H'mmm. Obviously not an ex-military chap, then.
In the (British) army, a "piece of kit" was (is) anything from an ammunition pouch ... to a main battle tank.
As in:- "Have you had a cabby* in the new Armoured Recovery Vehicle? What a brilliant piece of kit"! Or, "Come on you ******* maggots, get yer bleedin' kit on, we're going for a run"! Oh, yes ... Happy Days.
Yes, and bonnet means "hood". Or should that be the other way around?
Truck :: Lorry!
* Cabby :: "go" (sometimes the word "clutch" might be used in that context ... as in "I've just been out for a clutch [drive] in the new half-ton Rover")
