Hinged Hood.....

fuzzy dice · 09-15-2009, 04:29:56 PM

I currently have a Glasstek 4" cowl hood on my 81...it has a four pin locking system with wire loops...

I cannot remove the hood by myself...my thought is to install simple hinges at the rear of the hood with no springs and a prop rod in front...the hood is fairly light and flimsy...

Has anyone done this that can steer me in the right direction?...since the hood is very a very tight fit up front I figured to find/make a tool to lift it a few inches...

If anyone has done this in reverse with the hinges up front, that would be OK as well...thanks...

Dan

driftwood · 09-15-2009, 10:23:42 PM

Is it a bolt on hood so you could use the stock hinges without springs?
If it is a LW pin on hood, it may be too flimsy to support itself up on a prop rod.
For "pushing" the front up just put light springs on the front hood pins so they lift the hood when you remove the retainers.

fuzzy dice · 09-16-2009, 09:58:17 AM

It is a pin hood with four bolts that come up through the hood...the fasteners then slide through the bolts...

Good idea on the springs..thanks...now I need to figure out how to make the hinges work...I am sure some kind of reinforcement will be needed on the hood itself...the prop rod may need reinforcement as well...

hhott71 · 09-16-2009, 10:13:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuzzy dice

I currently have a Glasstek 4" cowl hood on my 81...it has a four pin locking system with wire loops...

I cannot remove the hood by myself...my thought is to install simple hinges at the rear of the hood with no springs and a prop rod in front...the hood is fairly light and flimsy...

Has anyone done this that can steer me in the right direction?...since the hood is very a very tight fit up front I figured to find/make a tool to lift it a few inches...

If anyone has done this in reverse with the hinges up front, that would be OK as well...thanks...

Dan

I'm using stock hinges and no springs on a used fiberglass cowl hood. It has the inserts for the hood molded in it.
I use an ultra high tech prop rod,,,, 1/2 PVC pipe cut to 39" long. It is stored in front of the core support resting on the place where the hood latch and hook (hook removed) and the ends tuck up under the header panel. It stays put there when racing.

fuzzy dice · 09-17-2009, 10:55:01 AM

OK...thanks....

masparks · 09-17-2009, 11:47:06 AM

Has anyone done this that can steer me in the right direction?...since the hood is very a very tight fit up front I figured to find/make a tool to lift it a few inches...

My hood has hood pins in the front. No hood latch! Guy before me used a screw driver to pry open. NOOOOOOOO!

So I think it was a screen door spring. anyway I cut it so it would pop my hood up so I could/can open it fine. And no more screw drivers need.

If you glastex hood would pop up like that would you then beable to get it off???

Because I've been thinking of do what you have. but don't know if it's a one man job!!!

Hope that this spring Idea works for you and anybody else that see it!!

Thought I had a pic of it,I will if there is a interrest

1980RS · 09-17-2009, 01:36:20 PM

Maybe you could use some angle iron to go from the fron to the rear and make some sort of hindge off of that. I can't imagine it would be too hard to make. I just put an L/88 hood on my camaro as I had the same thing as you did.
The other hood is a 6" harwood but it was hard to get off so I bought the other for $100 and it is hindged. I used 2 springs frome Home depot still were not strong enough then I added a spring on each side off some seat tracks I had it it stays up perfectly. I use a thin nail remover to get under the lip to get it open.

fuzzy dice · 09-18-2009, 11:51:25 AM

I thought about finding an old original hood but I would have a clearance problem...my BBC puts the carb up into the cowl pretty good...

woody80z28 · 09-18-2009, 11:04:35 PM

I asked about this a while ago and gregh had already done it and posted pics.

Found the link.
http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showth...light=prop+rod

I really like the spring idea too.

masparks · 09-20-2009, 01:28:07 AM

How hard is it to get the lift off hoods off. race waight ones,I can put towels on the roof.

I'm sure it's tricky???

driftwood · 09-20-2009, 08:48:44 AM

Well, not very hard at all.

I'm only about 5'5" and take my glass bolt on off by myself which is about 32#.
I've seen alot of people glue soft foam padding blocks onto the udnerside of the lift off hoods for when they set them on the roof so it doesn't damage the paint.

HOLESHOT · 09-20-2009, 04:58:33 PM

i have a pin on hood i take it off and put it on by myself y cant you?

fuzzy dice · 09-22-2009, 11:45:36 AM

I am an old fart and cannot pull my hood alone...I have tried but without a center scoop to slide one hand into it is just too bulky...I can grab the rear of the cowl hood but there is nothing to grab for leverage with the other hand...

Thanks for the link, Woody....

1FSTLS1 · 10-29-2009, 04:39:16 PM

Quote:

i have a pin on hood i take it off and put it on by myself y cant you?

How much trouble is it to take off a full pin hood. Is it risky as far as scratchig paint or putting it back on.

82Vettrin · 10-31-2009, 09:21:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuzzy dice

...the hood is fairly light and flimsy...

my thoughts would be try to find a body shop or fiberglass repair shop to see about having some "blocks" (with threadserts installed) molded onto the hood panel, then just use stock spring assemblies with no coils on the assembly. fitment might take some thought though...
there are low tension springs made for this type of an application also; I have a buddy with them on his carbon fiber hinged 4" cowl.
truth being said fuzzy,, it might just be more-cost effective to purchase a hinged application and sell what you have ...
for the last guy posting:
it's no "trouble" taking a pin-on off and on, but for my 6" Harwood, it's a 2-man job. period.
we slide one hand into the rear of the cowl, lift up, slide the other hand under the side and lift up.. take it rearward and stores on the top. I have spongy material glued to the hood where it contacts the top. no scratches; no sliding around. I can ease the car around somewhat with the hood up-there.
seems like there's always someone around who will help lift it off and on.