I carryed my hood in the house and put it on blocks and put 60 lbs on both sides for over a month. Didnt do a thing. I use a 3/4 pvc pipe paint black for prop pole. The springs have not been oh the hood for 1.5 yrs.I drive this car alot, and the hood has not flatten hardly any at all. I have heard that if you leave the springs off it would flatten out, I dont thinks so.