Bonnet pins

[DANNY8]

Recently we rang up regency park bout bonnet pins. They said the flat type ones are legal, and the ones which u put the pin through the top...illegal.

I'm wondering if anyone knows if it's legal to use flat type LOCKABLE bonnet pins, and remove the standard locking mechanism.

I'm trying to keep my engine bay as neat as possible, and I can't think of a way to have the bonnet cable tucked away anywhere....so thought I could get rid of it. Then I figured if I just had bonnet pins then people could help themselves....but then I thought about the ones which lock down with a key.

I also don't wanna scratch the fresh paint when the normal mechanism does it's thing lol.

I might give regency a ring later and ask.......wat do yous think?

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Have you though of a solenoid with a button in the cab rather than a manual cable? I did this to a Datsun ute I had. Worked a treat.

[DANNY8]

lol yep that's wat my first idea was but Brad rekons I shouldn't coz when the solenoid buggers up I'll be stuffed coz I won't be able to get the bonnet open.

Wat sort of solenoid did u use, and did it have enuf force to move the spring which holds the bonnet shut? How did u mount it?

I still like the idea of a solenoid, so I might still do it yet.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

I used the boot release one off a VL and mounted it to the bottom of the radiator support panel on a bracket. I also cut the spring shorter on the bonnet pin so it didn't have as much tension on it. On the Datsun you could still reach the release by removing the grille so it wasn't a problem if it broke.

[DANNY8]

Brad rang up regency just b4 and this was one of things he asked about...and they said it was ok to remove all the latch mechanism and replace it with lockable flat type bonnet pins. So I think that's what I'm gonna do.

Also asked if the heaterbox can be removed if we have electric demisters....and yep that's ok too....woohoo!!