Anyway I will try to provide a summary of how I got to here, but now its fresh in my mind let me update on my new bonnet frame.
The standard Phoenix bonnet frame is a strange beast. It sticks out in front of the radiator and pivots the bonnet about the back of the bottom. The consequence of this is that the bottom lip of the bonnet crashes into the ground if you open it too far! Bit strange as a design.
A couple of alternative methods have been proposed. One is to use BMW boot hinges which use a clever double hinge system that makes for clever boot opening on that car, I got some photos from someone who had replicated that approach. I bought some hinges (£8 e-bay) but it isn't easy to work out where to position the hinges.
Plan B is to use the Rob Farley approach which is to retain a single pivot point, but to move it further forward.
Here are some photos (note this represents nearly a weekends worth of effort!).
I needed to trim just over 2 inch off the back underside of the bonnet and a little more adjacent to the hinges.
The opening strut needed a little work as it needed extending, the headlight cable needed fettling, and the horn needed moving, but all in all a very successful project which will make future maintenance much easier and quicker.
The tubing was box section 20mm x 30mm for the main diagonals supported but a 20x20 brace from below. The bar between the to end sections if a 20x20mm strut that also supports the intercooler.
Two thick walled tubes are used with 1/2inch i.d. that take the pivot rod. 1/2inch is massively over engineered, but it is what I had and the stainless rod is nice. The pivot on the bonnet uses brass strip (approx 20mm x 5mm) which takes a M8 tap nicely, and should pivot well with stainless and not corrode. R-clips are used to secure the stainless rod on one end and the 90deg bend prevents it pulling through.
