Need tips for hood shocks.

[slappnutz]

Hey gang, I have an 80 Malibu with a fibreglass cowl hood. Stock steel hood springs are way to strong. Need to install hydraulic shocks, anybody done this? I spoke to a guy with a cutlass that had done it. Looking for pics, and some direction, help lol

 

[Doug Chahoy]

Companies that make fiberglass hoods have lower tension springs for that purpose. And they don’t wear out like shocks do.

 

[Injectedcutty]

Hey gang, I have an 80 Malibu with a fibreglass cowl hood. Stock steel hood springs are way to strong. Need to install hydraulic shocks, anybody done this? I spoke to a guy with a cutlass that had done it. Looking for pics, and some direction, help lol

I have a custom set of Regal hinges with custom spec'd stainless hood struts for the glass hood on my Cutlass. No joke, they were a PITA to get right...basically took a regal two piece hinge and made it one piece, used the lower front hinge bolt as also the lower strut mount.

 

[slappnutz]

I have a custom set of Regal hinges with custom spec'd stainless hood struts for the glass hood on my Cutlass. No joke, they were a PITA to get right...basically took a regal two piece hinge and made it one piece, used the lower front hinge bolt as also the lower strut mount. View attachment 135590 View attachment 135591 View attachment 135592

This is basically what I’m looking to do. Thanks!

 

[fleming442]

That's awesome, Scott. I have been kicking the idea around for the aluminum hood on the Cutlass. That thing is super light, maybe even lighter than 'glass!

 

[Injectedcutty]

That's awesome, Scott. I have been kicking the idea around for the aluminum hood on the Cutlass. That thing is super light, maybe even lighter than 'glass!

I can't take full credit for the hinge design Bruce. I researched and researched, and researched for a long time. I knew somebody had done it, us G guys don't get the same love as the Camaro/Chevelle(ahem A body), etc with the billet hinges!
Sure enough, I found a guy that had done the same setup on a Malibu. He didn't weld the upper strut mount to the hinge like I did though. I think it looks more stock as 1 piece. I believe the struts are for the trunk of a Chrysler Sebring convertible if I recall. They have a force rating of 120lb, and when opening the hood they'll "catch", make that queef sound struts make and just take the hood right on up!
I went a step beyond and sourced the stainless struts that were built to my specs. They weren't cheap, but look the part.

 

[fleming442]

make that queef sound struts make

 

[Injectedcutty]

For the sake of this thread, I'll try to remember to make a video of the hood strut operation later, ya know for research purposes 😉.

 

[slappnutz]

For the sake of this thread, I'll try to remember to make a video of the hood strut operation later, ya know for research purposes 😉.

Where did you end up finding the stainless ones?

 

[Injectedcutty]