Cutting hole in bonnet

SHOSLR · 05-10-2009, 08:40 AM

Hey guys,
Ive noticed most of the cars on this site are running some type of scoop or hole in the bonnet.
im going to have the same problem fitting my motor under the hood and so need to give it the old CHOP!

what is the easiest way you guys find to mark the bonnet outi n the right spot to cut??? as the bonnet lifts up over the filter, you need to allow more room at the front to clear it.
i want to make a hole slightly bigger than the 14" air cleaner to allow the bonnet to open.
how do you make sure you are cutting in the right spot and what do you guys use to cut the hole so your not left with a jaged edge?
eventually ill re-paint the hood but to get it going i need it to look neat!

xd8you · 05-10-2009, 09:23 AM

I have the same problem with my car. I spoke with a panel beater who said to use an air nibler to cut the bonnet or if you cant get hold of one to use a jigsaw with a high speed steel cutting blade. I dont know how you go about marking it out so cant help there. Hopefully some one will be able to help out with this.

hypo 75 · 05-10-2009, 09:56 AM

gday bud
what you can do is place the thread / booger rod your useing to hold the aircleaner to the carby and close the bonnet down on it just enough to leave a mark as to ruffly where the cantre of the air cleaner will be
then drill a whole on the mark big enough for you to close the bonnet properly over the thread
then sit the air cleaner lid on the rod over the bonnet when its closed this will show you exactly where your air cleaner will sit and give you something to mark around
allow ruffly 1 inch clearance extra around the lid
and to cut it your can use either a nibler either electric or air or use a jigsaw but with the jigsaw you might want to mask up around the whole so the jigsaw doesnt scratch the rest of the bonnet with the shaveings left behind and what ever you use be sure to cover the carby and motor underneith the bonnet cause you will end up with shaveings or nibler fileings everywhere in there
the only thing hard about it will be with a 14 inch aircleaner your no doubt going to come across some bonnet supports that will need to be cut aswell

pungent · 05-10-2009, 01:16 PM

I have alway's used a GOOD quality pair of tin snips for round holes. That way there's no vibration to crack or damage the paint but I also used them in my everyday job for around five years so know how to use them.

A couple of pics of the last hole I cut in my VR.

SHOSLR · 05-10-2009, 01:38 PM

HYPO!
thanks heaps dude. sme great advice there.
think that should make it a lot easier.
just have to make sure the hole isnt to big to fit a scoop over.

pungent: TUFF car mate. love it!

hypo 75 · 05-10-2009, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SHOSLR

HYPO!
thanks heaps dude. sme great advice there.
think that should make it a lot easier.
just have to make sure the hole isnt to big to fit a scoop over.

pungent: TUFF car mate. love it!

not a prob bud happy to help

pungent · 05-10-2009, 07:48 PM

Just thinking a 14" air cleaner is to big to fit inside a hornet scoop even if you trim the middle join in the scoop down.

SHOSLR · 06-10-2009, 08:15 AM

im fitting a vn group A scoop mate
just hoping it fits inside it!
*grits teeth*

- Just looked on a body kit website,
measurements for vn group a scoop are

Width: 57cm Length: 73cm Height: 4.5cm

14" is about 350mm and width is 570mm so should sh!t it in...... i hope :)
just bought one off ebay this morning so time will tell!

capri1276 · 28-11-2009, 05:14 PM

I do the same as HYPO to mark it out but i use an angle grinder with the very thin disc and just cut very slow and not deep you can cut any shape but you need to be carefull

greenhj · 30-11-2009, 12:06 PM

i use a tape measure to work out roughly the centre of the carb while the bonnet is still on the car, make sure the panel is good for alignment now, rather than when you cut a tight fitting hole and realise it wont fit where you want it to.

-Remove bonnet and belt a 50mm holesaw through the centre mark and refit bonnet, hopefully the 50mm hole is "close enough" to be able to see the carb stud hole without all the pressure of being spot on with the tape.

-fit carb stud long enough to be higher than the bonnet

-use string wrapped around stud and a texta to draw the circle size you need

-tape the **** of the bonnet and cut with a jigsaw.

for a square hole its a similar deal, but using the stud for reference and a steel rule instead.

The jigsaw happily cut through the bracing and bonnet (already painted) of my HJ, and the tape stops the jigsaw pad marking the paint, or any swarf scratching it up.

05-10-2009, 08:40 AM	#1 (permalink)
SHOSLR Brake Slammer Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: melbourne Ride: vn calais 355, show car lh torana, Posts: 123	Cutting hole in bonnet Hey guys, Ive noticed most of the cars on this site are running some type of scoop or hole in the bonnet. im going to have the same problem fitting my motor under the hood and so need to give it the old CHOP! what is the easiest way you guys find to mark the bonnet outi n the right spot to cut??? as the bonnet lifts up over the filter, you need to allow more room at the front to clear it. i want to make a hole slightly bigger than the 14" air cleaner to allow the bonnet to open. how do you make sure you are cutting in the right spot and what do you guys use to cut the hole so your not left with a jaged edge? eventually ill re-paint the hood but to get it going i need it to look neat!

05-10-2009, 09:56 AM	#3 (permalink)
hypo 75 MCF Moderator Join Date: May 2008 Location: plumpton Ride: td cortina View My Photo Gallery Asteroids Champion! Skeet Shooting Champion! aim and fire Champion! Dead Duck Champion! Clay Kitten Shooting Champion! Chicken in a basket Champion! Ball Shooter Champion! Balloon Hunter Champion! Balloon Shooter Champion! Bloody Days Champion! Wild West Shootout Champion! Fishin` Fun 2 Champion! Kill Little Bastards Champion! Catch-a-Shit 2 Champion! Bank Shooter 2 Champion! Cloud Breakout Champion! Clay Kitten Shooting II Champion! Shooting Fish Champion! Circus Targets Champion! Gun Down Gungan Champion! Far West Champion! Arkanoid Flash Champion! Dyno Champion! Bullseye Blaster 2 Champion! Missle Command Champion! Crack Shot Champion! Turkey Shoot Champion! Bin Man Champion! Paint Ball Champion! BombJack Arcade Champion! Cheesy Chase Champion! One Piece - Card Game Champion! Posts: 4,045	gday bud what you can do is place the thread / booger rod your useing to hold the aircleaner to the carby and close the bonnet down on it just enough to leave a mark as to ruffly where the cantre of the air cleaner will be then drill a whole on the mark big enough for you to close the bonnet properly over the thread then sit the air cleaner lid on the rod over the bonnet when its closed this will show you exactly where your air cleaner will sit and give you something to mark around allow ruffly 1 inch clearance extra around the lid and to cut it your can use either a nibler either electric or air or use a jigsaw but with the jigsaw you might want to mask up around the whole so the jigsaw doesnt scratch the rest of the bonnet with the shaveings left behind and what ever you use be sure to cover the carby and motor underneith the bonnet cause you will end up with shaveings or nibler fileings everywhere in there the only thing hard about it will be with a 14 inch aircleaner your no doubt going to come across some bonnet supports that will need to be cut aswell __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Last edited by hypo 75; 05-10-2009 at 09:59 AM.

06-10-2009, 08:15 AM	#8 (permalink)
SHOSLR Brake Slammer Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: melbourne Ride: vn calais 355, show car lh torana, Posts: 123	im fitting a vn group A scoop mate just hoping it fits inside it! grits teeth - Just looked on a body kit website, measurements for vn group a scoop are Width: 57cm Length: 73cm Height: 4.5cm 14" is about 350mm and width is 570mm so should sh!t it in...... i hope :) just bought one off ebay this morning so time will tell! Last edited by SHOSLR; 06-10-2009 at 08:20 AM.

28-11-2009, 05:14 PM	#9 (permalink)
capri1276 Learner Driver Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: vic Ride: 89 Nissan 383 chev Patrol or Blown 304 Ford capri View My Photo Gallery Posts: 358	I do the same as HYPO to mark it out but i use an angle grinder with the very thin disc and just cut very slow and not deep you can cut any shape but you need to be carefull __________________ capri1276 (steve) *To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.* *To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.*

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05-10-2009, 09:23 AM	#2 (permalink)
xd8you Newby Join Date: Jun 2009 View My Photo Gallery Posts: 42	I have the same problem with my car. I spoke with a panel beater who said to use an air nibler to cut the bonnet or if you cant get hold of one to use a jigsaw with a high speed steel cutting blade. I dont know how you go about marking it out so cant help there. Hopefully some one will be able to help out with this.

05-10-2009, 01:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
pungent Newby Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Cowra Ride: VR 5L Posts: 26	I have alway's used a GOOD quality pair of tin snips for round holes. That way there's no vibration to crack or damage the paint but I also used them in my everyday job for around five years so know how to use them. A couple of pics of the last hole I cut in my VR.

05-10-2009, 01:38 PM	#5 (permalink)
SHOSLR Brake Slammer Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: melbourne Ride: vn calais 355, show car lh torana, Posts: 123	HYPO! thanks heaps dude. sme great advice there. think that should make it a lot easier. just have to make sure the hole isnt to big to fit a scoop over. pungent: TUFF car mate. love it!

05-10-2009, 07:48 PM	#7 (permalink)
pungent Newby Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Cowra Ride: VR 5L Posts: 26	Just thinking a 14" air cleaner is to big to fit inside a hornet scoop even if you trim the middle join in the scoop down.

30-11-2009, 12:06 PM	#10 (permalink)
greenhj Newby Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 15	i use a tape measure to work out roughly the centre of the carb while the bonnet is still on the car, make sure the panel is good for alignment now, rather than when you cut a tight fitting hole and realise it wont fit where you want it to. -Remove bonnet and belt a 50mm holesaw through the centre mark and refit bonnet, hopefully the 50mm hole is "close enough" to be able to see the carb stud hole without all the pressure of being spot on with the tape. -fit carb stud long enough to be higher than the bonnet -use string wrapped around stud and a texta to draw the circle size you need -tape the **** of the bonnet and cut with a jigsaw. for a square hole its a similar deal, but using the stud for reference and a steel rule instead. The jigsaw happily cut through the bracing and bonnet (already painted) of my HJ, and the tape stops the jigsaw pad marking the paint, or any swarf scratching it up.