BX bonnet.

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Mothman

Re: BX bonnet.

Post by Mothman »

benifotrem1 wrote:I have a brochure for the bx dated 09/1985 and it quotes (The bx is the first mass production car to use the latest synthetic materials on large, non structural areas like the hatchback door, and on most models, the bonnet also)
Ah, i see you said 'most' models. That means they did make metal jobbies too. My 1984 19RD has a metal bonnet. Looks original to the motor[has period rust etc] and she dosnt look to have been in a shunt. So its fair to assume they did make both concurrently.

Andy
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Re: BX bonnet.

Post by Slagtrooper »

My GTi 93' has a metal bonnet too, looks like it's random.

Exported ones were all metal bonnets?
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Tinkley
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Re: BX bonnet.

Post by Tinkley »

Might also be down to local legislation. You would need to know the vehicle requirements when your car was imported, and that of every other export country!. May well be some countries would only accept steel, though UK and France seem to have both types, plastic and steel.

Bit like the UK was very slow to accept plastic fuel tanks on motor cycles until Triumph wanted to make one. Most of Europe was way in advance on that score. Funnily enough most times I've seen a steel tank slide on the road it generates sparks, an ideal mix with petrol vapour.... :lol: well at least the legislators thought so.
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Re: BX bonnet.

Post by citsncycles »

I bet that steel bonnets were fitted for markets that didn't like platic ones, then were used for the likes of us when they ran out of plastic ones due to running that well known production method Just Too Late
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Re: BX bonnet.

Post by kernowtim »

Are these interchangeable then, thinking of replacing metal one with plastic version found locally in (I think) the right colour red on my '93 1.9tzd estate.seller wants £10 is that a fair price?? Or should I look for metal one ..
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Re: BX bonnet.

Post by Tim Leech »

All bonnets are interchangeable.
Lots of Motors, mostly semi broken....
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Re: BX bonnet.

Post by Tinkley »

The bonnets maybe interchangeable but the trim panel to the radiator and grills are different at least on my 2 'identical' Athenas, one plastic, one metal bonnet so you may need to change those parts too.
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Re: BX bonnet.

Post by Vanny »

If you search in the forum this is a question that has been asked a great many times.

The existing consensus is that the BX was launched with a metal bonnet, and the GFRP started being phased in before the Mk2 came out. I assume there was a manufacturing issue and hence the introduction was delayed. We then went almost through the whole of the Mk2 production with GFRP bonnets. From 1991 onwards there is a curious mix of GFRP and Metal. No one has ever provided conclusive proof but the accepted scenario is that they still had a lot of Mk1 metal bonnets left and so as GFRP stock ran out, Metal was phased back in.

A few things to consider though;
> Crash repaired vehicles could have either!
> They are interchangeable although the metal is a lot heavier
> The majority of 1991 and 1992 registered cars where actually made in late 1990 and early 1991
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