What to do about bowed hood problem.. - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

68gmsee · 08-28-2007, 06:23 PM

I've got a hood that I bought as a spare and noticed it has a slight bow in the center like the one on my 69 chevy. My 68 GMC doesn't have it.

I've also noticed the same on other trucks and have to assume that it's not uncommon. Seems to be a weak spot than could use some bracing. What, if anything are you all doing to fix? Or is it something we just live with.

68gmsee · 08-28-2007, 07:08 PM

Here's a picture of what I'm talking about. The bow is very slight and you seem to only notice it if you look down the center line of the hood.

scrapmetalart · 08-28-2007, 07:26 PM

my 69 hood has it also...

Aarons72s · 08-28-2007, 09:38 PM

It is usually caused by the rubber that isolates the top of the hood and the 2 support braces wearing down. Mine, on the green truck was sagged pretty good cause they were gone and boards had been shoved in there place. Try getting new hood isolator pads and installing them or hammer on the support braces to tighten them up. That would be my guess and solution.

CrashEd · 08-29-2007, 12:59 AM

I got one truck the PO used yard sticks to shim up the hood lots of them too LOL!! it did look good though from the outside.
Iv seen some use spray in foam trimmed and painted.
Best would be new rubber pads like Aarons72s said.
Ed

68gmsee · 08-29-2007, 08:43 AM

I had thought of engineering a metal brace and weld it down the center for added strength, but that would be last resort. I will try the brace pad shims first. These are old and dried out.

67_C-30 · 08-29-2007, 10:05 AM

I have taken a piece of 1" X 2 wood put the 1" in section in the center hood in the center ridge and the other end either somewhere solid on the engine, and slowly and carefully shut the hood down on the the wood. If you do it carefully it and a little at a time, it will take the bow out the center ridge, and it tightens the whole hood panel up. Then you can put the shims under the braces to keep it from happening again. I have done this on several, and it has worked perfectly. Just be careful, and don't pull down hard on it.

Mt Man Chad · 08-29-2007, 03:06 PM

I saw a show truck with a formed brace supporting the center of the hood it was tied into the two exsisting supports.

I'll see if I can find the picture of it??????

68gmsee · 08-29-2007, 03:28 PM

[QUOTE=67_C-30;2332136]I have taken a piece of 1" X 2 wood put the 1" in section in the center hood in the center ridge and the other end either somewhere solid on the engine, and slowly and carefully shut the hood down on the the wood. If you do it carefully it and a little at a time, it will take the bow out the center ridge, and it tightens the whole hood panel up. QUOTE]

... man I never thought of that one. I guess that's why we have this forum..

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mt Man Chad

I saw a show truck with a formed brace supporting the center of the hood it was tied into the two exsisting supports.

I'll see if I can find the picture of it??????

This is what I had thought of if the other tricks didn't work.

Thnx.

Mt Man Chad · 08-29-2007, 03:43 PM

Great Idea !!!!!!!
I'll be fixing one of my 67 & 68 hoods tonight............

67_C-30 · 08-29-2007, 05:34 PM

I think you will be very impressed with how it turns out. Just be easy with it, and check every time you out pressure down on it.

prg machine · 08-30-2007, 08:56 AM

Just finished my 68 hood with same problem. I used a small pecking hammer and dolly to bring the rib (spear i call it) back up straight, mine had been hit at the same point the above pic shows.
I then took 1 inch box tube slit it at one end inserted a tab and welded it to tube . The tab can be bent up appropriately to hook under the front of the hood where the spear ends and a small plate was welded across the face of the back of tube , pushed down to support center of hood and tack welded to the rear cross brace on hood.

68gmsee · 08-30-2007, 09:12 AM

prg, thanks for the info. If the wood block on the engine method doesn't work on mine, I was going to do a brace job as you did. I had no idea how I was going to do it other than looking for an old hood and removing the brace and using that.

I like your idea. Any chance you can post a pic of it? Did you use any padding on top?

prg machine · 08-30-2007, 12:14 PM

Yea. I will use a foam or rubber between the "gaps on my new brace as it is straight and the hood is not. I tried a block of wood perfectly formed to fit in the "channel of the spear inside the hood and a dolly on top and smacked it good at least 10 times. It did not move a bit. I pecked that area up with a dolly on the outside and it straightened in about 5 minutes!!!

08-28-2007, 06:23 PM	#1
68gmsee Active Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Centrally located between Houston, Austin and Waco. BCS area. Posts: 7,947	What to do about bowed hood problem.. I've got a hood that I bought as a spare and noticed it has a slight bow in the center like the one on my 69 chevy. My 68 GMC doesn't have it. I've also noticed the same on other trucks and have to assume that it's not uncommon. Seems to be a weak spot than could use some bracing. What, if anything are you all doing to fix? Or is it something we just live with.

08-28-2007, 07:08 PM	#2
68gmsee Active Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Centrally located between Houston, Austin and Waco. BCS area. Posts: 7,947	Re: What to do about bowed hood problem.. Here's a picture of what I'm talking about. The bow is very slight and you seem to only notice it if you look down the center line of the hood.

08-28-2007, 07:26 PM	#3
scrapmetalart Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: DAYTON Posts: 505	Re: What to do about bowed hood problem.. my 69 hood has it also... __________________ frontstreetcycle on Instagram

08-28-2007, 09:38 PM	#4
Aarons72s Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: oklahoma Posts: 10,669	Re: What to do about bowed hood problem.. It is usually caused by the rubber that isolates the top of the hood and the 2 support braces wearing down. Mine, on the green truck was sagged pretty good cause they were gone and boards had been shoved in there place. Try getting new hood isolator pads and installing them or hammer on the support braces to tighten them up. That would be my guess and solution.

08-29-2007, 12:59 AM	#5
CrashEd 72 chevy Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Central Il Posts: 725	Re: What to do about bowed hood problem.. I got one truck the PO used yard sticks to shim up the hood lots of them too LOL!! it did look good though from the outside. Iv seen some use spray in foam trimmed and painted. Best would be new rubber pads like Aarons72s said. Ed

08-29-2007, 08:43 AM	#6
68gmsee Active Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Centrally located between Houston, Austin and Waco. BCS area. Posts: 7,947	Re: What to do about bowed hood problem.. I had thought of engineering a metal brace and weld it down the center for added strength, but that would be last resort. I will try the brace pad shims first. These are old and dried out.

08-29-2007, 10:05 AM	#7
67_C-30 I have a radical idea! Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sweet Home Alabama! Posts: 6,513	Re: What to do about bowed hood problem.. I have taken a piece of 1" X 2 wood put the 1" in section in the center hood in the center ridge and the other end either somewhere solid on the engine, and slowly and carefully shut the hood down on the the wood. If you do it carefully it and a little at a time, it will take the bow out the center ridge, and it tightens the whole hood panel up. Then you can put the shims under the braces to keep it from happening again. I have done this on several, and it has worked perfectly. Just be careful, and don't pull down hard on it. __________________ '67 C-30 Dually Pickup 6.2 Turbo Diesel, NP435 ‘72 C-10 SWB , 350 4bbl, TH350 '69 C-10 SWB , 250 L6, 3 OTT '69 GMC C3500, dump truck, 351 V6, NP435 '84 M1009 CUCV Military Blazer 67 C-30 Turbodiesel build thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=254096 My trucks http://s226.photobucket.com/albums/d...ediafilter=all Member of the 1-Ton Club!

08-29-2007, 03:06 PM	#8
Mt Man Chad Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Oakridge Oregon Posts: 1,864	Re: What to do about bowed hood problem.. I saw a show truck with a formed brace supporting the center of the hood it was tied into the two exsisting supports. I'll see if I can find the picture of it?????? __________________ 68 CST SWB - Gold/White 50th anniversary /TH350/Buddy Buckets/3.73 Posi/dogdish caps. 68 K10 Burb - Gold/White 327/SM465/NP205/3.73 "Daa Burb" build thread

08-29-2007, 03:43 PM	#10
Mt Man Chad Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Oakridge Oregon Posts: 1,864	Re: What to do about bowed hood problem.. Great Idea !!!!!!! I'll be fixing one of my 67 & 68 hoods tonight............ __________________ 68 CST SWB - Gold/White 50th anniversary /TH350/Buddy Buckets/3.73 Posi/dogdish caps. 68 K10 Burb - Gold/White 327/SM465/NP205/3.73 "Daa Burb" build thread

08-29-2007, 05:34 PM	#11
67_C-30 I have a radical idea! Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sweet Home Alabama! Posts: 6,513	Re: What to do about bowed hood problem.. I think you will be very impressed with how it turns out. Just be easy with it, and check every time you out pressure down on it. __________________ '67 C-30 Dually Pickup 6.2 Turbo Diesel, NP435 ‘72 C-10 SWB , 350 4bbl, TH350 '69 C-10 SWB , 250 L6, 3 OTT '69 GMC C3500, dump truck, 351 V6, NP435 '84 M1009 CUCV Military Blazer 67 C-30 Turbodiesel build thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=254096 My trucks http://s226.photobucket.com/albums/d...ediafilter=all Member of the 1-Ton Club! Last edited by 67_C-30; 08-29-2007 at 05:35 PM.

08-30-2007, 08:56 AM	#12
prg machine Registered User Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: oregon Posts: 1,069	Re: What to do about bowed hood problem.. Just finished my 68 hood with same problem. I used a small pecking hammer and dolly to bring the rib (spear i call it) back up straight, mine had been hit at the same point the above pic shows. I then took 1 inch box tube slit it at one end inserted a tab and welded it to tube . The tab can be bent up appropriately to hook under the front of the hood where the spear ends and a small plate was welded across the face of the back of tube , pushed down to support center of hood and tack welded to the rear cross brace on hood.

08-30-2007, 09:12 AM	#13
68gmsee Active Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Centrally located between Houston, Austin and Waco. BCS area. Posts: 7,947	Re: What to do about bowed hood problem.. prg, thanks for the info. If the wood block on the engine method doesn't work on mine, I was going to do a brace job as you did. I had no idea how I was going to do it other than looking for an old hood and removing the brace and using that. I like your idea. Any chance you can post a pic of it? Did you use any padding on top?

08-30-2007, 12:14 PM	#14
prg machine Registered User Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: oregon Posts: 1,069	Re: What to do about bowed hood problem.. Yea. I will use a foam or rubber between the "gaps on my new brace as it is straight and the hood is not. I tried a block of wood perfectly formed to fit in the "channel of the spear inside the hood and a dolly on top and smacked it good at least 10 times. It did not move a bit. I pecked that area up with a dolly on the outside and it straightened in about 5 minutes!!!



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