Hello,
I've just re-fitted the bonnet to my Defender - hooray!
Unfortunately, I've hit a rather predictable snag...
To cut a long story short, when I slammed the bonnet down to engage the locking catch, the release cable disengaged from the release lever and...well...on the plus-side, the locking mechanism works perfectly.
So, I'm now stuck with the bonnet locked shut - now, I realise I'm about to embark on a request for advice which drives some people into a state of apoplectic rage, but how do I now open the bonnet again?
I've followed the "standard" advice which, not to put to fine a point on it, involves the front-grill, a screw-driver and the locking-catch release lever, but presumably this advice only holds true for pre-Td5 Defenders, as the locking mechanism on mine is well-protected from this method of attack by being inside a metal enclosure, only accessible from above.
As far as I can see, there are only three options...well, four if somebody has a clever solution I don't know of...or five, if I include leaving it outside overnight for God to sort out;
1. Go in from the front with a really big angle-grinder and cut through the locking-pin - this is fairly destructive, admittedly.
2. Disassemble the whole grill-surround/slam-panel in the hope that I can get at the locking mechanism - I'm not even sure this is possible with the bonnet locked down, though.
3. Just go for broke, put a really long wrecker-bar between the bonnet and the slam-panel and lean on it until something gives...which will probably be the bonnet itself...which would really do the opposite of making my day, to be honest.
To avoid the whole apoplectic rage thing, if anybody has a brilliant idea they want to share, away from the potential gaze of kleptomaniac sociopaths, please feel free to PM me your suggestions...
As you can see the potential course of action I'm planning, any help would be very much appreciated...
Thanks very much.
Paul