68-70 GTO Hood-Kinked
 

How do you fix a hood once it's been kinked? I've seen some repairs where they weld flat stock to the bottom or sides, but that looks like crap.

The repair difficulty is highly over-rated.
1. cut U-tunnels with saw.
2. shut hood and push-down to carefully re-match Fender curves.
3.Carefully raise hood.
4. Insert metal-of-choice (flat, round-in corner) inside each U-tunnel, spot-weld to U-tunnel. (yea, that is the hard-part).
5. Bodywork the underhood results.
6. be amazed at how good the results are compared to "going to fiberglas" like I did.

Very crude, but I did this when I was 16 or 17. Two blocks of wood, can't remember if it was a foot or so on each side of the kink or if they were on the corners. Then there was about 160lbs of mitch on the kink, it took alot of tries (it didn't seem like it was trying to "reverse kink" on me, must be supported well enough with factory bracing) installing the hood but finally got it to match the fender line. The metal on the side of the hood(facing the inside of the fender) was not perfect, but the top of the hood did not get any dings or waves from my teenage treatment. Painted the whole car after the fact and aside from metal on the side, no one would have ever suspected it was kinked. Crude like I said, but don't know what level you are building your car to. Mitch

I think my next project is to try and repair my kinked hood.

I want to see examples of successful repairs if you've done it.

The skin on mine looks good but could always be hiding damage when I strip it. It appears rust and fold-free but the kink buckled the bracing exactly where it was designed to bend in an accident. Great engineering except for the part where it kinks when the hinges get tight and people pull down as they might reasonably expect is the way to close it....

You can see the edge of the skin is also buckled some but that will straighten and isn't carrying as much load.

I like the idea layed out here by HIS. I hope to avoid separating the assembly and this sounds better than welding reinforcement to the outside of the bracing.

Is it really possible to cut this bracing, insert metal inside, and weld it? Anyone done this and can share some examples?

It might be possible to put the brace under some tension and straighten the buckles but I don't think I'd trust that to be as strong as new. I also don't have the porta-power this would likely require.

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...1&d=1782015262

All advice and ideas welcomed.

Mike

I find this method highly unlikely.

This would be a task for a torch and master bodyman. A wooden template cold be made from the fender to match. Or if really bad a check to Ames and a new hood.

I am also skeptical about the "inside" reinforcement but slotting the brace, straightening, and welding reinforcement outside sounds do-able. And I won't see it when the hood's closed.

I won't buy a replacement unless I can't fix mine. It's another challenge worth trying for me.

If I buy a new hood, it has to have scoops that aren't there now. I don't think anyone makes a repro Tempest/LeMans hood, do they?

Finding a used hood might be possible though... I haven't looked but I don't have faith I'd find one as solid as what I have.

Mike,

On YouTube "Foothill Paint and Fabrication" did several shows on fixing a kinked/warped repro hood.

He's doing a '67 GTO Project.

Really good.....several shows.

Bob

Thanks!

I've watched several of his videos and he's great. The body work he's doing on his GTO seems over the top even for a pro but he is a good teacher.

I'll hunt down his hood series.