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 Post subject: Hinged Hood
PostPosted: June 15, 2010, 5:47 pm 
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I have been fitting my hood and have noticed that it is a bit awkward lifting it off as well as installing it.
The thought occured to me that if the body was painted it could be quite easy to scratch as I put the hood on.
I also thought that if I had a need to remove it while I was out, say a car show or some other function, where would I put it so that it would not get damaged by myself or random people in the area.

I searched for a thread, but couldn't find one and I am sure it has probably come up before, but I was thinking about a pair of hinges on the back of the hood simliar to a jeep.
It would just open up toward the windshield and remain in place, basically up and out of the way.
Of course the 4 corner latches would still be required to keep the sides of the hood lined up and to lock it down.

I borrowed a photo off the web as an example, if it is yours and want it removed let me know.

So what do people think of the idea, I would especially like to hear from builders that already have their cars on the roads and have first hand experience with popping the hoods on and off.
Al


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 Post subject: Re: Hinged Hood
PostPosted: June 15, 2010, 6:19 pm 
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I think you might risk scratching your nosecone as the front swings up. Then you also need to consider how to hold it up when it's fully open. Prop rod? You certainly don't want it resting on your windshield like the one in the picture. When I get to that point, I believe I'm going to go with the piano hinge down the center of the hood then just open one side at a time. I believe it's been done here before.

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 Post subject: Re: Hinged Hood
PostPosted: June 15, 2010, 6:34 pm 
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I don't think a rear hinge would work well. The scuttle is (generally) curved, so a piano hinge wouldn't fly. You probably don't want a pair of external hinges sticking out...though you certainly could do that.

A center hinge could work well. I think we've seen that. Still have an issue with scratching and supporting, I suspect. Might be handier.

I've had my hood off frequently to answer questions. It really is not a big deal. Weighs nothing. If you can lean over to the center of the car, you're in good shape. Scratching the paint shouldn't be too big an issue, esp. with a soft aluminum hood.

Placing the hood somewhere during a show (or a breakdown) is an issue, but not a great one. A really windy day would be my biggest concern -- I'd probably leave the hood on at a show, or just curse a lot at a breakdown.

-dave "put a lid on it" hempy

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 Post subject: Re: Hinged Hood
PostPosted: June 15, 2010, 8:16 pm 
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mookie wrote:
I think you might risk scratching your nosecone as the front swings up. Then you also need to consider how to hold it up when it's fully open. Prop rod? You certainly don't want it resting on your windshield like the one in the picture. When I get to that point, I believe I'm going to go with the piano hinge down the center of the hood then just open one side at a time. I believe it's been done here before.
I'm with Mookie.

Initially I was going to make a full forward tilting hood, but after seeing Bernard's go at it.. I'm sold on a split hood!

It'll be fully removable for the occasional "issue", but generally you only ever need one side or the other and it eliminates the storage issue while allowing the viewing of the bay.

As for scratching.. I plan a little hold back to limit the travel. Enough to not fall back, but enough to be out of the way. Might even gas shock it if I can find some really weak ones... maybe make some spring loaded ones!

KS

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 Post subject: Re: Hinged Hood
PostPosted: June 15, 2010, 9:10 pm 
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I like the idea of a center hinge in the hood as well, in my case I need to have a center hood scoop for the V6 and that makes that option impractical for me.
So from what I gather so far is that it is not a big issue lifting the hood off.
I can also see that as I am lifting mine off the car while it is up off the ground 2 feet, and then being a height challenged fellow :roll: or in my day a fellow of short stature and clamshell fenders on the car to boot might make it seem more difficult than it really is.

"I don't think a rear hinge would work well. The scuttle is (generally) curved, so a piano hinge wouldn't fly. You probably don't want a pair of external hinges sticking out...though you certainly could do that. "

One of my regrets as I made my scuttle flat across the top, I should have made it with a gentle curve, it would have made fitting the hood a little easier I think. I was thinking of some nice chrome hinges off a Healy or something, rather than standard style hinges.

Basically it seems like I am better off just doing a wait and see, if it isn't a problem, do nothing and if it is, look at the hinges perhaps as an option.

Al

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 Post subject: Re: Hinged Hood
PostPosted: June 16, 2010, 4:25 pm 
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Hmmm...depending on the width of your hood scoop, could you possibly hinge the hood down the middle, a little off center (I saw that done once before, can't remember where), or maybe hinge it from one side entirely (along the side frame rail)? Just a thought...I've watched guys with Ca****hams take their hoods, then wander around for a while looking for a safe place to set them down where they won't get fallen on/scratched/bumped into, etc. A serious pain when you're at a gas pump IMHO. That's why I'm going for a center-hinged hood...

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 Post subject: Re: Hinged Hood
PostPosted: June 16, 2010, 4:33 pm 
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hi i chose to have a off center hinge, small prop rod to hold it up.
pictures on my build page


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 Post subject: Re: Hinged Hood
PostPosted: June 16, 2010, 7:20 pm 
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I still like the idea of a center hinged hood, but in my case I dont think it would work to well.
I could make a scoop a little narrower, but still dont think it would work out considering the offset to clear the scoop.
Al


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 Post subject: Re: Hinged Hood
PostPosted: June 17, 2010, 12:18 am 
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Al,

I had the same thoughts at first. That I would damage the nearby paint when I lifted off the engine hood. So far, touch wood, that hasn't happened, even though a few times it's hung up and I've had to wiggle and jiggle it loose. You've got a huge advantage with that hood scoop. You can just put your hand in the front, using it as a handle, and lift the hood straight up. Should be a piece of cake.

I saw your comment about the straight scuttle top. You're probably lucky that you redid your hood with heavier material. With the flat scuttle and the previous thinner material you'd have had so much flexing you wouldn't have been a happy camper.

Ron

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 Post subject: Re: Hinged Hood
PostPosted: June 17, 2010, 8:52 am 
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Hot Rodders typically side-hinge their hoods on 28-34 Fords and the like, and have systems that still allow total removal. Some systems also go 'both ways' by having internal hinges on both sides of the car. The releasable hinges serve as latches, so you can open from either side or remove the hood by releasing both hinges. See

http://www.haganauto.com/hood_hinge_s/102.htm

for some examples. They are rather expensive systems to buy but not beyond the wit of a Locoster to build.

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 Post subject: Re: Hinged Hood
PostPosted: June 23, 2010, 7:59 pm 
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I have mine double hinged so it can be opened from either side. It has a seven inch wide center section held in place by four duzs fasteners so the whole hood can be removed.
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 Post subject: Re: Hinged Hood
PostPosted: June 23, 2010, 9:12 pm 
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RWHARTMANN wrote:
I have mine double hinged so it can be opened from either side. It has a seven inch wide center section held in place by four duzs fasteners so the whole hood can be removed.
I think I'm in love! :drool: That's exactly what I was thinking of.

Do you have some more detailed photos of the hinge arrangements??

Thanks,

KS

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 Post subject: Re: Hinged Hood
PostPosted: July 3, 2012, 11:40 pm 
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I am kind of resurrecting an old post I started a couple of years back.
If you read through the posts again my concern was I thought that taking the hood on and off was a nuisance, plus too easy in my case to scratch or damage it.
Some of the posters reported that they had no problem with removing their hoods. so it was not really an issue.
I wondered about that and came to the conclusion that it is maybe a lot easier to remove the hood if you can stand closer because of having cycle fenders and also if you happen to be a little taller rather than shorter.
In my situation I have clamshells as well as being height deprived, as a result it is difficult to lift straight up when removing it without it kind of flopping and dragging.
So I decided to go ahead and make a front opening hood using some external mounted chrome hinges.
To say that for me this has worked out well would be an understatement.
Now I just undo my four toggle clamps and lift it up from the front, then toggle up my prop rod and that's it.
Before I started I laid the hinges on the hood and pestered anyone going by the house for an opinion on how they looked and almost everyone felt that they added to the fako vintage look I was trying to create.
So with that scientific pole done I went ahead and installed them and that was that.
On the inside front corners of the hood I glued some felt in case I scraped the nose cone, but that turned out to be a mute point anyway as all I do is lift from each side and the hood easily flexes outward enough to clear the hood anyway, but still nice to have the felts as a back up in case I am careless.

Al


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 Post subject: Re: Hinged Hood
PostPosted: July 4, 2012, 8:47 am 
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Nicely done!

I thought this was a new topic and searched for "hinge" but just under my posts so there are likely to be more, not that you need the info anymore. The trick to the search function is to have enough letters for it to work if you haven't figured it out yet. These are as old as 2008 and would have come up:

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=3730&hilit=+hinge

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=7953&hilit=+hinge

Check out May 26, 2009 post for an interesting design:
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=6451&hilit=+hinge

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 Post subject: Re: Hinged Hood
PostPosted: July 4, 2012, 11:01 pm 
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Thanks Steve, I especially enjoyed the recap on Bruce Weiner's Microcar Museum that you presented back in 2009.
I can't believe three years has gone by since your post, seems like only yesterday.

Al

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