Hood hinges

wighty · 2014-01-13 18:58

Rich. You also wanted to see the mounting of the compressor

RICH MUISE · 2014-01-13 20:02

Nice and neat all around. Nice job. I can see why you had to mod your core support to move the radiator up..not much room there. Fortunatly, I don't have any front to back space problems with mine (once it's in there)...with the 4.6 space problems are all on the sides. How long before yours is road ready?

RICH MUISE · 2014-01-14 20:46

Wighty...In the pic you posted of the hole thru the core support, I noticed your condenser seems to be upside down....at least it looks that way in the pic. I am refering to the two outlets. It looks like the bigger of the two you have on the bottom. I may be wrong but I 'm pretty sure the larger one (#8 coming from the compressor) has to be on top, and the bottom one (#6 going to evaporator/dryer) should be on the bottom. May be just an optical thing with the angle the pic was taken, but figured it wouldn't hurt to mention it.
Rich

RICH MUISE · 2014-01-16 18:47

Wighty..I have to appologize, I forgot which car was yours until I was browsing the in-construction gallery today. LOL...yours was the one I thought the frame/drivetrain was too pretty to cover up with a body.
http://57fordsforever.com/smf/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;pic=639
Got any updated pics you'd like to share?

wighty · 2014-01-16 19:11

Whoops! You are right Rich. I better turn it over before I start running the hoses. Here is a recent picture. I am working on modifying the dash for my Dakota Digital instrument panel. Lots of welding. I need to get this completed and installed so I can begin the wiring. It is all about the journey.

RICH MUISE · 2014-01-16 21:43

I think this is going to be one of those threads with a dozen tangents...LOL..I hope no one gets mad if I hijack it....What Dakota Digital panel are you using? Your car is looking really good. Kinda glad to see others, like myself, progressing at a slower rate than "Overhauling".

wighty · 2014-01-16 22:19

The instrument panel is their oval shaped unit. I think it's shape works out real well in the stock 57 instrument location. I won't be back in the shop until next Monday when I can take a picture to show you what I am doing.

wighty · 2014-01-22 11:21

Rich, here is a picture of what I am doing with my dash. The only thing that will be on the dash is the Digital Dakota Instrument Panel and the A/C Control and Vents. Every thing else will be in the Center Counsel.
Make it a great day!

Frankenstein57 · 2014-01-22 18:35

Looks good, make it your own

RICH MUISE · 2014-01-22 20:58

I like it I like it I like it. Similar concept to mine with removing everything else from the dash and putting it on the console. I'm anxious to see it done...LOL..you probably are too. That oval cluster works surprisingly well.

57 imposter · 2014-02-21 17:48

OK I converted my hood hinges to gas shocks today. I used the very helpful information from this thread. My question is, has anyone put these on and used them? I ask because clamped to the bench, they now seem to be much stronger than the springs were that I took off. I am a little afraid that when the hood is cut loose, it's going to get launched right off the front of the car. I did use the 130lb struts and my geometry is basically same as shown in this posting.

wighty · 2014-02-21 18:50

Rich, I had the same concern. They do lift the hood a little faster, but not like you may think. I have the hood mounted with the gas springs in place now and it feel good to me. When I have only one of the 130 lb. gas springs on, it wont hold the hood open. I think you would need at least the 100 lb. size on each side to do the job of lifting and holding. I sure love how silent they are. Just like a modern car.

57 imposter · 2014-02-22 08:57

Thanks. I am going to use them as they are. I know , when released, the safety catch grabs the hood really fast so I will be able to control it after that. I have also been involved it the old trial and error method of getting the correct pressure shocks by mail order, and it is a real pain. Overall I would I would say it was a great idea, a good design and overall, real easy to do

57 imposter · 2014-02-27 20:36

Well I just couldn't stand not knowing for sure if the gas shocks were going to be too strong. I took one strut off and reassembled the hinge with the stock spring set up. clamped it to the bench and using an old milk scale measured the force required to move the hinge a set number of inches. then I did the same with the other hinge with the gas strut still installed. the gas strut required only 14 lb. more force to move it than did the one with the 55 year old spring. I decided to quit worrying about that. The other thing that bothered me was the small size of the mounting bolt on the top end. I built a small L bracket, drilled a close tolerance hole and welded it to the hinge arm. Now the bolt goes through the bracket then the heim joint and into the pin. I think this will give the bolt enough support to keep it from shearing off.

57 imposter · 2014-04-28 20:35

Kind of a late follow up but I had consigns about the strength of the 130Lb struts but used them anyway. They just made me nervous so I ordered a pair of 110Lb. put them in and they are perfect. I should mention that I louvered my hood so I lost a bit of the inner bracing. don't think it was enough to create much of a weight differential but suppose my hood is a bit lighter than stock. Will be adding a light weight drip tray to the hood so in the end it will probably net out at zero difference. Anyone interested in a new pair of 130Lb, struts with heim joints included, let me know and we can do a two for one deal.

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Hood hinges