I haven't read any post on how to remove and reinstall a 51 f-2 hood .I bought my 51 in pieces , lots of them . I spent 2 hours installing the hood and bumped every thing around it . It's a good thing it's not painted . how is it done ? can one person do it ? I have to learn this before I paint it. Am I not holding my mouth right or using the right words when I talk to it ? I never amagined it could be so hard. I attached the spring arms to the firewall first, then to the hood. I propped the front of the hood up,then the brackets and arms that are on the sides. very,very hard to move around. I bought new hood hinge side bolts that have a shoulder on it but the parts they screw in to would go inside the holes so the hinge arms do not piviot on the bolts . do I need to put washers there to hold the arm's on the bolt shoulders .

 

Hey Jim

I saw no one had responded to your post yet and I thought I'd comment. Unfortunately i don't have "the answer". I too have struggled with hood installs etc. I needed to replace a hinge on one this last year, and it was a wrestling match for sure. I didn't have to totally remove it. Just replace one of the two hinges on my 48F1. Probably in principal the same as your 51 F2, but I don't even know that for sure.

I would imagine one of the Ford repair manuals might discuss this. I dont' have them all. I've got one that is mostly drivetrain related. I wonder if there is a "body" manual? Or one of the other books goes into it? I don't know.

I'm hoping someone will see us "wandering" and has an article etc.

Goodluck Tom

 

I just installed the hood on my '50; it's a two man job. We placed sheets on the cowl and front grill assembly to avoid scratching the paint. Then with side hinges fastened to the cab, one man lifts hood at front while other carefully positions the hinges to line up with the bolt flanges. I haven't fastened the springs yet but don't anticipate there being any problems, I could prop up the hood in the open position but will likel get help to fansten springs to hood. Good luck with yours.

Tom

 

Thanks tom, I thought it might be a two or three man job, or somebody with four arms and real strong. The next time I think I will hang the front from my chain hoist like I do the big hood on my bronco. fasten the sides llike you did then swing the spring arms back to the firewall . I can screw some guide bolts in to the fire wall mounting nuts to help a little maybe. How about the hood bolts i bought with the shoulder on them . Is that where the hinge arms are supposed to pivot at ? the arms on mine slide out on to the mounting flanges and don't rest on the bolt. I thought some spacer washers may need to take up that space .

 

Thanks for posting to my question. I guess we can just listen to what the rest have done, maybe others will tell there story how they did it. JIM

 

I too am interested in this process. I took mine off by myself and know from that experience it's going to be fun installing after paint. When I first brought it home my brother came over and raised the hood and exclaimed "oh yeah, now I remember" as the hood came up unevenly. And then the closing by dropping the front and then going to each side and pushing them down at the cowl. We grew up with our Dad's 52 F6 a few decades past and remembered that endearing feature. Is that a trait they all have? Or is there away to eliminate that feature with a fresh install? Maybe that's why Julie went with a tilt frontend.....

 

On my '50 there are bolt "flanges" fastend to the hood; where the 7/16? fine bolts seat into. There are two washers, on standard , the other a thin cupped versonthat I fit over the flange.

Tom

 

Allright Tom, the new bolts came with the thin cupped washers, I guess they usume you are just replacing old bolts and thin washers as that is where the wear would be,so they don't include the others. Well thats no problem, the problem will be holding all that stuff together and start the bolts. Thanks for the information Tom.

 

I've taken off many of these hoods. The easiest way I have found is to first bolt the all parts of the hinges to the firewall. Then place the hood on the truck, using pads if you're installing on a freshly painted truck. Raise the back of the hood and insert the pins from the spring hinges into their holes in the hood, with the cotter pins and washers. Then raise the front of the hool and bolt in the arms from the side hinge braces. Of course, you'll need another person to help. It's fairly easy.

 

Thanks Bob. That's a good summary/plan etc.

Tom

 

Sounds like there's someing going on with the spring hinges. You may need to replace them.

 

I know everyone doesn't have a machinist handy but the best solution I found was to make studs and use nuts on the end instead of using the bolts that came stock. Much easier to put the hinge arms over studs than trying to get those bolts in. .

 

That's basicly the way I did it, but just having the hood sitting on the 2/4 support in front never let me move it around very easy . that's where I thought I could rig up a sling from my chain hoist the way I do my 79 bronco as I can move it around a little . Or, make new friends that I could use,L O L . But thanks Bob

 

I really like the use of stud bolts, You would'nt happen to have a few extras lying around would you,L.O.L. I do have a relative that is a machinist, but I had to wait two years for the last little job he did for me and no family discount .

 

I guess you could screw a bolt in with locktight, cut off the head and get some bushings for the hinge arms.