T/A hood warped how to fix

Posted By: Jerry

T/A hood warped how to fix - 03/25/13 08:50 PM

i've got a fiberglass T/A hood for my 1973 challenger and i know i got it used. the hood is pretty warped on either side and doesn't line up with the fenders. i know the factory hoods had a lot of problems but is there anyway to address it? anyway to tweak to make it fit better? i'm at the point of getting rid of the hood hinges and installing 6 hood pins to try and align the hood better. so i'm looking for suggestions other than its fiberglass just live with it.

thanks

Jerry

Posted By: autoxcuda

Re: T/A hood warped how to fix - 03/25/13 08:55 PM

I know Troy fixed his by sitting it out in the hot summer sun with weights for days maybe week(s)? Then adding hidden steel reinforcements and glassing them back over.

Posted By: 70_FJ6_RR

Re: T/A hood warped how to fix - 03/25/13 09:39 PM

With the hood on the car and light weight hood springs on the hinges, remove the middle fender side rubber bumpers,not the front adjustable bumper, then heat the warped hood bottom area with a propane torch quickly and carefully, till it's hot to touch, then set the hood down with weights on a piece of plywood in the warped area till even and cool it with compressed air on the underside. It may take a few tries, depending on how high above the fender it is. It takes some talent, so if you're afraid, get a good fiberglass guy to help you. Another cheat would be to put shims under the middle areas of the fender to make up some difference of the warped hood. Goodluck!

Posted By: Jerry

Re: T/A hood warped how to fix - 03/25/13 10:47 PM

thanks for the info. thats kind of what i was thinking, but was afraid to try and really find out if i was right. would a heat gun work just as well or does it have to be propane? will it warp again sitting on the car?

Posted By: fastmark

Re: T/A hood warped how to fix - 03/25/13 10:57 PM

My original AAR hood was warped. I just took off the springs and set it in the sun. It flattened right out. Try that before you start with the heat or weights.

Posted By: 70_FJ6_RR

Re: T/A hood warped how to fix - 03/25/13 11:47 PM

A powerful heat gun may work. If the car is going to be stored for a long period of time, I would remove the springs. If you're not worried about originality, you could glass in some aluminum square tube/stock or angle(trim to fit flange)on the inside length of the outer flange for strength. Fiberglass has a mind of its own.

Posted By: BDW

Re: T/A hood warped how to fix - 03/26/13 12:04 AM

Try the heat gun first, they go to 1000F and shouldn't burn like a torch.

Posted By: ThermoQuad

Re: T/A hood warped how to fix - 03/26/13 10:50 AM

This works...

Wait for a hot sunny day
Park car in sun for a couple of hours
Block up hood with small blocks in the front corners
Place a clean towel on the affected area
Place a big block cylinder head on the towel and go away for the rest of the day.
Put car back in garage and leave cyl head on hood till the next day or so.

Repeat if necessary, the bow will disappear..,and never return

Propane torch???? Are you kidding me??? As always be careful with some of the advice given here

Posted By: Jerry

Re: T/A hood warped how to fix - 03/26/13 01:51 PM

yeah i really wasn't crazy about the propane torch idea. apparently the fiberglass hood are soft enough to move in the sun so i'll wait until summer to address it. thanks for the tips. now i have to see if i still saved a cast iron big block cylinder head.

Posted By: 70_FJ6_RR

Re: T/A hood warped how to fix - 03/26/13 03:15 PM

Quote:

This works...

Wait for a hot sunny day
Park car in sun for a couple of hours
Block up hood with small blocks in the front corners
Place a clean towel on the affected area
Place a big block cylinder head on the towel and go away for the rest of the day.
Put car back in garage and leave cyl head on hood till the next day or so.

Repeat if necessary, the bow will disappear..,and never return

Propane torch???? Are you kidding me??? As always be careful with some of the advice given here

Yeah, I would be careful with the advice given here! You have more control with a propane torch and heating the area you want to straighten, than you do the sun heating the entire hood with the weight of a cylinder head, possibly to warp the center of the hood. On here, you'll get advice, and that's all it is. Like I said, it takes talent. Spend a few minutes on the phone with some fiberglass companies, or find a good local body guy.

Posted By: dOc !

Re: T/A hood warped how to fix - 03/26/13 04:55 PM

ProPain torches, heat guns ..... whata' buncha' guyz .....

.... WHAT you need to do it make a jig on what the correct contour of the hood is supposed to be and then SLICE UP the bracing on the hood .... then put the hood into the jig and then GLASS OVER the bracing .....

Then find some lighter hood springs ...THAT is what has caused the problems in the first place (other than the hood not having proper bracing for the application) ...

Posted By: DAYCLONA

Re: T/A hood warped how to fix - 03/30/13 02:07 PM

Quote:

ProPain torches, heat guns ..... whata' buncha' guyz .....

.... WHAT you need to do it make a jig on what the correct contour of the hood is supposed to be and then SLICE UP the bracing on the hood .... then put the hood into the jig and then GLASS OVER the bracing .....

Then find some lighter hood springs ...THAT is what has caused the problems in the first place (other than the hood not having proper bracing for the application) ...

What's with giving away the proper answer/advice here Doc?

....seriously that's what's needed in this case.

bricks, cylinder heads, torches

...what next?,....I suppose a brush and roller for paint perhaps?