Bent hood

[dagnabbitt]

My 1978 has a bent hood, too, and am looking at replacing it with a steel cowl induction hood. Does anyone have experience with the 73-80 steel cowl induction hoods bending? It seems like the design would keep it from doing so.

[mickeykreg]

I was on a junkyard tour a while back and found what looks like the LMC brace on this truck... bent anyway. Maybe installed wrong, I dunno. Truck wasn't wrecked in front. Seems like a flimsy solution to me.

[chrismoore701]

I could not find any pics of what I did, but here is my post from another thread

Placed two (2) 3" 2x2's under the hood in the channel at the side, one (1) near the front and the other just in front of the hinge. Took a 4x4 and placed it under the 2x2's and clamped in place with some rubber clamps. Placed a 6" 2x4 on the hood on a towel. Measured the distance I need to squeeze the hood and put a 3/4" pipe clamp on there and squeezed slowly. Over squeezed a little and waited. Removed and checked. Repeat as needed. No damage.

[dragonball98312]

Did you do anything to strengthen it so it wont happen again?

[chrismoore701]

Originally Posted by dragonball98312

Did you do anything to strengthen it so it wont happen again?

No, I am sure those brackets would work. The picture above is not an LMC bracket, they are more rigid. But if you get in a crash with them on, the hood will not bend, it will go through the cab and take you out. I have two little kids at home who wants to keep their daddy around for a while. I just oil the crap out of the hinges and all is good

[frenchy51]

I had the same problem with my 74 Blazer hood. Wound up even buying the megabuck $$$ billet hinges that helped the problem but since my hood had a slight bow it still wasn't perfect. I'm going to try the pipe clamp method and if that doesn't work-look for a better hood to paint. The moral of the story-test fit ALL panels before paint.....

[bluex]

I'll start this by saying, I keep my hinges greased, it doesnt have any bracing and I havent had an issue with my stock hood. When I started driving my truck my Dad pointed one out with a bent hood and told me "Boy, every time you open this hood spray the hinges with some oil so it doesnt do that." Now maybe I havent done it every time per say but if I'm working on something they get sprayed before its closed.

Now some of you guys worried about taking a hood to the dome crack me up. If you get in a wreck bad enough to put the hood all the way to the back glass you got more sutff to worry about as well. Like an engine in your lap and a steering wheel in your chest. This is almost as bad as a small fender bender to the side causing the truck to explode because of the gas tank location.....

[dragonball98312]

Originally Posted by bluex

Now some of you guys worried about taking a hood to the dome crack me up. If you get in a wreck bad enough to put the hood all the way to the back glass you got more sutff to worry about as well. Like an engine in your lap and a steering wheel in your chest. This is almost as bad as a small fender bender to the side causing the truck to explode because of the gas tank location.....

Agreed.

[S10Fan]

Originally Posted by mickeykreg

I was on a junkyard tour a while back and found what looks like the LMC brace on this truck... bent anyway. Maybe installed wrong, I dunno. Truck wasn't wrecked in front. Seems like a flimsy solution to me.

That LMC piece is mounted in the wrong location, it goes more towards the front. A friend has the same setup on his hood, no issues for the 5-6 years he's been using it.

As mentioned before, a little grease, WD-40 etc, will keep the hinges working properly.

[SilverMiner]

Originally Posted by bluex

...Now some of you guys worried about taking a hood to the dome crack me up. If you get in a wreck bad enough to put the hood all the way to the back glass you got more sutff to worry about as well. Like an engine in your lap and a steering wheel in your chest. This is almost as bad as a small fender bender to the side causing the truck to explode because of the gas tank location.....

Agreed X2. A simple measurement of the width of the hood shows that it exceeds the width of the windshield frame. The complex geometry required for the hood to enter the passenger compartment and accomplish a decapitation is too difficult to describe. I don't even believe such a thing has ever happened.

[SunSoaked]

Originally Posted by bluex

Now some of you guys worried about taking a hood to the dome crack me up. If you get in a wreck bad enough to put the hood all the way to the back glass you got more sutff to worry about as well.

X2! I was thinking the same thing. I've yet to see a convertible square as a result of rear ending somebody. Lol

[landy]

I installed the LMC hood braces, too, but IMHO, it's more important to keep all the hinges well lubed.

[Desert_Eagle02]

When I bought my truck a previous owner had installed braces. I have no idea what brand they are. They must work good because the hood is not bent at all, and the springs are stiff. I lubed them up and it helped a bit, but not a lot. I guess I'm going to have to replace them eventually.

[SunSoaked]

From the pics that have been posted, it looks like their nothing more than angle iron available at the local hardware store,a couple holes drilled, cut to length and bolted beneath the hinges?

[S10Fan]

Originally Posted by SunSoaked

From the pics that have been posted, it looks like their nothing more than angle iron available at the local hardware store,a couple holes drilled, cut to length and bolted beneath the hinges?

The brace needs to be forward of the hinges, 99% of the hoods that bend, bend almost in the middle.

I'll try and get a picture of my friends truck that has the LMC setup.

[cadillac_al]

This is a weird thread. If you oil the hinges you can open the hood with 2 fingers, like when it was new. You shouldn't have to force the hood to shut. If I had any spare time I would post a video of how easy they open and close. So how much are used oem hoods worth nowadays? $300? I should sell my straight ones and put bent ones on my work trucks.

[Desert_Eagle02]

Originally Posted by cadillac_al

This is a weird thread. If you oil the hinges you can open the hood with 2 fingers, like when it was new. You shouldn't have to force the hood to shut. If I had any spare time I would post a video of how easy they open and close. So how much are used oem hoods worth nowadays? $300? I should sell my straight ones and put bent ones on my work trucks.

I lubed my hinges up and it only helped a little bit. Still stiff. I think I just need a new set.

[Pontiac1976]

You have to relube to get them moving all the povits points on the hinge. spary rust buster slowly work the hinges. there a lots a ways to loosen them up. If there really tight
losts of rust bust and maybe a torch heat up the povits points and more rust bust then lightly work the hood hinges. It may take more then one day to get them loosen up. When they do lube them up good, Do not let them dry out keep them lubed. You can sand blast around the povit ponits, hit them with some rust bust. Bolt back on truck, bolt a 2x4 by 4-1/2 to 5 feet to the hing to work the hings one @ at time make sure you keep square so not to twist the hinges slow and steady. never let hinges get to dirty & dry out keep the povits points lubed you never kink the hood.

[Pontiac1976]

If your hood hinghes are a tight & you try to close the hood it's staring to shimmy left and right or one side closes faster your hinges need lubed. There rusted gumed up one of the time you close it it's going the kink on you. That a tell tail.