Posted By: rarefish
Removing hood, advice needed. - 05/30/08 09:00 PM
I want to "safely" remove the hood from my 68 Charger so I can take it to a painter. I think I have seen where some guys remove the rear two bolts then tilt the hood level. Then remove the front two bolts and then carry the hood forward. Is this the recommended way of doing it? I would think that I would just reverse that process to reinstall it. Right?
Posted By: tored1971
Re: Removing hood, advice needed. - 05/30/08 09:58 PM
I have used telephone books opened up laying on the cowl at both back corners of the hood just in case the hood slips back
Posted By: Neil
Re: Removing hood, advice needed. - 05/31/08 12:11 AM
Get some help first. A hood is just too big to do by yourself without damaging something. Two people is ok, but a third person to hold the front up is ideal.
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: Removing hood, advice needed. - 05/31/08 12:38 AM
Scribe around the bolts first, so that it is easier to align when it comes back.
Posted By: west
Re: Removing hood, advice needed. - 05/31/08 01:33 AM
i lay moving blankets onto the cowl,its easy to regulate the height of them just use more or less.
then i just set the hood on the blankets once it's lined up with the holes on the hinges.it's easy to do by yourself if you take your time.
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: Removing hood, advice needed. - 05/31/08 02:41 AM
Here's how I used to remove and install mine, by myself. You can do this with a prop--stick, or in a garage. Much has already been covered.
Pad the cowl, as mentioned.
Scribe the hinges as mentioned.
Either prop up the front of the hood with a solid stick, or better yet, a simple A frame made of just about anything, including conduit.---When I was in a garage, I used to use a ratchet bike tie down strap from the front of the hood to a joist above.
Remove the FRONT bolts, and replace them with some longer bolts, just hand thread them, with the heads cut off.
Make sure the prop or "hoist" is stable.
Remove the rear bolts, and then "hinge" the front down on some padding on the front fenders.
When you get to this point, you'll have the hood front lying on some pads in the front, and the rear safely pinned into the hinges.
Now all you have to do is lift it off. When I was young, believe it or not, I could lift the stock air grabber hood off my '70RR from the front. I took off anything that might damage it, like my belt, got my belly up against the front, and reached forward with one hand around each edge, and lifted 'er right off.
'Course, what you do with THAT is another story.
Two guys is MUCH better
plus I always use a heavy padding just in just it slips back. Three are much better then two IMHO..