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Hood question

Big Ray

Big Ray

The Older I Get, The Grumpier I Become!
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I was looking in my engine bay of my 79, admiring how it doesn't give me grief.
I've been meaning to ask about this hole with the 3 screw holes.
It appears there is suppose to be a doubler there.
Anyone have one they're not using/parting out?
As always, thanks in advance.

20230919_183925.jpg
 
Something is rattling in my brain that there was a bracket on there that lined up with that stud on the center of the cowl. It was to keep the hood from driving back into the glass on a front end impact. But that's a foggy guess.
 
Exactly. I saw a pic of one, thought I saved it.
It looks to be a stout 3/16 or 1/4 thick piece.
I have the bolt that goes into it, but just sheet in the hood reciever.
Keeps it from decapitating everyone to death.
The 81 and up trucks have fingers near the hinges that catch on the cowl in an accident, forcing the hood to buckle rather than sliding back into the cab like a Ginsu....
I'll tag @kennyw ...
 
Lol, I still need to put my washer nozzles on...bought them when I got the truck home
 
Big Ray said:
Exactly. I saw a pic of one, thought I saved it.
It looks to be a stout 3/16 or 1/4 thick piece.
I have the bolt that goes into it, but just sheet in the hood reciever.
Keeps it from decapitating everyone to death.
The 81 and up trucks have fingers near the hinges that catch on the cowl in an accident, forcing the hood to buckle rather than sliding back into the cab like a Ginsu....
I'll tag @kennyw ...
Click to expand...
My 78 has the striker pins at each hinge, plus a bracket with a 3rd striker pin that extends up into this hole in the hood.
 
That's the one.
I'm looking for the doubler that strengthens that hole.
It would tear the sheet metal like paper without it.
 
Beginning around '78 or so they starting putting a third bold/stud there attached to a plate to keep the hood from coming into the cab and potentially decapitating the passenger and driver. The other two bolts, one on each of the far corners of the cowl, that stick up also serve as part of this safety feature. I'm in the process of grafting these over to my '88 on my build page since I'm doing a 73-80 front end swap. This safety feature is further backed up by the "weak point" in the hood that people complain about so much on the 73-80 hoods. The hood is designed to buckle/crumple there upon a collision. It blows my mind that the aftermarket thinks those hood braces are a good idea, clearly they don't know why the hood is designed to crumple there or don't care.
 
jimmyleetn said:
Beginning around '78 or so they starting putting a third bold/stud there attached to a plate to keep the hood from coming into the cab and potentially decapitating the passenger and driver. The other two bolts, one on each of the far corners of the cowl, that stick up also serve as part of this safety feature. I'm in the process of grafting these over to my '88 on my build page since I'm doing a 73-80 front end swap. This safety feature is further backed up by the "weak point" in the hood that people complain about so much on the 73-80 hoods. The hood is designed to buckle/crumple there upon a collision. It blows my mind that the aftermarket thinks those hood braces are a good idea, clearly they don't know why the hood is designed to crumple there or don't care.
Click to expand...
Bend your freshly painted hood as you go to close it and think about what you said again.

They may have wanted the hood to fold up on impact, but what they didn’t factor in is the horrible hood hinge/spring that binds up and allows you to find that designed in weak spot when you attempt to close the hood.

I say that knowing 99% here know how to push down and back on the hood prior to pulling it down and avoid bending the hood. But heaven forbid someone that doesn’t know try to close the hood for you. I think it was a worker at a Barrett-Jackson auction last year that kinked a hood on a custom squarebody on live tv. It was horrible to watch.

If had an early square I’d put the braces on in a heartbeat. If I get in a wreck that is bad enough to fold the hood the whole truck wiped anyway. Besides there is enough mass compared to modern stuff it’s going to take a hell of a hit regardless.
 
ZooMad75 said:
Bend your freshly painted hood as you go to close it and think aboIut what you said again.

They may have wanted the hood to fold up on impact, but what they didn’t factor in is the horrible hood hinge/spring that binds up and allows you to find that designed in weak spot when you attempt to close the hood.

I say that knowing 99% here know how to push down and back on the hood prior to pulling it down and avoid bending the hood. But heaven forbid someone that doesn’t know try to close the hood for you. I think it was a worker at a Barrett-Jackson auction last year that kinked a hood on a custom squarebody on live tv. It was horrible to watch.

If had an early square I’d put the braces on in a heartbeat. If I get in a wreck that is bad enough to fold the hood the whole truck wiped anyway. Besides there is enough mass compared to modern stuff it’s going to take a hell of a hit regardless.
Click to expand...
I know the design isn't the best, but for reference, I do have a '79 GMC Jimmy that's never seen oil in the hinges and the hood is in great shape. It's been through one paint job too. Opened and closed it two weeks ago. I never knew the hood fold up was a problem until I kept seeing it on the FB and the internet. My dad bought it new in '78 and he still drives it btw. That being said, it would take a solid hit from anything modern to really do any damage. Still though, when I get my front end swap done I will not be putting the braces on it. I am going with Wamrods instead of the springs, but the real thing is (and the Barrett Jackson guy probably didn't know this) that even a new hood hinge probably needs to be worked a little once installed and probably oiled a little. There's a fantastic YouTube video from Brother's of all people where they talk about this on fresh painted 73-80 squares. David Welch sets all the gaps on a '77 Blazer and it's very informative.
 
What your supposed to do, is wait until there is a bow in the hood, then weld the braces on without removing the bow, then selling the truck to me, so I can look at the bow in the hood every fricken mile that I drive it, so I can bitch about it for 17 years, and everyone can comment about my Blazer having a bow in the hood, and that I should have welded on the braces, before the hood got bent....... take a deep breath....... I'm ok now, thanks for asking...
 
Lol
So no one has that doubler they want to get rid of?

:pimp::pimp::pimp::pimp:
 
Probably somebody had to check the box for "anti-decapitation device". Maybe a lot of customers didn't want to pay the $35.
 
jimmyleetn said:
I know the design isn't the best, but for reference, I do have a '79 GMC Jimmy that's never seen oil in the hinges and the hood is in great shape. It's been through one paint job too. Opened and closed it two weeks ago. I never knew the hood fold up was a problem until I kept seeing it on the FB and the internet. My dad bought it new in '78 and he still drives it btw. That being said, it would take a solid hit from anything modern to really do any damage. Still though, when I get my front end swap done I will not be putting the braces on it. I am going with Wamrods instead of the springs, but the real thing is (and the Barrett Jackson guy probably didn't know this) that even a new hood hinge probably needs to be worked a little once installed and probably oiled a little. There's a fantastic YouTube video from Brother's of all people where they talk about this on fresh painted 73-80 squares. David Welch sets all the gaps on a '77 Blazer and it's very informative.
Click to expand...
It’s all good info. Though most here aren’t the precise panel gap sort. I can appreciate those that strive for it though.

I’ve personally witnessed my OCD buddy find probably the last original gm hood hinges in captivity for his ‘78 K10 from a dealer. Brand new with oil on them they still bind. Though that wasn’t the main reason he wanted fresh hinges. With the hood closed the back part of the hood would wiggle on rough roads. He felt the pivot points were probably worn on the hinges on his truck so fresh hinges should be tight right? Nope. New hinges still had the wiggle when closed and intermittently bound up when trying to close so he continued to push in on the hood to close without bending it.

It’s a crappy setup they rectified with the better design on the ‘81 and up trucks.
 
Big Ray said:
Lol
So no one has that doubler they want to get rid of?

:pimp::pimp::pimp::pimp:
Click to expand...
@kennyw would be your best bet on here. I asked him about these about a month or so ago and he didn't have any, but I decided I'm not going to bother with them. Another place would be New Boyz Squarebody Rescue. Also, I laughed extremely hard at @500$k5 comment. If there's not a already a previous owner screwups thread here on CK5 there needs to be. I bet every one of us could write a book.
 
Big Ray said:
I've been meaning to ask about this hole with the 3 screw holes.
It appears there is suppose to be a doubler there.
Anyone have one they're not using/parting out?
Click to expand...
This is what it should look like and you can have this one if you want it. PM me your address.

20230923_180322.jpg
 
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