1980 malibu fibre glass hood support?

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slappnutz

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Jun 27, 2018
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Hey gang, I installed a 2" cowl fibre glass hood on my 1980 Malibu, but I noticed the stock springs put so much pressure on the hood that it made it bow pretty bad. ive since removed the springs and just have the hinges now. Using a piece of wood as a hood support. What have you all used to hold the hood up? prop rod? hydraulic shocks? ive thought about rigging some shocks up but thought I would see if anyone has some easier way to keep the hood up. Help me keep the hood up so I can show off the engine bay :)
 

JoeBu1978

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Mar 31, 2019
7
8
3
Im eager to read the responses to your post about this issue. My build (project) currently does not have my fiberglass hood installed yet...but I have foreseen this being a problem that I will have to deal with too.
 

TURNA

Rocket Powered Basset Hound
Jul 24, 2009
10,941
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You can drill a hole in the hinge and use a pin



I use a prop rod from some car on my Malibu
Bolts to rad support and has a hinge to allow it to swing up and down







Today I will be installing hood struts on the Cutlass similar to these




0905151345-jpg.109922
 
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Injectedcutty

G body LS mafia
Nov 24, 2014
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Yep yep, I also have short hood struts intended for the rear hatch of a Sebring I believe. Mounted on ball studs just like Melloelky in the pic above....
20181207_183341.jpg
 
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Doug Chahoy

Comic Book Super Hero
Nov 21, 2016
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Some of the companies that make fiberglass hoods have weaker replacement springs.
 
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565bbchevy

Geezer
Aug 8, 2011
9,590
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Some of the companies that make fiberglass hoods have weaker replacement springs.
That's what I have on my Monte they are low tension circular hood springs but the only place I see a listing for them is on Unlimited Fiberglass's site.

706 Circular-style low tension springs for 78-87 MALIBU Hoods (ML-728,ML-701)21.95 Pair
 
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Doug Chahoy

Comic Book Super Hero
Nov 21, 2016
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That’s where I knew I saw them before, I bought a hood from them for a previous project. Would sure be better than a Vega style prop rod, and still look and function like original.
 
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slappnutz

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Jun 27, 2018
42
22
8
awesome, thanks for the quick responses. I think im going to try the small shocks and see how that goes. ill post pics afterward. :)
 
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jlcustomz

G-Body Guru
Nov 22, 2011
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Back when I had a traditional opening fiberglass hood in the mid 90's, I did the strut mounts from junkyard parts & some trial & error.Of course I didn't document , hardly knew what internet was then, but I have seen others threads like these in the past where someone listed what they use.
Shock mounts could be made to bolt on to hood brace or weld on. I think I welded the stud to the hood brace on mine to eliminate the nut for a cleaner appearance. Pretty sure napa has new shock studs listed.
Now for a little simple weight handling/ geometry lesson from someone with a little mechanism experience. With the same given hydraulic part , moving mounts forward will increase weight capacity/stiffness and decrease available travel. Moving rearwards towards hinges will decrease stiffness and increase available hood opening. Shock will stop at full opening unless you have a limiter. Shock compression when closed can vary as long as it doesn't bottom out & bind hood closing. A longer shock will have more working room.
If needing to calculate mounting points vs opening & closing of hood, make it easy & remove hood. Then cut sticks to centerline of shock mounts at extended & compressed lengths. Now you can easily see what the hell needs to happen.
Another option for purchasing shocks is a truck topper or camping supply chain such as Camping world. They sell by length & strength rating. 60 lb rating would likely be a good guess remembering that geometry affects that little rating number. Boat supply places may have stainless units that can be further polished.
I'm also pretty sure that I remember from the days of g-bodies being common in junkyards that different model hinges were different. I think it was some regal model that had a more useful something to it. of course different mounts can be made or adapted if needed.

But don't listen to me, I know nothing about hood opening.
20150326_153702 by joe leleux, on Flickr

20150326_153733 by joe leleux, on Flickr
4-carshow-83elcam-640x400 by joe leleux, on Flickr
 
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64nailhead

Goat Herder
Dec 1, 2014
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Older thread - I know. Has anyone tried cutting the stock springs? I ask because I tried a stock spring with it backed off 180 degrees and it's a little bit too loose. It seems that if I cut 1-3" out of it and re-bent the tab, then it might work. Of course I can try and see how it goes as I have a couple of extra sets if it goes really bad - lol.

565 directed me to his source for up22 springs, but they no longer carry a reduced tension spring for their hoods. They directed me to Jegs and Summit, but that was futile as well.
 
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