BUILD THREAD “The Juggernaut”

[Rktpwrd]

Going to be badazz for sure 👍
Cannot wait to see her all primered up. Great job per usual D.
Edit... don't know if you told us already but what type of hood pins (not really looking like pins) are you using?????
Can't believe someone hasn't asked already.

I know it’s buried in the thread here somewhere, but they’re a universal billet aluminum set, originally available for a Mustang if I’m not mistaken. When I originally fit them to the hood, I had them sitting on top of the hood skin, and they looked out of place. So I took a cue from the 1970 442, and recessed them into the hood slightly. This helped immensely.

I have a couple of cut-down spray bomb lids sitting in the recesses currently to keep the excess filler out, that’s probably why it looks a little funny. Those will come out once the last skim of putty goes on and gets blocked out before primer, and the edges tuned up perfectly.

 

[ssn696]

Awkward question, probably answered back in 2013. In it coincidence that the windshield stars line up with the cowl edges? Sanding board mishaps?

 

[Tony1968]

Now that I see the pictures I kinda remember them. My memory is definitely not what it used to be. Plus I'm doing quite a bit of wiring on my car which is keeping me busy and frazzled at the same time. Incredible job on recessing them. Eventually I'd like to have pins but I know they'd never look that good.

 

[Rktpwrd]

Awkward question, probably answered back in 2013. In it coincidence that the windshield stars line up with the cowl edges? Sanding board mishaps?

I was wondering if anyone was going to catch that, I should’ve known better. That’s a dirty little “oopsies” skeleton in the closet.

Long story short, I finally got some whizzy new Eddie Motorsports billet aluminum hood hinges with gas struts, but the struts were too long (as I knew they would be) with the cowl overhang. They’re designed to be used on factory steel hoods, so when the hood was opened with them attached, the hood contacted the windshield. Before I had a chance to rectify the issue, I had the hood slip out of my hands opening it one time, and - smash, there went the windshield.

Oh well, c’est la vie. The windshield was already cracked and badly pitted, and needed replacing anyways, but now it looks even worse.

Since that little mishap, I had the hydraulic struts shortened by an inch and re-threaded, so now the hood clears the windshield perfectly.

 

[melloelky]

The shafts in those struts have to be hardened? how'd the re-threading go?

 

[Rktpwrd]

The shafts in those struts have to be hardened? how'd the re-threading go?

Correct, they are hardened. My machinist said he had to use a ceramic bit to get through the hardening, but once he was through, it was straightforward, no issues. I was a bit concerned that he’d have the correct thread die to match the ball end, but again, he had no problem.

$20 for the pair, money well spent IMO. I’ll have to do it again in the future as I plan on upgrading these to stainless struts, but at least I know the fix.

 

[ssn696]

Correct, they are hardened. My machinist said he had to use a ceramic bit to get through the hardening, but once he was through, it was straightforward, no issues. I was a bit concerned that he’d have the correct thread die to match the ball end, but again, he had no problem.

$20 for the pair, money well spent IMO. I’ll have to do it again in the future as I plan on upgrading these to stainless struts, but at least I know the fix.

Way to go - always turn it into a win!

I've been debating replacing the 7-year old sun-beaten tires on my wife's car. Glad I dithered an extra month.

Odds are, she would have found the same deck screw with one of the new tires if I'd gotten on it sooner...

 

[drb930]

Are those Caprice Headlights?
If so can you share how you mounted them?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Rktpwrd]

Going to be badazz for sure 👍
Cannot wait to see her all primered up. Great job per usual D.
Edit... don't know if you told us already but what type of hood pins (not really looking like pins) are you using?????
Can't believe someone hasn't asked already.

Tony, I was looking for something else, and came across the original post on the hood pins. Check out this page https://gbodyforum.com/threads/the-juggernaut.55095/page-40 starting at post #395.

 

[Rktpwrd]

Are those Caprice Headlights?
If so can you share how you mounted them?

Thanks,
Dave

They are Chevrolet Celebrity. Definitely not a bolt-in affair, the write up on them starts here

BUILD THREAD - “The Juggernaut”

I personally live the details, some people don't know what it takes to do some of these modifications. I am always anxious to see the next update. I have always used "attention span of a flee", lol.

gbodyforum.com

at post #196.