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As clever as the ratcheting hinges are, the design just isn't mainstream enough to be universally adopted or accepted. What's the international sign for lift up and then lower? Ha ha, doubt a decal would have made a difference.
What a horror story Bruce....Hopefully its just me opening and closing the hood, but who knows? At least my C has the outside filler door.
Trevor, thanks for the kind words. You are lucky to have a straight hood. Anytime you want to bend some metal give me a call.
My rationale for adding a hidden piece is to transfer the load from the hinge bracket down the frame rail a little ways or at least past the spliced sections. Some of the original metal has been reshaped a few times, brazed, cut and now welded again. Welds are essentially cast metal, so I don't want any cracking later on down the road. (Unlikely, but what can I say I like overkill). A gusset is just piece of mind for me, so I don't have to second guess my welds every time a small wind comes and the hood is up.
Today, I spent a few hours fitting the hood frame to cars opening. Rather than muscling the hood hinges with the hood fitted, I removed the hinges to straighten them the best I could. As it turns out the angle of upper bolt hole determines the hood position in the left/right direction.
A guage pin pushed tightly into the hole allowed me the check how perpendicular the hole was to the hinge itself. Once perpendicular, things fit better. Then a "cheatin'" small angle got the hood gaps even from left to right.
Tomorrow, the other side will go under the knife.
What a horror story Bruce....Hopefully its just me opening and closing the hood, but who knows? At least my C has the outside filler door.
Trevor, thanks for the kind words. You are lucky to have a straight hood. Anytime you want to bend some metal give me a call.
My rationale for adding a hidden piece is to transfer the load from the hinge bracket down the frame rail a little ways or at least past the spliced sections. Some of the original metal has been reshaped a few times, brazed, cut and now welded again. Welds are essentially cast metal, so I don't want any cracking later on down the road. (Unlikely, but what can I say I like overkill). A gusset is just piece of mind for me, so I don't have to second guess my welds every time a small wind comes and the hood is up.
Today, I spent a few hours fitting the hood frame to cars opening. Rather than muscling the hood hinges with the hood fitted, I removed the hinges to straighten them the best I could. As it turns out the angle of upper bolt hole determines the hood position in the left/right direction.
A guage pin pushed tightly into the hole allowed me the check how perpendicular the hole was to the hinge itself. Once perpendicular, things fit better. Then a "cheatin'" small angle got the hood gaps even from left to right.
Tomorrow, the other side will go under the knife.
Looking good!
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