and are 100% impressed with your choice of struts and their workability, I wonder if you could please share with me where you got them from and details such as length and pressure. If possible it would also be great to see a photo of where you have located them. Thanks a million.

Happy Christmas!

Giles, Islandman put me in touch with a source of gas struts / fittings and they work very well for me. The ones we both have come with a high pressure but you get a tiny allen key and in short timed intervals just release the pressure.

To fit, I bought their brackets to fit to the body and ball end plates which have been glassed into my bonnet.

Can't seem to attach a pic but if you go back a few pages on my post you will see the struts with the bonnet up.

All the best

Buffy

[NovaF4]

Thanks Buffy. Many years ago I spoke to sgs-engineering.com who supply struts that can be bled. This may be the same company that you got yours from. I was going to go down this route but my metal fabricator friend suggested otherwise, saying "more things to go wrong!" He then mentioned kitchen cupboard rams. I wasn't sure what to make of that. I'm not worried about more things to go wrong, but would be concerned about bleeding them differently side to side, and bleeding them too much. What's your take on this?

Any one else found a perfect solution from a production car hatch back?

[Buffy]

The bleeding was simple if you take your time and do exactly the same to both sides. They also came with instructions of what to do.
From memory, opening the bleed screw for 10 seconds releases about 10lb of pressure. Something like that , but if you release each side the same about of time, even 5 seconds each, you will get there.

[NovaF4]

OK thanks for the info. I'll look at your photo for location points. Did it take you a while to determine the final position? I'm curious to know how you went about that - super strong duct tape?

[Buffy]

The truth
I just looked at where Dave had fitted his , and copied !!

[NovaF4]

Haha. And are you happy with how it works or would it be better positioned in a slightly different place. Do your struts lift the bonnet up when you open it or do you have to give it a helping hand to start off?

[Buffy]

I am happy where they are positioned and ensured before fitting I got the max opening for the bonnet.
You only have to give the bonnet a gentle start to open then the struts do the rest..
Very pleased overall
.

[islandman]

As Mark said the struts are positioned for a little down force keeping the bonnet closed (minimising risk of inadertantly having it fly up and minimising pressure on the bonnet fiberglass.

and as for releasing too much pressure, it is possible and I did! 🤪 resulting in having to buy a new strut