Well.. I found out why the hood sticks up on the corners, And Im not sure if its fixable. By pushing down on both corners I figured out why there was all that lumpy paint along the bottom edge of the front trunk. The PO did a real nice paint job under there, I guess I did not pay that much attention.

Anyway... what do I do now???

fix it or get a new hood?

another

is that hood frame broken?
Is that fiberglass/bondo covering the broken section?

If that was me, I would use a wire brush and remove all the plastic and see what it the real condition underneath the frame area.

It may be simple enough to straighten and weld up instead of using fiberglass...all hope is not lost here.

There are some cool jelly like substances that you would smear on the paint above to help keep it cool while welding (ask your local welding supply shop...the stuff is amazing)

Rich

Ho Lee Crap! How solid is that front latch area on your hood?
Mike

New hood time...

Personally, I'd hate to have it come loose when driving and pop open and wrap itself across the windshield.....

Might be a little more "exciting" than you want....

Ken

Had same scenerio on my 72.

Definitiely get a new hood! I thought mine was ok until.....

Hard pull in 3rd gear on-ramp, hood scratched my new windshield and trashed the trim at the top of the window. Not to mention peeling up both front corners of the front cowling....

On the bright side I could concentrate on finishing my 73 instead of keeping the 72 pretty

New hood.

You could weld and patch that one, but it would take a bit of skill to have it turn out right and not warp. Looks like you need to park your car, and get yer butt up to Hershey this coming April for a new hood.

Zach

That big bunch of Bondo around the latch area indicates that the hood was screwed before you ever came along. Cut it up and put it in the trashcan like the DAPO should have.

I think it may be time for fiberglass lids! Those stock suckers are HEAVY.

Zach

*edit* this is a prime example of why my car has taken 3 years to get rebuilt.

Two hood pins and till you get $ for the new hood.

Steve

Hershey? Swap meet? Details please!!??

You know, when I was 16, my best bud had a 53 Chevy. It was 15 years old at the time.

One very snowy day, five of us went to local golf course - called the "goat course" because of its hills & valleys.

We removed the hood from the Chevy, which was bullnosed, plopped it on the a snowy hill, climbed abord & almost died when we hit a stone wall at the bottom. Dragged it back up the long hill several times to redo. Learned you could alter your downward path by pulling up on the forward corners of the hood.

Still, when we were salved & had had our fun, he announced that the car was really his brother's. Oops! The bondo had long been crushed from the bullnose. In fact, the hood wouldn't even remotely be fitted back to the car. We left it next to a trash can & went home. There's more to this story, but the point is- you may want to consider the same. Your hood is toast, yet it could be great fun in the snow. I've even thought about buying a junker hood & taking it to the mountains here in PA to have some fun with, but there just isn't anyplace left here to do that.

Get another hood - that one is done!
Pat

Somehow this does not surprise me...so you invented sledding huh??

Rich

I may have a hood up here in Hershey for a small fee. Its not mine or it would be a 6 pack, but it wont likely be more.

http://www.cpa-pca.org/

Here is the link for Hershey. BUt I dont think I can wait that long. I dont have $$ for the hood but Santa Claus is .....

I should have a new hood by Thanksgiving

http://www.cpa-pca.org/

PM Sent

PM answered

so me and vacca rabite found a stash of parts last tuesday, and i got a great deal on a hood. Much better

I feel much more motivated to work on the car once again. AND I have a really cool alaska blue sled now

Heres the pics of the new one.


ps. thanks everyone for helping me to find a good hood

Well, the next hood never fits as good as the first one. I used the technique to bend down the passenger side front next to the eyelid. But the problem is when i looked at the side profile from the drivers side, the hood arched up in the center right over the fender. you cant really tell in the pic but i could get two fingers under the hood while it was closed reason was after closer inspection there was a dent in the hood frame on both sides right in the middle.

anyway .. here is what i did It worked perfect.

I used a bunch of towles a crowbar and three small c-clamps...


first i opend the lid and laid a bunch of towles the lenght of the fender, next i folded a towl and placed it along the edge of the top drivers side hood, then i took a large crowbar and held it up to the bottom edge of the hood, there was a almost one inch gap in the middle of the crowbar and it was touching the underside of the hood at both ends, i placed a clamp in the center untill it was tight and then i used one 6 inch on both sides and kept tightening every other one untill the gap from the crowbar to the hood was 1/4 inch and then repeated this proceadure for the other side.

perfect fit