Has anyone tried replacing the spring loaded supports for the hood with gas struts, like on modern hoods and trunk lids.

I have a pair laying around (forget what from) and was thinking about having a go.

Any input ???

 

There is someone on Ebay who sells struts for the hoods of 40's model Ford cars. I've seen the posting for over a year when I surf Ebay. Apparently, somebody is installing them.

I've had the same thoughts. I was looking at the struts at Autozone a while back, just to see if there was a strut that might fit my 51 application.

 

I think I will have a go later today.

It would be a lot easier if my engine wasn't already installed (or didn't have a ram on it) since getting inside and closing the hood is the best way to work out the geometry........with the latch disabled of course

 

Let us know what you find, I would like to do that on my 56. If it works it should be alot better than the worn springs and may make the hinges operate better. The only problem I can forsee is that there won`t be any down force to keep the hood drawn tight against the body when it is closed but there has to be a way around this.

 

Door poppers. I used to work with a guy that had door poppers all over his Chevy truck...doors, tailgate, hood, even had a little one on his gas door. He had gas struts hooked up to the tailgate and hood. I've never played with door poppers, so I'm not 100% sure, but wouldn't the hood latch still be installed to keep the hood down? The poppers should just open the latch so you can raise the hood, right?

 

The July Rod & Custom had an article on that. It was for Fat Fendered Cars but should apply. Go to: www.hoodlifter.com Thats the web site for the place in Tucson, AZ that has these kits.

 

If you find one that will fit the 51F1 I would be intrested also, my hood works ok it just doesn't go high enough now sense I lowered the truck. I keep hitting my head on it, I put Herculiner bed coating on the underside which made it rough and sag more due to the extra weight of the coating.

Rod 51F1

 

May take a while before I try this out now.

The truck needs to go back to bare metal and redo a bunch of paint and prep following my shed fire last night.

Will bttt this when I get back to that stage again

 

Sorry to hear about your fire I almost lost a 1937 Plymouth Pickup years ago under simular sircumstances. There is no hurry on the struts I just put that post up so I would get a message of any new posts added here

Thanks Rod
51F1

 

their is no problem with putting on struts, however I would reconsider and put new spring if the old one are wore.
I you look at a lot of newer cars after a couple of years the struts go out and it won't stay up without help.
I would rather have a hood a little low from extra weight than have struts on it because it will take a long time for the spring to go out.
That will almost be a one time buy unless you pass this pickup on to your kids.
If you do it try to find the strongest ones you can and let everyone know how it works.
good luck with what ever you choose.

 

I have thought about this a little more.
I will say it like this, any advise I give is just that! You can make anything work if you want to.
But something to think about.
You said you put some sort of (bed liner on the inside of your hood.)
I could be wrong but spring should hold more weight than struts.
You may need 4 of them to hold that weight.
To add rather than putting stock springs on maybe you could find stronger spring off of a Ford, Chevy, Dodge whatever, that would hold the weight better.
If I argue to much it is because I haven't seen a strut hold anything up on anything over 10 years old if that.
Point is they go out.
Try to see if you find a stronger spring that will work.
Let us know I may do it to my 49

 

I just saw an F-1 yesterday at the NSRA show in Pueblo with struts on it. He used stock hinges, with the springs removed, and two struts. The struts were fairly long, mounted close to the rear of the hood on the body, then about in the center of the hood. When the hood is closed, they are horizontal. Unfortunatly, the owner was not around to ask any info about the struts themselves.

 

Here's a link someone posted a while back, this company also sells the tailgate latches etc...

http://www.wow-products.com/Merchant...tegory_Code=PR

 

I'm putting a set on my front flip hinged 56.