New hood hinge bolts don't fit.
 

Ordered these from classic industries last summer. Just now tried to use them and realized the small ones are the only ones that fit. Threads are correct, all 5/16 fine thread. The shoulder is to not. 4 of the bolts have a 7/16" shoulder, the other two are 3/8" shoulder. all of the hinge straps and spring arms have a 3/8" hole. Any ideas? Nick

Re: New hood hinge bolts don't fit.
 

Do you know anyone with a metal lathe who could turn the shoulders down?

Re: New hood hinge bolts don't fit.
 

I could turn the shoulder down in the bolts or drill out the hinge straps. I'm just trying to figure out if the bolts are wrong or if certain years had different holes in the hinges.

Re: New hood hinge bolts don't fit.
 

Those bolts worked fine on my 1953 Chevy Truck 3100

Re: New hood hinge bolts don't fit.
 

Do you have your hinges mounted correctly? Are the right ends connected to the cowl? They're not inverted?

Re: New hood hinge bolts don't fit.
 

I am thinking to show the photos of your hinges and also to take another look at if those bolts will fit. I am thinking there is paint and primer in the hinge or the one you checked had a burr in it so the bolt wouldn't go in, something doesn't sound right here.

Brian

Re: New hood hinge bolts don't fit.
 

Still riveted on the firewall side. Hole is definitely 3/8", no rust or paint.

Two of the six bolts I have are for a 3/8" hole. The other 4 are 7/16".

Re: New hood hinge bolts don't fit.
 

It's too late, dark, went and cold to go out and look on the easy to get to cab tonight but I'll try to remember in the morning. I've never seen one that didn't use 4 with the 7/16 Shoulder and 2 with the smaller shoulder.

Re: New hood hinge bolts don't fit.
 

Working off memory here but pretty sure that the big truck hinges has a different hole diameter in the hinge opening. With that being said in the last 60 plus years they who knows what owners trucks have on them now. As you know (fellow Nebraskan) it about 15 degrees right now so cannot check the ones I still have on trucks. Well I can , but don't want to HAH! . The thing about the repo world is they never check accuracy and or fitment of parts they makeThey just grab something off an old truck and send it to China . So if they grabbed a set of large shoulder bolts and ship them off this is what happens . I think you have the correct small hole hinges (pickup) . I think the bolts , especially the larger ones are for a big truck. Like a say. If it warms up a little I will check some of my trucks to verify. Good luck with you truck. I raced motorcyles in Hoskins many moons ago. Good times .

Re: New hood hinge bolts don't fit.
 

That would make sense. I don't need to have the hood on any time really soon so if I have to wait for a different set of hood bolts in ok with that.

How long ago did they race motorcycles in Hoskins? I raced stock cars out at Riviera from 97 through 07. The good days when somehow I had more money and time lol.

Nick

Re: New hood hinge bolts don't fit.
 

Raced from 73 to 79 . Hoskins had a nice little sand track . That truly was the good old days . No cell phone , no computer , more money , more time , made a deal on a handshake ....... .

On a different note . Check post 35 of your build thread. The hood hinge bolts you took out appear to be the same diameter but hard to tell from the photo. Not laying in a bucket somewhere you could measure? When it warms up I will check.

Re: New hood hinge bolts don't fit.
 

I used to race/help another guy race out at Mid Continent Raceway south of Grand Island. My brother built several cars while he worked at Hydraulic Equipment Service In Seward. I remember one car they built For Cornie (Boss) was "Hot Pink" and Burgundy! They used leftover paint, and mixed it together.

Re: New hood hinge bolts don't fit.
 

Small world . Cornie is still going as is Hydraulic Service . I think his kids are more active in the business but still going. Pretty sure they have been in business for over 40 years.

Re: New hood hinge bolts don't fit.
 

Brother worked there for over 25 years.....had to quit when he had a stroke. We lost him last March (2018). His wife still lives in Seward.

Re: New hood hinge bolts don't fit.
 

I used that same kit on mine, one pair of smaller shoulder was correct on my application.

also, mine didnt fit well till I emery papered the holes, they had a fair amount of sticktion going on and were pretty grabby. 1/16ths on a circle is 1/32 or ~31 thousandths, which I agree is a lot of difference, but maybe just maybe some sanding will help.

wait till you try to put them on the hood! I would say put the hinges and springs on the hood first, then onto the body. there isnt a letter in the alphabet that I resembled when standing up, bending down, twisting right, and trying to see over my shoulder from under my armpit, like I did trying to put those bolts on hinges that were already installed. :lol: the shoulders also didnt want to seat till I ran the hood up and down a few times. imagine playing ring toss, now imagine playing ring toss with a ring an inch thick that matches the bottle diameter almost exactly.

Re: New hood hinge bolts don't fit.
 

I've already decided when the hood goes back on the hinges will be attached to the hood first And the firewall second. It was awkward as it was pulling the hood with the front clip removed. No way in hell do I want to try and line those up.

Re: New hood hinge bolts don't fit.
 

Sorry this took so long to get an answer on this one. I took a set of hood hinges from a pickup and saved the bolts . I then took a pair of a 6100 series 47-53 Chevy Big Truck . Both used the same set of bolts . Two small for spring set and four for the larger hinges themselves. I do not have a micrometer but both interchanged from hinge to hinge but were fairly tight . So anyone reading this this is what I found before my first statement is taken for gospel.

I have parted out many of these trucks in the last 40 years and something I had never checked. One thing I noted on your build thread is that you have a 47 . Over the years I noticed the 47 model year trucks were kind of a learning year curve for GM . For instance the bolt pattern of the gauge clusters is different than later years, different glove box hinges , different glove box mounting and rear cab mounts. These were all changed in later years . There are also many other differences.

So , I do not have a final answer on your bolts other than they MAY have been an earlier production item. If I get my hands on a original 47 I will grab the bolts and hinges to see if they are different .

Sorry this thread kind of veered off course. Good luck with your truck . I looked at your build thread . Great job.

Re: New hood hinge bolts don't fit.
 

I will have to look at the tag when I get home. Is there a production date listed anywhere on the trucks? Being an early 47 would explain why the hinges I have are different than everything else you can get. if that's the case I'll just drill them out to 7/16 and run the bolts I have because any of the replacement hinges are going to be the same as what these are after I drill them. And that don't bother me I was just wondering what was going on.

Thanks for the kind words on the build thread. It's going pretty slow and right now it just looks like a bunch of crap piled together but hopefully before long it'll start actually looking like progress.

Nick