MG Octagon Car Club - The Hood Cover Conundrum

The Hood Cover Conundrum

One of the things missing when I purchased my N type was the hood cover. Although to the two seater fraternity this might not seem a big deal, for a four seater such as NA0279 the rear hood cover really finishes off the back of the car. Unlike the two seaters (with the exception of the N type), the four seaters all have the hood supported on a metal bracket at the back of the car. The hood is held down by two straps and the whole lot covered by a neat cover.

Easy you say! However, most modern restorations including those shown in Richard Monks book, show the hood cover going over the rear side panels and held in place by press studs. The car on the left is an NB and shows well this type of arrangement. My problem with this was that my NA spends 90% + of it's time with only one or two people in it, and I therefore wanted to be able to have the tonneau cover on at the back at the same time as the hood cover.

About the same time as I was pondering this problem, I was fortunate enough to be given a copy of Malcolm Green's superb book on the six cylinder cars. This has several good photos of the prototype with a hood cover that does not cover the side panel, and one of an NB with a full tonneau as well as the hood cover in place.

These would imply that the cover goes between the body and the hood bows, not over the back sides of the tub. Additionally, on the prototype NA the straps holding the hood down can be seen coming through the cover, a feature I have never seen on a modern cove

With these photos in hand, and a very skilled trimmer, we attacked the problem. The following photos show the solution that we arrived at.

Interestingly, the cover no also protects the body from the hood bows. The rear two "lift the dot" fastener studs are longer to allow for the double thickness. Needless to say, the folding of the hood is critical if you don't want to wear holes in it from the fastening clips (a common problem I am assured). I use a method like that described for folding a T type's hood, and this seems to leave the clips exposed with the folded hood between them.

The top of the cover is padded to maintain it's shape, and there are leather D shaped pads to protect the cover from the hood fastening clips on the inside, and underneath on the outside

The straps exit via two small reinforced holes and the straps run through small "handles" on the rear shelf.

As can be seen quite clearly, this now allows for the unrestricted use of the tonneau, giving the four seater all the advantages of the two seater but with the additional two seats and storage space.

Richard Fock

One of the things missing when I purchased my N type was the hood cover. Although to the two seater fraternity this might not seem a big deal, for a four seater such as NA0279 the rear hood cover really finishes off the back of the car. Unlike the two seaters (with the exception of the N type), the four seaters all have the hood supported on a metal bracket at the back of the car. The hood is held down by two straps and the whole lot covered by a neat cover.
Easy you say! However, most modern restorations including those shown in Richard Monks book, show the hood cover going over the rear side panels and held in place by press studs. The car on the left is an NB and shows well this type of arrangement. My problem with this was that my NA spends 90% + of it's time with only one or two people in it, and I therefore wanted to be able to have the tonneau cover on at the back at the same time as the hood cover.
	About the same time as I was pondering this problem, I was fortunate enough to be given a copy of Malcolm Green's superb book on the six cylinder cars. This has several good photos of the prototype with a hood cover that does not cover the side panel, and one of an NB with a full tonneau as well as the hood cover in place.
These would imply that the cover goes between the body and the hood bows, not over the back sides of the tub. Additionally, on the prototype NA the straps holding the hood down can be seen coming through the cover, a feature I have never seen on a modern cove
With these photos in hand, and a very skilled trimmer, we attacked the problem. The following photos show the solution that we arrived at.
Interestingly, the cover no also protects the body from the hood bows. The rear two "lift the dot" fastener studs are longer to allow for the double thickness. Needless to say, the folding of the hood is critical if you don't want to wear holes in it from the fastening clips (a common problem I am assured). I use a method like that described for folding a T type's hood, and this seems to leave the clips exposed with the folded hood between them.
	The top of the cover is padded to maintain it's shape, and there are leather D shaped pads to protect the cover from the hood fastening clips on the inside, and underneath on the outside
The straps exit via two small reinforced holes and the straps run through small "handles" on the rear shelf.
	As can be seen quite clearly, this now allows for the unrestricted use of the tonneau, giving the four seater all the advantages of the two seater but with the additional two seats and storage space.