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Restoring My Original R/T hood

Posted By: Erik

Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/01/11 12:52 AM

As I am finally getting back to working on my Challenger, I started to strip the hood today. After many years of sitting, some rust has pitted into the metal. What is the best way for getting it out without grinding too much metal down?

Here is a pic:


Also, s at some point in it's life, someone put hood pins on it but not in the right place so I will need to fill in the holes. Anyone have a suggestion on the best way of doing that?

Here is a pic:


Thanks!
Posted By: 1_WILD_RT

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/01/11 01:12 AM

I just cleaned up a hood with similar rust, once I'd stripped all the paint off I used Muratic Acid (Swimming pool acid) in a small garden sprayer... soak the metal down with acid & let it work for a period, maybe ten minutes, spraying more acid as needed to keep it wet... A little agitation with a brush on the worst areas then dump a box of baking soda on the hood & mix it around to neutralize the acid... Rinse throughly then use compressed air to dry all the pits... Be ready to prime the hood to seal the metal ASAP..

Looks like a crack to be welded up too..

You'll have some warpage to deal with when you weld up those hood pin holes.... Might be better to consider a AMD hood...
Posted By: Erik

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/01/11 02:52 AM

Thanks for the tip on the rust pitting. You should have seen the amount of factory putty I ground off this hood. There was quite a bit and it surprised me. It was all under the original paint, so it had to be from the factory.

This is the original 1970 hood for my car. Unfortunately, the AMD hoods are not 1970 hoods. I have an original 72-74 hood now if I can't fix this one.
Posted By: 1_WILD_RT

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/01/11 03:10 AM

If your gonna use it hopefully you have a stud gun with the shrinking attachment.. Cut filler pieces to fill the holes & go slow welding it up.... The rust doesn't scare me, it really isn't a problem but hoods can really warp badly....
Posted By: Erik

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/01/11 02:13 PM

What is a stud gun with a shrinking attachment?
Posted By: Morty426

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/01/11 09:29 PM

Quote:

What is a stud gun with a shrinking attachment?



It's code for "You better get an expert to fill those hood pin holes for you"
Posted By: Danan

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/01/11 10:37 PM

I recommend welding the incorrect hood pin holes first. If you go slow, you won't have much/any problem with warpage (go SLOW!). Once the hood is solid again, I like to media blast the pitted metal and then go over the entire hood with picklex 20. Let dry for 24 hours and you are ready to shoot your epoxy primer.
Posted By: 69Chrgr

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/04/11 02:48 AM

short of it getting Damaged in transport and the dealer fixing the hood, I dont think the hood had filler in it from the factory, nothing is 100% but I dont think the factory did body work on panels, my dad worked on the line at GM and I never heard of this there either. but anything is possible.
Posted By: 340SIX

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/04/11 03:16 AM

I agree on the acid route
Muratic is strong but works and as stated needs to be covered in soda and then washed well with Hot Water if possible.
I Use PPG DX579 and wash with laqure thinner on lots of small parts with light rust and it cleans it right up
Posted By: Erik

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/04/11 02:00 PM

Quote:

short of it getting Damaged in transport and the dealer fixing the hood, I dont think the hood had filler in it from the factory, nothing is 100% but I dont think the factory did body work on panels, my dad worked on the line at GM and I never heard of this there either. but anything is possible.



I guess that's possible. There were two coats of primer (one red one gray) and the yellow paint. I had never heard of two primer coats. The rest of the car is not like that.
Posted By: David Lee

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/04/11 03:54 PM

Fix the warpage before you do any welding. It may warp so badlythat is unrecoverable. I prefer gas welding sheet metal since I only to heat the panel once. Grinding can bring in just as much heat and warpage as the welding process itself. Also when you put a dolly underneath the weld and hit the hammer upon it you will also have an uneven surface and it can add more warpage that may be unrecoverable. With a dolly and a slapper most dings can be removed without the need of any or little filler.
Posted By: Quicksmopars

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/05/11 12:55 AM

Welding those hood pin holes up a is pretty easy. Make a little circle patch for the center and copper back the small holes and weld them up. Do 2-3 tack welds then put a blow gun on it to rapidly cool the metal. Continue doing that till it's all welded. It really reduces the warpage. As for the rust pits, grind them deep and use a good rust converter.
Posted By: Erik

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/18/11 04:04 PM

Quote:

I just cleaned up a hood with similar rust, once I'd stripped all the paint off I used Muratic Acid (Swimming pool acid) in a small garden sprayer... soak the metal down with acid & let it work for a period, maybe ten minutes, spraying more acid as needed to keep it wet... A little agitation with a brush on the worst areas then dump a box of baking soda on the hood & mix it around to neutralize the acid... Rinse throughly then use compressed air to dry all the pits... Be ready to prime the hood to seal the metal ASAP..



I picked up some acid last night. Do you dilute it all or use it full strength?
Posted By: 1_WILD_RT

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/18/11 04:24 PM

I use it full strength, make sure you have some baking soda cause you must neutralize the acid or you'll have problems later.... I use a little water, allot of baking soda & a scotch-brite pad.. Scrub throughly then rinse throughly with water.... Blow it dry making sure the pits are dry.. I prefer a hot sunny day so the heat helps force dry the steel... You want it sealed the same day cause the steel will be very clean & very raw, highly susceptible to rusting again...
Posted By: chargervert

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/18/11 04:34 PM



This is the original 1970 hood for my car. Unfortunately, the AMD hoods are not 1970 hoods. I have an original 72-74 hood now if I can't fix this one.




Unless you are doing a 100% OEM restoration,you may want to consider going with the later hood. There was a reason that they put those crash relief indents in the later hoods,as the 70 hoods were crashing through the windshield and guiliteening the drivers,in the event of a front end collision. With the indents the hoods fold. If you intend to drive the car,sometimes saftey overules correctness! My neck is worth more than a few judging points!
Posted By: 71 Charger R/T

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/19/11 05:26 AM

Quote:

What is a stud gun with a shrinking attachment?



This is a stud gun with a shrinking attachment.....
Posted By: 340wedge

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/19/11 06:49 PM

http://autobodystore.net/Merchant2/merch...egory_Code=RCAC

I've heard good stuff about this if you have a car filled with surface rust on body shop message boards.
Posted By: Quicksmopars

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/19/11 09:53 PM

Duraglass the crumple zones and switch to the 70 hood latch and BAM it is now a 70 hood.
Posted By: chargervert

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/20/11 12:01 AM

I'm restoring my wifes 70 Plum Crazy Challenger convertible,and I bought the AMD hood because it had the crumple zones. I like her head right where it is! Thats a good idea to duraglass them!
Posted By: Erik

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/22/11 04:25 PM

Quote:

Duraglass the crumple zones and switch to the 70 hood latch and BAM it is now a 70 hood.



That's a great idea! It will be a lot less work on the later hood I already have. And since it's not being restored as a OE gold car, I'm fine with doing that!

I'll clean up and throw the original hood in the shed as a spare.

Thanks!
Posted By: 2fast4yourBrain

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/25/11 05:13 PM

Are the Goodmark hoods 1971+ crash zone types as well?

Would be nice if AMD/Goodmark would somewhat coordinate on which hood they'd make. They seem to make the exact same e-body hoods.

E.g. both make the 1970 'Cuda Shaker hood. Wish at least one of them made a 1971 crumple zone type.
Posted By: axle

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/27/11 03:59 AM

Rust inhibator , then apply sealer, quality primer and you're ready to go
Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/29/11 07:43 PM

I have a Goodmark hood and am NOT happy with it. Across the front of the hood where the trim piece bolts on, it not flat like a stock hood. I noticed it when installing the trim naturally.
You can see it in these pictures.Looks like a fish with it's mouth open. lol
I've looked at other Goodmark hoods and they are the same, What about a AMD hood? Anyone know?

Here's stock hood before I made it into a shaker.

Stock hood with shaker added, it's flat across the front unlike the Goodmark hood in the first picture.
Posted By: Morty426

Re: Restoring My Original R/T hood - 08/29/11 10:15 PM

Quote:

I have a Goodmark hood and am NOT happy with it. Across the front of the hood where the trim piece bolts on, it not flat like a stock hood. I noticed it when installing the trim naturally.
You can see it in these pictures.Looks like a fish with it's mouth open. lol
I've looked at other Goodmark hoods and they are the same, What about a AMD hood? Anyone know?

Here's stock hood before I made it into a shaker.

Stock hood with shaker added, it's flat across the front unlike the Goodmark hood in the first picture.




You couldn't pay me to put a Goodmark hood on my car
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