{"id":4255,"date":"2012-10-31T09:00:47","date_gmt":"2012-10-31T13:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.monocoque-metalworks.com\/main\/?p=4255"},"modified":"2015-02-18T13:07:32","modified_gmt":"2015-02-18T18:07:32","slug":"series-1-5-e-type-center-section-restoration-and-conversion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.monocoque-metalworks.com\/main\/2012\/10\/series-1-5-e-type-center-section-restoration-and-conversion\/","title":{"rendered":"Series 1.5 E-Type Center Section \u2013 Restoration and Conversion"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m actually starting to feel guilty about all of the Series 1.5 bonnets that I’m either converting, or providing the flanges for…\u00a0 It’s getting to be alot.<\/p>\n

I did a post last year where I talked about what’s right, what’s wrong, etc. – and stated in that post that I think the Series 1.5 bonnet actually LOOKS better from an aesthetic point – and I still believe that’s true.\u00a0 But there’s just something about those covered headlamps that make it a “true” E-Type – evidenced by the fact that I’m now making flanges to convert even Series 2 and 3 bonnets as well.<\/p>\n

I did another conversion yesterday, and while doing it, made my peace with the whole thing when I finally decided that YES – these are Series 1 bonnet pieces that had their flanges cut off at the factory by hand – I’m SURE of it!<\/p>\n

When I do these, I lay a template on the panels that I took from a original ’63 coupe bonnet. When I lay these on, the Series 1.5 headlamp openings are ALL OVER THE PLACE!\u00a0 The wings themselves are all the same (although strangely, the turn signal openings are all off by about 1\/8″ from a Series 1…), but the headlamp opening is very irregular, and also cut at a strange angle when you look right at the edge.<\/p>\n

SO – I believe that they simply kept right on making Series 1 panels, and then as they came out of the press, simply sliced off the flanges.\u00a0 And they knew that as long as they stayed within 1\/4″ of the flange, they’d be fine, because the riveted in headlamp scoop of the Series 1.5 had a wide enough lip on it to cover any irregularity in the cut.<\/p>\n

Take a look at this Series 1.5 center section being repaired and then converted (also during hurricane Sandy), and I’ll show you some of the proof!<\/p>\n