#$%^# hood...
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 64
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From: Hendersonville TN
#$%^# hood...
We rassled with it a LONG time Sunday...a 54 F-100 hood...ended up skinning the paint on the cowl...passenger side binds in two little spots and every time we raised it we saw paint chips fly...would somebody let us in on the trick?We got brand new hinges...thanks in advance...
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,328
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From: Iowa
Coley
There are no tricks. It's just a tricky job. Throw a couple replacement body panels into the mix and the "fun" begins.
Level the cab. Adjust the hood to the cowl first. Then try to bring the fenders into the hood. Adjust the threaded hood support rods for the final fine adjustment. If your sheet metal is original and straight you got a chance. If you happen to get lucky and get acceptable gaps all around, tighten everything up real secure or it will be out of adjustment on the first ride. Don't delete any factory bolts, fender support brackets, support rods etc. Mine won't stay perfect for long. There's a new hood tilt kit leaning up against the wall to be installed this winter.
There are no tricks. It's just a tricky job. Throw a couple replacement body panels into the mix and the "fun" begins.
Level the cab. Adjust the hood to the cowl first. Then try to bring the fenders into the hood. Adjust the threaded hood support rods for the final fine adjustment. If your sheet metal is original and straight you got a chance. If you happen to get lucky and get acceptable gaps all around, tighten everything up real secure or it will be out of adjustment on the first ride. Don't delete any factory bolts, fender support brackets, support rods etc. Mine won't stay perfect for long. There's a new hood tilt kit leaning up against the wall to be installed this winter.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Midland, Texas
Of all the good advice you might get on this board... you've just had about the best concerning hoods. Just a weak spot in the design... if you are restoring, the misfit hood is "traditional". himmelberg
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Hendersonville TN
that's what I figured...
...that's what I decided that day...if we could get it to open and shut without chipping the paint off the whole truck,the gaps didn't concern me too much...thanks...
Logistics Pro
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,489
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From: Valley Center, CA
When you say it's chipping paint, it makes me think about the struts in the hood itself. Have you tried tightening those? It seems like that might make the hood a little taller (rounder) and not quite so wide, if you follow my thinking. I have the front tilt kit installed, but my hood did not fit right at the back corners. I ended up fabbing additional struts so that I could PULL in the corner about 1/4". Good luck, John
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Hendersonville TN
Yeah,we tightened those hood support rods...it seemed to make it worse...I messed with it some today and if I stood there at the front of the hood and wiggled it till the back raised up enough for me to get my fingers under it and raise it up,then I could go back to the front and raise the hood.When I shut it I have to go to the cowl and push the hood down,but then it fits flush...the gap is pretty big though!We don't have the latches in...wonder if that is making it worse...
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From: 15 miles west of Venus
Originally posted by Coley
Yeah,we tightened those hood support rods...it seemed to make it worse...I messed with it some today and if I stood there at the front of the hood and wiggled it till the back raised up enough for me to get my fingers under it and raise it up,then I could go back to the front and raise the hood.When I shut it I have to go to the cowl and push the hood down,but then it fits flush...the gap is pretty big though!We don't have the latches in...wonder if that is making it worse...
Yeah,we tightened those hood support rods...it seemed to make it worse...I messed with it some today and if I stood there at the front of the hood and wiggled it till the back raised up enough for me to get my fingers under it and raise it up,then I could go back to the front and raise the hood.When I shut it I have to go to the cowl and push the hood down,but then it fits flush...the gap is pretty big though!We don't have the latches in...wonder if that is making it worse...
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Hendersonville TN
Scot...mine actually looks pretty good as of today...but it won't stay raised!I sprayed too much WD-40 on the hinges trying to free them up,evidently(they are new)...thanks
There have been other posts on this site saying that their replacement springs did not hold the hood up. So it may not be anything that you did. John