Hood Bond?

[LAUDY57]

I would try grounding the battery to the radio first, just in case the body ground (or radio to body ground or radio ground wire )is not any good for whatever reason. Then you will have checked both the gound and the 12v supply to the radio, sometimes the conditions can change away from the bench. Does kinda sound like the speaker though.

[suede57ford]

I had a bad distcap/rotor a few years ago and my xm-radio wouldn't pick up stations work when the engine was running, except with the hood open. 

I changed everything even the radio, and the MSD box/coil.   Ended up the carbon buttom in the center of the distributer cap had worn away and it was creating a field which interefered with the radio, especially with the hood closed.

Took forever to figure out.   I called the MSD tech guy and let him know when I finally figured it out.

[BWhitmore]

I am still running the stock points and condenser.  The radio powers up, the light comes on whenever the radio is on but all I get is static when I tune through the stations.  I am going to try a different speaker and see what happens. 

[Ecode70D]

Bill,
The hood bond is a metal V shaped spring type clip the best I can describe it. Some cars had them mounted on the top of the cowl and it contact the hood when closed and help insure the hood was grounded. What the service bulletin is suggesting is using this same clip between the radio and the ash tray to insure the radio chassis is grounded.. Static in the radio is usually caused buy the generator but you have an alternator or buy something in the engine high side voltage ( plug wires  etc )

    Jim I had one of those V shaped things on one of my cars.  I took it off then threw it away because I couldn't figure out what it was for.   

[hiball3985]

    Jim I had one of those V shaped things on one of my cars.  I took it off then threw it away because I couldn't figure out what it was for.

I can't believe you of all people threw something away  I know I've kicked myself more then a few times for throwing things away. I threw away 2 57 antenna's that hung in the garage for 30 years about a month before I bought my Ranchero and now I need one 

[57 Ford Kustom]

Have you tried replacing the condenser?
Tim

[BWhitmore]

The problem is I have no radio sound at all - just static.  Normally if you have interference from the ignition system you have radio sound also plus static.  I am going to try a new speaker in the next few days and see what happens.  Thanks.

[Ford Blue blood]

    Jim I had one of those V shaped things on one of my cars.  I took it off then threw it away because I couldn't figure out what it was for.

The "V" shaped thing....

[BWhitmore]

Bill - interesting.  Never seen before.  Probably most of them got tossed.  Thanks

[LAUDY57]

Thanks for the pic, geez I've got one somewhere as well- it looked like it broke off sometning and I could never figure where it was from!

[RICH MUISE]

I never would have guessed what that was for..now I'll have to search my bags of old rusty things.

[Ford Blue blood]

Bill - interesting.  Never seen before.  Probably most of them got tossed.  Thanks

They scratch the under side of the hood, which I would guess is why most are discarded.  Only one of the 57s that came here had a broken lower half remaining, Ranchero was missing altogether.  They are made of a brass alloy of some kind, the two tangs on the top contact the hood in an attempt to isolate static from the ignition system.

[hiball3985]

The "V" shaped thing....

That's the one. Thanks for posting the picture

[Ecode70D]

I never would have guessed what that was for..now I'll have to search my bags of old rusty things.

   It looks like I'm going to have to search my rusty things  too.   It will make a nice conversation piece even though I don't have a radio.
     

[Jeff Norwell]

Interesting,I wonder why the Hood Hinges,Hood catch and release would not serve the same purpose of becoming a ground?