Removing the bow in the hood

[chrismoore701]

I have a 79. Hood is bowed and it is time to try to remove this. The plan is to grab some small pieces of 2x4s and put one on top in the middle. Two on the bottom. One front and one back. Take a long 2x4 and place in the bottom and squeeze. It will hiperextend the hood just enough to make it straight when done. Thoughts? I may make some relief cuts in the side support of the hood and weld back when done

[chrismoore701]

Look close and you can see what I am dealing with

[chrismoore701]

For some reason I can't load the photo. But you guys know what I'm talking about. Just a slight bow. Nothing extreme

[chrismoore701]

Here we go. Check out the slight bow

[cadillac_al]

I don't know about that 2x4 on the top, might scratch it. I would stack 2x4's on the core support and find a fat ass to sit on the bowed part.

[USSkoval]

You won't need relief cuts, just luck. It will be hard to straighten out without paint or body damage.

[chrismoore701]

I have a spare hood that needs some work and I would have to paint it. That is if the repair on my other hood fails. I just don't want to spend the time and money to paint it. Wish me luck. Going to tackle it next week

[bbbc10]

Jump on it

[chrismoore701]

Thanks guys

[chrismoore701]

Bow is gone

[mongocanfly]

Do you have the hood stiffeners? If not it will help keep that from happening again

[bilfman]

New hinges make a world of difference, also lube them at least quarterly and it will never be an issue again.

[Edahall]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

Do you have the hood stiffeners? If not it will help keep that from happening again

Hood stiffeners also destroy the design of the hood to fold in the event of a crash. The hood then has no where to go but push through the windshield.

[chrismoore701]

Hood Stiffeners are not an option. I have two little boys and they need their daddy to stick around for a little while. Where is the best place for hinges? I buy 90% of my parts from classic parts. Is this a catalog order or OEM order?

[SilverMiner]

Originally Posted by Edahall

Hood stiffeners also destroy the design of the hood to fold in the event of a crash. The hood then has no where to go but push through the windshield.

The possibility of injury up to and including decapitation is perhaps the most prevailing squarebody myth ahead of even the fabled and false exploding NBC gas tanks. The hoods on the 73-80 body styles are 69-3/4" wide, easily two inches wider than the opening for the window between the A-pillars, and the A-pillars wedge smaller going up. I don't doubt at all that the hood was designed to fold, but I do question the reason for the fold - perhaps to minimize damage amounts and not require A-pillar replacement.

Aftermarket hood stiffeners were advertised in off-road magazines as early as 1974, and in all that time since then the NHTSA database reports no incidents resulting from killer hoods.

[Sik66]

Could be a possible episode for the myth busters.....square body decapitations by hood.....myth or plausible.....hmmmmn....

[chrismoore701]

My kids are worth a bow

[Houston Ben]

I have the same issue with a cowl hood, I am too scared to try what you did.

[chrismoore701]

Does anybody know a good place for the hinges?

[TKCR]

http://www.truckandcarshop.com/trucks73_91/t73_076.html

https://www.brotherstrucks.com/73-80...tinfo/HNG73RP/

http://www.usa1industries.com/search...ts_per_page=50

[moregrip]

Originally Posted by TKCR

http://www.truckandcarshop.com/trucks73_91/t73_076.html

https://www.brotherstrucks.com/73-80...tinfo/HNG73RP/

http://www.usa1industries.com/search...ts_per_page=50

probably a dumb question, but are there any of these aftermarket hinges that are better than another?

[chrismoore701]

I dont understand why sometimes they only produce one side. The truck shop has an original GM hinge but only right side. what the heck. not the first time either. Just looked and it seems to be discontinued. But still not the first time I have seen this issue

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by moregrip

probably a dumb question, but are there any of these aftermarket hinges that are better than another?

Personally I couldn't say. But I do know that a lot of these places, source their parts from the same places. Now the Truck and Car Shop, actually had one side that was a NOS part. If it was me, I would get a NOS part and the aftermarket one, then you could compare them. There may not be any difference in the 2 parts.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by chrismoore701

I dont understand why sometimes they only produce one side. The truck shop has an original GM hinge but only right side. what the heck. not the first time either. Just looked and it seems to be discontinued. But still not the first time I have seen this issue

Probably because its old stock, once they are gone, they switch totally to aftermarket.

[Jaysonb]

What did you end up doing to get the bow out? Any damage?