Replacement '64 Hood Springs NOT STAYING UP, need help.

[robota]

My original hinges were shot,(rivets wobbly) and so I replaced hinges and springs with the aftermarket hinge, (only one avail i believe), and the GM replacement spring.

I have been tortured by these new hinges/springs, by the fact that they ain't workin'! Everything lines up beautiful, but the hood refuses to stay open. It seems to be that the springs do not have enough tension. Again they are not Chinese manufactored, they are the GM replacement part, but they suck.

I have thrown way too much money at this problem already, new hinges, springs and a bodyman helpers time to assist with the hood. Solutions we have tried: "Pinged"the hinges to make them more rigid. Nothing. Shortened the length of the spring end loops by tamping them down. at first this helped, but overnight it is back to the same.

ANYONE HAVE A SOLUTION?

:bang

[Old School]

Yes, I had the same problem. The fix is easy. Take the original springs and shorten them one coil. Heat the end of the spring and bend over the last coil and position it as the new hook. Cut off the excess. I've done four of them now and all worked perfect with just one coil removed. Never had to cut more than one coil.. . It's a 10 minute job...
The repop coils are a POS....

Mick

[robota]

Thanks for your reply, but so I am clear on this; Am I just cutting off the hook at it's base, (and bending a new hook from there), or am I actually cutting one coil down IN ADDITION to the old hook?

[Old School]

Yes, but heat and bend it first before you cut it off. It is easier to get ahold of top coil and bend it into a new hook with the old hook still attached. Take the first coil and bend it up at 90 degrees for the new hook, then cutoff the reminder. When done, it will look just like the old spring but one coil shorter..

[robota]

TY. Much abliged.

[Astro409]

Robota, I bought a set of NOS OEM GM springs for my 64 Impala on EBAY and the next week the same seller had another set for sale.:eek: I was thinking, either he bought a box full of New Old Stock springs from a GM dealership going out of business many years ago or he is reproducing them and has a good machine to copy the GM labels to make them look original.:scratch This could be what happened to you and it hasn't happened to me since I havenut put them on yet.:mad:

[robota]

I bought them off a reputable dealer. (Show Cars.) All they do is Chevrolet 409/348.
The guy (whom I have no reason to doubt) told me they are the best out there, and are GM springs. Never-the-less they stink, on ice. GM probably farms them out to a foriegn country that is not too good at metal. And they are probably not field tested. Unreal but most likey the case.

[Rusty Everitt]

Robota,
Send them back, they lied to you. For what Show Cars charges they should be top notch. Take Old School's advice and be done with it.

[1958 delivery]

I bought them off a reputable dealer. (Show Cars.) All they do is Chevrolet 409/348.
The guy (whom I have no reason to doubt) told me they are the best out there, and are GM springs. Never-the-less they stink, on ice. GM probably farms them out to a foriegn country that is not too good at metal. And they are probably not field tested. Unreal but most likey the case.


I seriously doubt if they're GM springs.

[Old School]

I have thrown way too much money at this problem already, new hinges, springs and a bodyman helpers time to assist with the hood. Solutions we have tried: "Pinged"the hinges to make them more rigid. Nothing. Shortened the length of the spring end loops by tamping them down. at first this helped, but overnight it is back to the same.

ANYONE HAVE A SOLUTION?

:bang

Robota: How are your trunk torsion bars? If they are adjusted up all the way and your trunk lid still wants to close, you can remove the bars, heat one end and twist them about 1/8 turn and they too will work like new.

No need to waste good money on cheap Asian scrap steel.....

[robota]

My Trunk is great. No problems there.

Funny thing is i heard that the replacement hood hinge may be the problem too. I was told that the new hinges are crap and they flex. We'll fiind out. I found a guy with real NOS hinges and I might just get them too. Trouble is I paid thru the nose for these from Car SHop and I already painted them.:doh

[oldskydog]

Some of these places advertise the hood springs as 61-64. They are not the same as each year hood is a different weight and the spring is designed to support that weight.

[Ronnie Russell]

I think Cecil is right. I have noticed some 63 springs I have are smaller diamiter than my 62s. Never noticed it until recently.

[Phil Reed]

FYI

This is just my opinion but...............we refuse to sell the repo hinges!! We have had customers tell us they are weak and bend within a couple of uses. Heard this from about everybody. Shortening the springs will put more tension on the hinges and just compound your problem.

There is a company in Canada...I don't know their name. They advertise in Hemmings. But, you send them your ORIGINAL hinges..they remove the rivets,glass bead and replate the hinge correctly and then put in slightly oversized rivets. That's what actually makes the hinge tighter. Put on the new springs and you basically have a new NOS set of hinges. I think its like $165 a set but seems reasonable to me for what you get. When 63-64 hinges were still available from Chevrolet...I think they were like $55-60 each.

That's my story.............and I'm stickin' to it!!!

[LongIsland63SS409]

http://www.sms-auto.com/smsauto/public/en/index.html

Hood hinge rebuilder.


Mike