Fiberglass bolt on hood install.

[rapid67rt]

I finally pulled the trigger no a AAR bolt on sixpack hood. I have a 68 270 dart with a 383. I know I have to change out the hood springs. My question is how do I get the stock springs out? Do the fenders have to come off? Any help would be great.

 

[doug 371]

if u take the splash shields out you can access them without removing the fenders

 

[805moparkid]

i find it easier to just heat the original ones and then pull down on the hood some. Let them cool and see how much "lighter" it is, just keep going till it takes a little effort to shut the hood

 

[inkjunkie]

Our car has a bolt on glass hood. Used the "lite-weight" springs...only they were not strong enough to hold it up on there own. A Fox Mustang prop rod fits like it belongs....if I were to do it all again I would not bother with springs...

 

[Idaho]

i find it easier to just heat the original ones and then pull down on the hood some. Let them cool and see how much "lighter" it is, just keep going till it takes a little effort to shut the hood

I may be doing this. Could you explain how/where you are heating?

 

[ssba]

i find it easier to just heat the original ones and then pull down on the hood some. Let them cool and see how much "lighter" it is, just keep going till it takes a little effort to shut the hood

Never thought of this, thanks for sharing.

 

[805moparkid]

I may be doing this. Could you explain how/where you are heating?

with the fender (easiest) or splash shield you heat the spring with a torch. Get the spring good and hot and then (with the hood up) pull down 1/4 of the way and cool the spring with a wet rag. Once cool open the hood and try to close it, if it still has alot of tension do it again until you get the "feel" you want. I dont know if you can go "back" if you go to far so expect it to take you 5 or 6 "pulls". With two people it makes it much easier.

 

[inkjunkie]

with the fender (easiest) or splash shield you heat the spring with a torch. Get the spring good and hot and then (with the hood up) pull down 1/4 of the way and cool the spring with a wet rag. Once cool open the hood and try to close it, if it still has alot of tension do it again until you get the "feel" you want. I dont know if you can go "back" if you go to far so expect it to take you 5 or 6 "pulls". With two people it makes it much easier.

Wish I had seen/thought of this, I would have never spent the $$ on the springs. I read someplace that some folks have used the springs off of a newer car, think it may have been a Daytona??

 

[rapid67rt]

Are you doing this with the stock hood still on or when the new fiberglass hood is on? All I have is a propane torch will this work? Worried I might hurt my new paint job. Would be cool if this was on youtube. Thanks for the help.

 

[805moparkid]

Are you doing this with the stock hood still on or when the new fiberglass hood is on? All I have is a propane torch will this work? Worried I might hurt my new paint job. Would be cool if this was on youtube. Thanks for the help.

fiberglass hood, otherwise you dont know how the springs are reacting with the lighter hood. And no you need a real torch to get those springs hot enough. If we had a car at the shop needing a bolt on hood i would get a vid but we dont, sorry.

and as far as paint some is gonna cook off, thats why you do EVERYTHING before painting a car, put wet rags around it best you can and control where you put heat to minimize issues

 

[Idaho]

Thanks for the explanation.

 

[Abodybomber]

fiberglass hood, otherwise you dont know how the springs are reacting with the lighter hood. And no you need a real torch to get those springs hot enough. If we had a car at the shop needing a bolt on hood i would get a vid but we dont, sorry.

and as far as paint some is gonna cook off, thats why you do EVERYTHING before painting a car, put wet rags around it best you can and control where you put heat to minimize issues

Old school,still works.....

 

[jrlegacy23]

A friend of mine took the springs right off and then put a bolt with a stud on it in place of the factory hood bolt. Then did the same in the inner fender area. He bolted a set of hydraulic hood lift support shocks from another car to the hood. It seemed to work really nice. It looked good and held the hood up well.