Quote:
Originally Posted by Half-Inch Stud
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.
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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.
All advice and ideas welcomed.
Mike