27. Gas struts

So what a bitch of a job this was.....

I learnt a few things along the way that I really could have done with knowing a little earlier like there are different sizes of bonnet cams.....mine are the small ones that are difficult to fit...Im sure they meant to tell me that this was the case!

So AK say to pop rivet the bonnet brackets on but then I need these to come off again for paint.  AK did say that they would drill them out and replace them but i didn't fancy the ends rattling around the bonnet so I opted for rivnuts.  These seemed to work quite well but I'm always nervous I will over compress them.  With them in place I measured 10 1/2 inches down the body and mounted the other ends. 

Then to let the gas out....I used the method of connecting only one strut and then letting gas out until its is able to be closed,  then repeated with the other side.  Then with both of them connected assessed how hard it was to close - a little more out of beachside and we were done....

( this section could contain lots of swearing and various other words to explain my extreme dissatisfaction but ill avoid this!!)

When the bonnet closed the cams now hit the body.  The gas struts have pushed the bonnet up in car line slightly and because I only have the short cams (I didn't know you could get fricking longer ones) they need to be so close to the body that there is no room.  

When I fitted the bonnet locks I didn't want the brackets on the engine bay to be visible so I made it all fit very close to the body so its now all a little too close.  I may have to cot the seal and reduce the body a little here but never mind.....hopefully the bonnet will be closed most of the time!