So I'd really like to save the original hood on my 55 F250 project cause it is in amazing shape other than the very front and it's nice to save what you can for nostalgia's sake. Now that I have it down to bare metal and drilled out all the spot welds up front and separated the hood up front. I'm happy to report the outer sheet metal on the front is solid except for some dents and a several small pinholes that will need to be filled.

The bad part is the sheetmetal reinforcement panel upfront that the support rods, hood spring, latch bolt to is destroyed. I'm hoping some one makes a replacement for this and I do not have to try to fab one up from scratch. So does anyone know if this piece is reproduced?

 

Mid-Fifty has it, "goes all the way across with hood dowel location" Part# 7755, front hood under section, pg 102 of the 2011 catalog.