Jupiter Front Bonnet Latches

[Mike Allfrey]

While taking my Jupiter on a Saturday morning drive to a Men's Shed car display, one of the front bonnet securing latch knobs parted company with the car. So, somewhere in Melbourne's eastern suburbs there is probably a nicely machined hand knob that is mystifying someone. I was horrified when I opened the bonnet for interested lookers-in. The Jupiter won the Most Interesting Car in the Display award. The fact that the gentleman (Ken) organising the event is the son of the late Fred Smithies who completed his apprenticeship at Jowett Cars Limited, had absolutely nothing to do with the Jupiter's resounding win!

These knobs have been coming loose for quite some time now, so something had to be done about the concern. The easiest solution was to raise the latch assembly by about 0.25" above the chassis bracket to ensure that more thread was engaged in the knob, thus adding compression on the internal spring. Job done!

Then some attention was given to the two support pegs that pin into the rubber grommets rather loosely. I have scrapped the pegs, grommets and grommet brackets. Rubber headed 5/16" setscrews were fitted so that the pad would fit into an aluminium cups mounted on new brackets bolted to the chassis. In the bottom of the cups are located 2 mm insertion rubber pads. After initial set-up and trial, it was calculated that four 5/16" mudguard washers would fit snugly between the lower securing nut and the rubber pad on the setscrew. These washers hold the screw's circular pad firmly in place and prevent the pad from sliding over the screw's head when the bonnet is lowered to carelessly. It all works well.

Mike A.