I'm pretty sure the metallic finish you refer to is zinc plate. Send an email to clazek on this forum who has just had his bonnet hinges done recently in zinc plate. He is in Sydney.
I had my hinges zinc plated and have found a few problems.
1) One of the springs dissapeared in the plating process,I'm told this sometimes happens.
2) After I found a replacement spring and had it plated succesfully I had a hell of a time fitting it back onto the hinges.
3) Once the bonnet was back on I found out that the bonnet springs had lost their tension and when I fitted the mascot(bird) back on the bonnet does not stay up all the time.
4)Where the plating doesn't get in it now rusts and leves stains.
Maybe it was the quality of the plater,maybe this happens all the time.I suggest you do your research wisely
Regards
Petrolhead
Another you could try is jotocoat. gives a plane dull metal effect without taking chances on plating and stuff...... not original but close. i own a detailing shop and we use it alot for those sorts of things.
Last edited by Woodie on Thu Feb 16, 2006 12:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
Any reasonable powder-coater should be able to get a finish similar to ZP, I just had my door scuff plates done in a silver by the powder coater. They can do the hinges and springs too, when I was picking my gear up I a set that had been done in colour.
I had the same trouble with my bonnet not staying up when the bonnet bird is fitted.
I took the springs off my donor car which had no bird and the bonnet stayed up with no problem. When the same springs were fitted to my good car with the bonnet bird, the bonnet wouldn't stay up. What a pain.
I now have fitted a second internal helper spring on each side and that has fixed the problem.
The easy way to fit or remove the springs is to prop the bonnet fully up with something like a broom handle, then get a short length of strong rope or wire, which you thread through the spring end and then onto a small piece of wood which you use as a handle to pull. After a bit of fiddling getting the rope the right length, you will find it is a real easy job.
oldgmh wrote:I had the same trouble with my bonnet not staying up when the bonnet bird is fitted.
I took the springs off my donor car which had no bird and the bonnet stayed up with no problem. When the same springs were fitted to my good car with the bonnet bird, the bonnet wouldn't stay up. What a pain.
I now have fitted a second internal helper spring on each side and that has fixed the problem.
The easy way to fit or remove the springs is to prop the bonnet fully up with something like a broom handle, then get a short length of strong rope or wire, which you thread through the spring end and then onto a small piece of wood which you use as a handle to pull. After a bit of fiddling getting the rope the right length, you will find it is a real easy job.
Wish I had read this 3 hours ago, I put some internal helper springs in earlier with long nose pliers and a flat blade screwdriver, what a mission, bonnet stays up now at least
