[asphaltburner]

Yo! Mostly the problem is the lack of hinge maintenance. If lubed properly, these hoods will do OK. They were built to collapse with a head-on collision so that the hood would not decapitate the passengers.
My old hood was bent, and I bought a new one from Classic Industries. The flange at the collapse point on both sides does not have the cutout like the old hoods and makes it stronger, but keeping the hinges moving smoothly is still of prime importance due to the inherent weak point.
With a 3/4 ton I'm not too worried about being decapitated, so I've not braced mine yet, but I will in the future, just to ensure that my hood stays pristine.
Todd.