light weight bonnets

[RIK]

ive been thinking about weight loss the last couple of days (no i dont need a new diet!) and i was thinking about getting a bonnet from the scrapp yard and taking the grinder to it,,to rip all the under part off so its just a single skin and trimming things that arnt needed off it,it would make a difference but not as much as a carbon one i know

would this be safe? legal? ..the catch would still work fine and the hinges would still be o.k
i know the best option is carbon bonnet but £600 or £30...hmmm
whats other people thoughts on this?


mods,,i put this in general cos its for all micras not just mine!!

 

[Ems]

I personally wouldn't do it yourself mate coz i think it will def be unsafe at a high speed. If u want a lightweight one just buy a carbon fibre one that u know will hold!! If u have an accident coz the bonnet fly's up (coz it'll be weakened) while drivin, i doubt very much you'll be insured for it if the work wasn't professional!!

 

[59 bhp is more than enough]

tbh carbon fibre is pretty weak ( the kind they use in bonnet anyway) when bent or put under vertical pressure. its only good under tensile and to a certain extent compressive strain. i think it would be okay to strip it as it would be as strong if not a bit stronger than a carbon fibre bonnet. all you need to do is put a couple of spacers on your bonnet hinges (the ones nearest your windscreen) so the back of the bonnet is higher than the front. this is what most people do when getting a carbon fibre bonnet. but i aint sure about the insurance.

 

[tommo]

dave n minty from jnc have done it to there pulsars mate, cant see the problem. bit of time with some tin snips and a dremmel and the jobs a good one.

 

[RIK]

i was thinking it may be abit too flimsy and wave about in the wind ,,,or dent wen you close the bonnet

 

[tommo]

i was thinking it may be abit too flimsy and wave about in the wind ,,,or dent wen you close the bonnet

depends how much you cut out mate.

 

[Craig]

You could always try to reinforce it with a bit of fibreglass

 

[RIK]

You could always try to reinforce it with a bit of fibreglass

good idea

i asked my uncle about this after i poted this thread,,and he and my dad did it to their mini's and he said they move aout to much in he wind or at speed..but that is i good idea
ill be doing this soon,,,,maybe a custom vent too

 

[Low Rider]

I bet that would be quite flimsy at speed, my standard bonnet bends upwards at high speeds.............then again I don't do that too often and you have to be giving it serious beans to get it to do that