Help Hood
 

Just got my stepper and the @#$%^& hood folded up like an accordian.

I knew i should have supported it since my old 78 i had years ago did the same thing.

Does anyone make the weeker springs for our trucks. I have seen them for fiberglass hood for the classic cars.

Of course this happens two days after getting mine out of the paint shop
now i need a hood and the weaker springs and paint

hood
 

now that !@#$%^&* suck's!!!! personally i have never heard of a weaker spring. (don't mean they don't make them though).mine done same thing,i learned that it's by design,so if your in a wreck the hood buckles easy..everyone has told me the best thing to do was get new arms,spring's etc. and be sure to keep greased good,,know that don't help you any but that's what everyone told me the fix was... :metal:

Some companies make "mend plates" to support the hood alond the fild line. But since you are going to get a new hood, it would be best to replace the hinges as mentioned above. If you do use weaker springs you will need to use a prop rod to hold the hood open.

well get rid of springs and get after market prop rod . even if you had a fiberglass hood they have to come off

Check out some hood/hatch support shocks for other cars. I'm sure you could make those work, but they are also very hard to compress. I guess you would have to think out where to mount them to avoid that again.

If you have your mind made up to get lighter springs, you will still have to get a prop rod. If you buy a fiberglass hood you can get by with light springs but the factory springs & hood are a matched set. I say, keep your hinges lubed up & you wont have to worry about it. Sorry to hear yours gave it up right after paint, that sucks...corn

I read that with the fiberglass hoods they recamend and some componies that make the hoods sell lighter springs.

Don't waste your time with the hood brackets. They are a waste of twenty dollars. I have them under my hood and they lasted about two closes before they folded too. They are way too flimsy to be of any real help. I would suggest having some made out of a sturdy material or going with the prop hood.

Cant you use later model hinges? I know they changed the style of hinge and they didnt have any problems with it.

hinges
 

it's not the hinge's so much (although you have to take care of them) as the design in the hood's that were made to "buckle" under pressure.. the brace's you see are a waste of good money.. they will not fix the problem...new hinge's,,good lube,,new hood,,carefull closing is the only answer i have found if you want to use the original style hood...but like i said,,it's the only answer (i have) found..... :)

I had this happen, even had the support straps, its not the springs fault usually its just worn hinges. If your set on lighter springs like I was because I was in denile at the time look for a early 80's caprice, they will have the ones you want and will have enough tension to hold the hood up.

Oil the hinges and keep them oiled and there won't be a problem

Make sure the hood still has the glue holding the sheetmetal to the support frame. Mine had broken loose in several places, the hood bounced as I drove along. Used some construction adhesive to re-glue and the hood is much stiffer now, no more bounce.