I'm home alone tomorrow and want to unbolt my hood for refinishing. Wonder if anyone has removed a hood from their Mopar by themselves.

The engine is out, so I wonder if I can get underneath and keep the hinge springs extended using a suspension 'spring compressor' in reverse. Or some method to prevent the hood hinges from popping as I unbolt the hood....?

Should I not attempt this?

Thanks, -Art

u have a cherry picker?

With the hood up I take the 2 rear bolts out first, then loosen up the front one at a time and let the hood move down until it rest on the hood latch. Once it's resting on the front latch you can lift it up. Granted I'm 6'3" and have a good arms reach but you can do it if you go slowly.

I've done it that way too. It's better to have a helper, but if you must do it by yourself, be sure to take your time and be extra careful. Might be a good idea to stuff some rags/towels/blankets between the hood and the windshield... just in case.

~Angel

raise the hood, roll up some blankets and stuff them under the rear corners of the hood prop up the latch end with a 2X4 at the yoke and remove the bolts slowly grab it and go. done it many times.

show car or beater?
I've done the blankets and prop on plenty cars, but wouldn't risk it on nice paint...

I do it all the time, by myself. Its no big deal. My trick is that I put a broomstick between the top of the hood and the radiator core support, to hold it in place. Definitely put something between back of hood and body (newspaper, cardboard, a t-shirt, whatever to protect paint). Unbolt front bolts on each side, then rears. Take is slow, the prop will hold it in place. Grab each side, lift it up on top of the hood hinges, and off it comes. I work solo on everything, so you have to improvise... hoods are easy....other things are not so easy
Good luck
Dave

After having a few scrapes I said never again. I go pick up a transient & pay him to help me. I dont want to risk the back or the paint.

I did it and my body man was impressed. Like you, the engine was out. I unbolted the hood while in the bay, picked it up and out it went. it is not the weight but the bulkiness of it that is the problem. Of course, my car is a total resto so I had the fenders off and messing up the paint was not an issue. After I unbolted the hood, I picked it up and moved it towards the A-pillar, pushed up the front end, got a better handle on it, and away it went. Not sure I would try this outside with any breeze though.

I've removed them by myself and reinstalled them by myself also. It's not much fun but it can be done.

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

Thanks boys!
Using bits of all your suggestions, I think I can rig up a safe way.

It's a project car and in a tight garage facing out. I'll take it easy though, the hood can't fully open, so there'll be some residual tension on the hinges.

Thanks for the advice to scribe the hinges!
- Art