Hood Hinge Question

[mikester]

Some of you folks have followed the build of my 83 wagon. The cars basically finished except for one thing thats a pain in the butt. The cowl hood clearance situation.
I tried to use gas struts but the angle or geometry isnt right. The shocks I bought were good for over 115 lbs each. Couldnt support the hood due to the angle.
Ive been using a piece of dowel to hold the hood open and thats not going to fly. Looks like crap.
The other day I was out there messing with the OEM springs. Using the factory bottom mounting location on the fender the rear bolt hole on the spring bracket/arm almost lines up with the front hole on the hood hinge.
Are all G body hinges/springs the same size ? Thats the first part of this question.
Can the spring brackets/arms be cut and welded ? Im talking about TIG welding.
Im thinking if the OEM springs were a little shorter they might line up with the original holes. Most likely they would support the steel hood once they were fully extended. I was thinking about getting a second set of springs. Cutting the lower arm right in the middle. Attach it to the fender. Then take the rest of it and mount it to the hood bracket. Swing the cut arm to where it meets the piece on the fender. Mark it, cut it and weld the two pieces back together to make a shorter spring assembly. This way they would be fully extended like original only shorter arms.
Not sure it will work but what do you guys think ?
Maybe even take the measurement of the piece that needs to be cut off, half it and take equal size pieces off of both arms to they would be the same length. That might make them collapse easier ?
I have to fix this problem. Its making my OCD go crazy. LOL

 

[64nailhead]

Can you post some pics of how you had the struts mounted? I’m going to guess that you could mount them differently and get them to work.

What strut brand and part number do you have?

 

[mikester]

I didnt keep the part numbers and info from the gas struts. I think they might have been for a Benz. I ordered them from a place in CA that just sells gas struts. I figured out the length I needed and bought the ones that held the most weight.
I took apart a set of OEM hinges. Welded the right size ball to it and mounted it to the hood hinge in the original place.


Put a second ball into the hole on the fenders. The geometry was totally off for the weight of the hood. Ive seen this setup used on glass hoods and steel hoods with a different cowl and it worked fine.



I went back to the local yard and pulled the brackets off the hood of a Regal. My hood doesnt have a flat area to mount them to. I thought I could drill two holes, put in rivnuts and it would be done. Nope. The fender jamb on the Buick it totally different since it has a spot to mount the strut further forward.



Notice how the angle of the strut is way different on the Regal.



I was trying to used the front bolt on the hinge. Totally wrong. No other place to mount it. My hood doesnt open as far as a stock hood due to the length of the stupid scoop.
This why Im wondering if cutting the spring arms/brackets and shortening them might work. The yard has a couple of G bodies left that might have the springs so I plan on checking this week.

 

[ck80]

You know, have you given thought to using the method they employed off an 82-93 s10 with the hinged prop that stows on the radiator support?

Even newer cars like our s197 and s550 mustangs go that route.

As a bonus there's no shocks to wear out, and, lessens the stress cracked possibilities on the hood or hood paint due to any excessive pressure/stiffness issues that arise

 

[mikester]

You know, have you given thought to using the method they employed off an 82-93 s10 with the hinged prop that stows on the radiator support?

Even newer cars like our s197 and s550 mustangs go that route.

As a bonus there's no shocks to wear out, and, lessens the stress cracked possibilities on the hood or hood paint due to any excessive pressure/stiffness issues that arise

To be honest, Im not really a fan of those but if I cant come up with a solution I'll check them out.

 

[64nailhead]

Go to page 257 of Scott’s build thread (Injectedcutty ). He lists off the part numbers that work perfectly.

And yes, the Regal hood hinge setup is nothing like anything else.

 

[mikester]

Go to page 257 of Scott’s build thread (Injectedcutty ). He lists off the part numbers that work perfectly.

And yes, the Regal hood hinge setup is nothing like anything else.

I saw that info. Hate to say it but thats not going to work. The struts will still have to mount to the same location. The wagon A pillars and windshield are on a totally different angle than most G body cars. Thats why I said the geometry is wrong. The hood doesnt open enough for the struts to hold it up.
Do you think that shortening the arms for the springs wont work ? Can they be welded with no issue ?

 

[ck80]

Here's another idea... adaptability of the fiero mechanical front hood support/prop?

 

[08Malibu]

I didnt keep the part numbers and info from the gas struts. I think they might have been for a Benz. I ordered them from a place in CA that just sells gas struts. I figured out the length I needed and bought the ones that held the most weight.
I took apart a set of OEM hinges. Welded the right size ball to it and mounted it to the hood hinge in the original place.

View attachment 221410 View attachment 221411
Put a second ball into the hole on the fenders. The geometry was totally off for the weight of the hood. Ive seen this setup used on glass hoods and steel hoods with a different cowl and it worked fine.

View attachment 221412

I went back to the local yard and pulled the brackets off the hood of a Regal. My hood doesnt have a flat area to mount them to. I thought I could drill two holes, put in rivnuts and it would be done. Nope. The fender jamb on the Buick it totally different since it has a spot to mount the strut further forward.

View attachment 221413 View attachment 221415

Notice how the angle of the strut is way different on the Regal.

View attachment 221414 View attachment 221416

I was trying to used the front bolt on the hinge. Totally wrong. No other place to mount it. My hood doesnt open as far as a stock hood due to the length of the stupid scoop.
This why Im wondering if cutting the spring arms/brackets and shortening them might work. The yard has a couple of G bodies left that might have the springs so I plan on checking this week.

I just installed struts to hold up my fiberglass hood. I replaced one hinge bolt with the strut mount. Pic isn’t of my car, but where I took the idea from.

 

[mikester]

I just installed struts to hold up my fiberglass hood. I replaced one hinge bolt with the strut mount. Pic isn’t of my car, but where I took the idea from.

Thats EXACTLY what I tried to do with the parts that I put together. If it was the same as a coupe Im sure it might have worked but again, the wagon windshield is at a different angle and the scoop on my hood is longer than a Goodmark. From the front of my hood to the back edge of the cowl scoop its 51".