First off glad the guy is ok! Sucks about the Car! I used to disconnect my battery all the time I just leave them hooked up now, I go out three short tabs to the gas pedal turn the key she fires up every time! I kind of like it that way... My 68 Coronet big block 4 spd had a E body Cuda hood top grafted to the original one. My old lead singer was driving it, popped one outta the carb, stalled, he cranked it up, and all of a sudden I start seeing heat waves coming out of the hood, freaking carburetor fire... all was well, but it did kind of Jack the hood up just a little bit. In retrospect, I put should have slammed a fiberglass six pack hood on that thing anyway, because by the time they got done with putting those two hoods together and some body filler, that was one heavy hood, Man!