has anyone found a source of new hood springs for our red headed step child F100 model series? an't find a listing in any of the catalogs or sites.
my hood sags half open and I have to use a pole to prop it up. thanks

 

What year is the truck? The problem is, FoMoCo replaced the 1957/59 hood hinges/springs with 1960 parts.

So, if you don't have a 1960, you either have to find 1960 parts...or punt, because you cannot use a mixture of 1957/60 parts.

 

https://autopartsobsolete.com/1957-58-59-60-ford-truck-hood-hinge-nos-ford-b7c-16796-a.html

 

B7C-16796-A is the original 1957/59 spring. It will not work on 1960's, because Ford changed the hinges and the springs.

 

Will the '60 hood hinges and springs work on the '57-'59 trucks?

 

Found an ad on Craigslist in Oklahoma city who's parting out a 59.

https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/pts/d/atoka-1959-ford/6791478877.html

 

Yes, because that was exactly what FoMoCo did, they replaced the original 1957/59 hinges and springs with 1960 parts.

 

There's a set of 59 hinges on craiglist.

https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/pts/d/hesperia-59-f100-hood-hinges/6788747812.html

 

I called a local spring manufacturer in my area (Dallas, Tx) asking if they could custom make hood hinge springs. They said yes however in order to do so, there is a set up charge of about $300-400 and the cost per spring would be about $150 per spring. That varies with quantity too...the more springs ordered, the cost per spring decreases.

This could easily be well into a $1000 investment if one were to start offering springs as a side biz. Big question would be, how would one make any money to make it worth while too?
I wish Dennis Carpenter would invest a little more into parts for the 57-60s!

 

I called another spring company in Dallas and was directed to a company called www.leespring.com
They make thousands of different springs and there's a chance they may have something close that might work.

 

Can you adjust the tension on your springs by moving them a tooth or two on the hinge? That's what I did on my 60. And as a rule when mine is parked the hood is always open to relax the springs.

 

I found a spring manufacturer able to make some springs. I was quoted $94 each and will need a sample to copy.
contact. dircl@springsfast.com

 

Thundersnow is telling you there are notches on your hinges. If you move over a notch or two, more tension is put on the spring and may be enough to keep it open. Before you spend a couple hundred bucks and still have an original hinge. My 2 cents

 

I found that mine (1960), were on the last notch of adjustment but had worn the notch deeper relieving the tension needed to hold the hood up. My hood would not stay up any more than one third of the way. The wear under the spring was less than a quarter inch deep but after I took the springs off and filled in the notch with weld and reassembled, they now work great. I get the hood lifted up about three quarters of the way and the springs almost take it the rest of the way up by themselves. They work well.

By the way, taking the springs off can leave a mark if you let your mind wander!!