Best Bonnet Stay For Z3 Cars
 

Has anyone come up with a good solution for their bonnet stay / strut etc ?

The front end on the Z3 based cars is too heavy for the standard gas struts. I would prefer to fit an old style bonnet stay.

What works best ??

I’m interested in this item too. I bought some extra strong struts as recommended on here but they are about an inch too long. I have to find a way of compressing the struts prior to installing in the car. Using original with a strut may be easier

I used heavier duty gas struts on my Kobra from SGS. No need for an additional bonnet stay as they go up nicely. The ones I bought are strong enough for a 250 bonnet I believe. I can look out the spec if needed.

Dave

I’ve googled it and a ratchet strap looks like a useful solution

please do, and post.

Thanks Dave

Will do Jack (it is Jack isn’t it?). Was a little while ago so will dig.

Dave

Yep. Thank you Dave. No big hurry.

These detail from the struts I fitted to the Z300S. It has the longest bonnet of all so if these hold my bonnet up they should work fine for anything else

SGS Engineering
£43.94 2 x GSV10-300 Adjustable force gas strut
£0.00 2 x B3 10mm angled plastic ball socket
£0.00 2 x e10 8mm hole 5mm thick M8 1.25 thread eyelet
£5.30 1 x carriage

Did you have to cut away any of the mounting bracket to fit these. I say this as I ordered some from SGS. They sent GSV10-150 struts and they are longer and thicker than the BMW ones. I sent them back to SGS saying they didn’t fit and they said they don’t have a set suitable for a Z3 bonnet bracket and returned them!! I am going to have to try and get them to fit!!

For those too lazy to go back and look

http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/foru...ead.php?t=5907

The replacement struts should be the same length as the originals although they are a little thicker. If they are longer they are wrong which I'm afraid doesn't seem unusual for SGS.
I ordered a replacement boot strut for the Daytona and gave them the measurements but the replacement was a foot longer, they did, however, supply a replacement with no arguing.

Thanks for posting that link Steve. It takes a bit of searching trying to find an old thread, easier to ask ! I didn't know about LandRover springs, that answers another question, thanks !

I think mine fitted but I normally have a hammer or axe nearby so there may have been some adjustment needed.

I bought the same struts as WCA and they fitted straight on the kobra with no issues.

I cannot find the bl**dy SGS invoice though. I did get the chance to clear my email of all their fricken marketing mails which was a bonus.

Dave

Got the info, thanks Dave!

Struts
 

On the GTB we fitted stronger struts of the GSV - 150 / 10mm piston size.

They need quite a lot of fettling to shorten and to fit; little space & no pleasure.

SGS can be unfriendly to deal with, but the market place is limited.

The GTB bonnet is long and includes the headlights. It is not kept up by these struts, but they do make it easier to raise.

To prop the bonnet up, cut a fifth or so lengthwise out of an aluminium tube to fit over the piston, thus holding the bonnet at your chosen height. This is Andy's discrete idea, which works well.

Can be lined with a little bicycle inner tube and file a groove in the bottom end to rest on the ball joint shank.

Attachment 6559

I’m wondering if I should send mine back again and ask for GSV10 300 as they sent me GSV 10 150. Do you know if the 300 has a narrower piston size as mine are too wide
Thanks
Hugh

Strut sizes
 

At the moment I'm thinking of retaining the standard Z3 struts and using a prop of some sort. The front of the 275 with valance, stainless bumpers and grill is significant. I'm worried the hinged end of the bonnet structure could be stressed excessively. At least when using a prop some of the weight is taken at the front end.

I think you have a point there. Putting too much stress on the fibreglass May cause future problems

My Daytona has a very heavy bonnet with a metal frame as well, normal stays would not hold it up. It has gas struts with locks, open the bonnet and it will "click" when fully open, to close lift it a little higher and it will "click" again allowing it to close. I have been told that these locking gas struts were fitted to early Range Rovers (P38?).
May well work for the heavier 275 bonnet.

Locking gas struts were fitted to the bonnet of the Rover 820 I used to have.

I've ended up with a satisfactory solution by retaining the standard struts and making a bonnet stay prop. You end up with an assisted lift then slot the stay in place. The KISS method can always be relied upon !

Just need to sort my dead locked passenger door out, it won't open from inside or outside. The central locking works but won't unlock the door. Not sure what to try next, any advice out there ?

Could you supply a pic of where you fixed the stay. Thinking of doing this myself
Thanks

The stay is made from 10mm round bar 37" long. One end has a round tube welded to it, that slots over the bonnet spring. The other end has a repair washer welded to it and sits in a hole on the slam panel.

Photo here ……..

Having issues loading photo's for some reason !

I made a simple strut compressor from some 12mm threaded bar. That made life easy and a one man operation to fit them.

How does that work please

PM sent.

I'll see if I can load some photo's tonight !

Photos of bonnet stay and strut compressor. This is a use once tool, hence the crappy welding !

Door issue is sorted, my fault with the fitment of the Mini door handle being slightly wrong. Thanks to Steve, jaguartvr, much appreciated !

Can the reveal the issue/solution so others don't 'fall into the trap'?

Where do I begin ? Firstly the doors were working fine on the donor car. Central locking, opening and closing from inside and outside the car, all as expected.

I fitted mini door handles which are the standard option when you fit the extra door skin provided in many Tribute kits. I made an error at the beginning by fitting the handles a bit low on the door skin. The result of that was the plunger in the Mini door handle was too close to the pivot point in the BMW handle mechanism.

To get around that ( I had the car painted by this time ) I made a swan neck plunger in steel . That in turn pressed against the mechanism higher up in the door and looked ok, it worked, sort of. After messing around fitting the door cards, opening and closing the doors several times it all stuck shut !

I spent several hours trying to work out the problem, you couldn't open the door from inside or outside but the central locking sounded like it was all working as it should. I was truly F**** !

There were plenty of people with plenty of advice, both online and having spoken to a few people.

Online I found a youtube video where you power up a blue wire and black wire in the door to fire the actuator, no good !
The actuator might have failed but it sounded good to me and was lifting the inside lock etc.
Disconnecting the battery, turn the ignition to position 2, re connect the battery and it will all reset, no good either !

Local auto locksmith said the mechanical mechanism in the lock has failed and you have to smash open the steel lock assembly from inside the door with a long chisel and a lump hammer ! Really ? I won't let him near one of my cars ever again, I thought he was a good bloke !

I spoke to Ian at Classic Coach Works, he suggested you need two people, one to pull on the handle out side, one to push the door from the inside and force it open. Maybe, but I wasn't convinced .

Had a chat with Steve and he has been there before with a couple of his cars. Basically the car is in a dead lock situation and can be caused by the Mini door handle plunger applying pressure to the BMW mechanism. It only takes a little pressure and the door can deadlock under some circumstances.
I could see the mechanism in my door was being pushed slightly ( door card was off ). Simply applying light pressure on the mechanism back on itself I heard a click. The door then opened as normal.

The fix will be to remove the door skin and adjust the plunger a little so it isn't quite touching the BMW mechanism, job done !

Unfortunately, I had to remove my 250SWB body. I used a heat gun
to really warm up the bonded area, and a collection of steel scrapers to peel the fiberglass away. Worked well but very tedious.
May work on the doorskins too.

My door skins are screwed on and only bonded in each corner. The PU adhesive I've used can be peeled away when you apply steady pressure to the joint. I don't see any problems getting the skins off.

The internals of the lock feature two levers, one of which is the deadlock . These are both operated by the electric actuator.Steve mentioned that it is possible to remove the deadlock lever so it can't be triggered again, possibly a wise move with our modifications in place.

great idea. Really good tip!

Am I correct in thinking the deadlock will be identified by locking the door and seeing the one which moves (not the deadlock)? Would further pressure move the deadlock and confirm it?

Both levers within the door lock are hidden by the actuator. You can only see which one is moved with the actuator removed.
Fitting the whole kit is easier than removing the actuator!
I will try and put some pictures up during the week.

Best way to remove the actuator is by cutting an access hole on the inside of the door, it is hidden by the door card so won't show.