Bonnet fit and alignment

The E-Type's bonnet is a single pressing-and-tube assembly that hinges forward from the front bulkhead and carries the headlights, grille and front wings in one piece. Its fit against the scuttle, sills and doors is one of the first things the eye judges, and one of the hardest things to get right.

What good fit looks like

Panel gaps should be even side to side and consistent along their length. The bonnet should sit level with the tops of the wings and the scuttle, neither proud nor sunken, and it should close without needing to be slammed. Even factory cars were not perfect, and period accounts acknowledge that, so absolute perfection on an old car can indicate a great deal of recent work.

What poor fit can mean

• Gaps that taper or vary side to side often point to bent or incorrectly located front frames rather than to the bonnet itself.
• A bonnet that sits high at the rear may be reacting to bulkhead or hinge problems.
• Ripples along the lower edges and valance suggest past corrosion repair or damage.
• A bonnet from another car is not unusual; they were exchanged during restorations, and fit suffers when they were.

Why it matters beyond looks

Bonnet fit is a symptom. Chasing it with shims and force treats the symptom; the cause is usually in the frames, the hinge geometry or past repair. A car with honest, even gaps and an unremarkable closing action has usually been spared both the accident and the bodged repair, which is why this one panel tells so much.