HOOD LIFE

UNFORTUNATELY for Gary, not everything on this build went to plan. His original genuine XA GT bonnet was severely damaged while the car was on its way to Melbourne to be wrapped. But Andrew at Batkin & Damme Smash Repairs in Wagga decided it could be fixed.

“When the bonnet was damaged it was so disheartening,” Gary says. “I had put about 100 hours into getting it right, test-fitting it around the blower and pulling it on and off. But a strap broke in the trailer when we were taking the car to be wrapped in Melbourne, and when we stopped the bonnet had folded over on itself.

“I dragged a good standard bonnet out of the shed and dropped the two bonnets to Andrew’s work on Monday. He went to work after-hours on Monday and Tuesday night so it could get into the paint division and be painted by Friday night.”

Andrew removed the front half of the panel’s top skin, integrated the stock Naca-style ducts and XA bulge, cut the hole for the blower, braced it all and got it finished smooth enough for the satin paint to not show signs of previous repairs. Paint? But isn’t AGROXA vinyl-wrapped?

“After Andrew repaired the bonnet there wasn’t enough time to get it to Melbourne to be wrapped so we painted it in time for this photoshoot,” Gary says. “I reckon you can’t tell it is different.”