Chummy Four Piece Bonnet Dimensions

[RupertW]

Evening all, 

I recently picked up a chummy four piece bonnet for my AE type chummy project. It fits reasonably well, aside from that the bonnet sides appear to be about an inch and a half or so too short! I wasn't expecting it to fit perfectly first time round, but this seems way off as if it was made for a car with either taller valences or a lower scuttle/radiator shell. It's too short all the way along, rather than just at one end. 

I'm a bit confused as I'd thought four piece bonnets were only fitted to later chummy models which would be fairly similar in dimensions. The bonnet sides measure about 10 inches in height, and the only thing I can think of is that the bonnet is fitted with sides from an earlier three piece bonnet unless anyone has any other ideas???

[Parazine]

I'm a bit confused as I'd thought four piece bonnets were only fitted to later chummy models which would be fairly similar in dimensions. 

The four piece bonnet was introduced into production in the autumn of 1926. Cars made at that time had short, black radiator shells and a rounded scuttle. In the Autumn of 1928, the higher radiator was introduced and the scuttle line was raised to suit. These later bodies used a four piece bonnet with longer sides and a reprofiled shape. The AE tourer was introduced later still - late summer 1929 but the front end (bonnet and scuttle) was the same as the 1928 and early 1929 cars.

You have a four piece bonnet from an earlier car - 1926-1928, that's why it doesn't fit.

[RupertW]

Ah okay thank you, that'd explain it then! I'm assuming then that the three piece bonnets were only used on the very early cars then?

[Parazine]

Yes, 1922 - 26.

Not sure if the very early cars (1922 - 24) have a different bonnet, my area of interest is mainly 1926 - 30.