Wiper Arm/bonnet clearance

[DUF2 ‘65 Elf]

Following restoration, I have just fitted the bonnet on ‘65 Riley Elf. I was extremely disappointed to find the bonnet contacts the wiper arms when in the raised position, surely this cannot be correct!
Is there something I am missing with this? The car has the wiper arms that were on the car when I bought it. Is there more than one type of arm?

[OzOAP]

Have you changed the bonnet hinges?
There are more that one type of them.

[minibitz]

Did you use the original wiper wheel box bushes? Could be you have MK3 on type bushes which are shorter so more of the wheel box shaft will protrude through the scuttle panel.

You can pack out the inner bush with some washers to draw more of the wheel box shaft back into the scuttle which then improves bonnet clearance.

[DUF2 ‘65 Elf]

Have you changed the bonnet hinges?
There are more that one type of them.

No they are the hinges that were on the car when I bought it. The Elf has hinges that are inboard from the edge of the bonnet

[Peter Laidler]

Then by elimination, it's got to be the wheelboxes DUF.....

[DUF2 ‘65 Elf]

The wheel boxes would be the original 1965 ones, I had to strip clean and lubricate these. I did buy new wiper arms from Somerford Mini

6A6FFE2B-84AC-4A19-912F-1C10AB285673.jpeg

Here are the wiper arms, you can see the chip in the paint on the edge of the bonnet.

[111Robin]

New arms are always very tight on the splines and often don't go fully on. Yours look like they're not fully on. Get a block of wood and a hammer and tap them fully home. This might give you back the bonnet clearance you need. They'll be a pig to get off again but you don't often have to remove them so not such a problem.

[Peter Laidler]

Are you sure that the nut isn't cross threaded? It looks like it in the photo although it might be camera angle of the dangle and all that stuff Although that wouldn't be a part of your problem.

You COULD bring the whole lot closer INWARDS by making a 3mm (?) thick rubber gasket between the inner angled bush and the scuttle panel

[DUF2 ‘65 Elf]

New arms are always very tight on the splines and often don't go fully on. Yours look like they're not fully on. Get a block of wood and a hammer and tap them fully home. This might give you back the bonnet clearance you need. They'll be a pig to get off again but you don't often have to remove them so not such a problem.

thanks for that, I think I will measure the depth of the ‘socket’ to check how far it is going onto the spindle.

[DUF2 ‘65 Elf]

Are you sure that the nut isn't cross threaded? It looks like it in the photo although it might be camera angle of the dangle and all that stuff Although that wouldn't be a part of your problem.

You COULD bring the whole lot closer INWARDS by making a 3mm (?) thick rubber gasket between the inner angled bush and the scuttle panel

I know the nut is not cross threaded it must just be the photo. It is the same with both arms.
I may look at using a thicker gasket as you suggest. Thanks

[coop12g295]

My mate got a pair of wiper arms from one of the "specialists" and they are the wrong shape/size as the hinge part of the arm fouls bonnet. They're in the bin now !!

[111Robin]

My mate got a pair of wiper arms from one of the "specialists" and they are the wrong shape/size as the hinge part of the arm fouls bonnet. They're in the bin now !!

That's my thoughts on this, aftermarket crap. If you haven't changed anything else other than the arms then don't mess around trying to modify anything else, find a decent used original pair. I bet if you complain about them you'll be the first, usual story from suppliers.