I used to do this all the time as a young boy of 20 something. A 70 440 sixpack car with an air grabber is HEAVY

One way I remember was to put rags in the back to protect against the cowling, and rags up front on the fender edges. I'd rig a simple "bipod" out of sticks or mop handles to hold up the front, then pull the front bolts and loosen the rears a little at a time. Then ease the front down off the bipod onto the rags. You now have the hood down, resting on rags at the front, and sitting "up" on the extended hinges at the rear. Take off your belt, stuff some rags around your pants (buttons) and stuff the front of the hood in your gut, stretch out your arms and pull

I"d have a plank with rags near a wall, ease the rear down onto th rags and stand it up.


A better way is if you are in a garage. Get some of these adjustable nylon tie-downs. The ratchet ones are not what you want, you want the "pull through and lock" kind. Rig these at the back corners of the hood and at least one at the front. Just put tension on them as you loosen th bolts, and again, pile rags along the rear cowl. Once again, you can lower the hood on the tops of the hinges, or just leave it up there until done, etc.

I've done this probably 20 times or more in my life, have NEVER left damage in a hood.

Just scribe your hinges so you can position them back