I had the exact same issue with mine and brand new re-pop hinges - couldn't even close it with the old hinges, they were shot. I ended up with 2 washers behind the passenger side and none on the driver side. Just couldn't adjust the hinge connection on the firewall any more.

 

Just wanted to update this thread and correct some missinformation I put out. If you are shimming the hood hinge bolts to correct the rear of the hood sitting high. You would want to use the front hinge to hood mounting bolts instead of the rear ones I recommended. I was doing some welding on my hood last night and got to thinking about what I had posted here. I see that I shimmed the front most bolts on both sides. It looks like 3 wasers on the passanger side and 2 on the drivers side. Sorry about that Im getting old and the memory band slips a little bit sometimes. Sorry if I caused anyone some agrivation trying to get the hood to sit down on the cowl at the rear of the hood.

 

Just had the same problem while trying to fit the hood after paining the engine bay.
But the o/s hinge just buckled, so I have just ordered a new pair from MAC's,
I am glad I found you post it will come in handy when I try again.

I have no chance I find a used pair in the UK and need them quick.

Davey J

 

This is one of the weak points on these trucks... If you look at the main pivot/load holding point when its opened its pretty low and hard to see or access fully even when off as I recall.
When you have the hood off grab the bracket the hood bolts go thru and you can see how much and where its loosest at. If you have a frozen hinge but otherwise feels good or was when it was last used(assuming you saw that), remove the spring and lube the heck out of it and work the hinge... It will loosen up... PB Blaster works great... Flood out the rust and crud in the hinge joints...
To remove the spring have a helper and a solidly mounted vice as it puts up a whale of a fight!!!! Use all safety measures!!!! Reinstalling spring is much easier by comparison !

As far as the hood pop up... Thats loose or sprung hinges.... If you put your elbow on it and it goes down and stays down, try lifting it... If you can lift it up... Bad hinge new or otherwise IMO. Ive not had a new hinge in my hand yet but I know good originals can be found in wrecking yards... If you do get or need hinges, ive found it easiest to keep them in pairs if both happen to be good on a rig in the wrecking yard.
When I get mine back from the shop I will try the washer trick on my one less then perfect hinge.


- cs65

 

I recently went through this. Up until a couple of months everything was good with my truck. Then the hood on the drivers side would pop up a bit, no big deal I'll take care of that. Yeah right. I put it off for awhile, in the meantime I started looking for anyone who rebuilds the hinges. I found this company, Wilson Antique Car Parts 1067 Clearview Drive
Forest, VA 24551
There customer service was great. I did not use these guys because they told me over the phone that it sounded like my springs were sprung. I found a pair of NOS springs and put them on. I still had the same issue. It turned out by elongating the hole that the lower hinge bolt goes through and grinding a little off the hinge itself I now have a perfect fit once again. I know for a fact if I need hinges rebuilt I will use "Wilson Antique Car Parts"
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I havent tried it but I read about an easy way to remove springs from the hood hinges. I think when the hood is open and the sping is stretched you put wood wedges into the spring between all the coils. Close the hood and as the spring mounting points get closer together the spring is supposed to just fall out. Again I havent tried it but sounded like it would work.

 

Makes sense! a bunch of door shims would work...