Avoiding the hood and decklid 'bends'

[cjshaker]

I've been contemplating reinforcing the hood and decklid on my '37 where they commonly bend, but was wondering if anyone else did this. My decklid has the common crack right at the prop mounting area, and the hood has a crack right where the underside reinforcment bend narrows at the front. I have a hood that isn't cracked, but it's not in as good of shape, so I'd like to use the one that was on the car, which is absolutely rust free with nice original paint.


I figure the hood won't be much of a problem once fixed, if it's handled properly, but the decklid seems weak to me and I'm concerned about a repair not holding up. There's just no way around the decklid twisting when in the up position, putting a lot of stress on the rib where the support is. Even with gentle handling, it seems to me the twisting from use of the support will eventually crack it at that point again. It's just not a good design.



I've considered welding a reinforcment along that side to strengthen it. That would greatly strengthen the entire decklid and make it more rigid, and I can do it in a way that won't be real noticeable, but it got me to wondering what others did to avoid the "bends"?

[Bill OH]

I removed the hood support after somebody opened the hood and did not raise it up to allow the hood to close. Bent the hood severely. I use a prop to hold the hood open and store the prop on floor in front of front seat. The trunk I keep locked.

[cjshaker]

I don't plan on anyone's hands being on the car except for the wife and I, so that should not be an issue. But I will be using the car, so the trunk will get used plenty. I've just seen plenty of cracked and buckled decklids, I know partly due to ham fisted people and others not smart enough to raise before lowering, but I'm also assuming it is a weak area that has issues over time...much like Model T sheetmetal that isn't supported enough, or maybe I'm wrong and concerned about a non-issue?

[fordv8j]

I was at a show one day, wasn't at my 38 coupe, it started raining , close enuf to see a good samaratin, closing and buckling my hood, not pretty; about impossible to repair

[cjshaker]

Originally Posted by fordv8j

I was at a show one day, wasn't at my 38 coupe, it started raining , close enuf to see a good samaratin, closing and buckling my hood, not pretty; about impossible to repair

Ugh, that makes me cringe just visualizing it.
My old daily driver Comets and Falcons all had doors that would latch easily if you just blew on them, and no matter how many times I told people, they would slam the doors closed. It got to a point that I would close the doors for them. Some people just don't get it.

I guess by the lack of responses that it is a non-issue as long as things are handled properly.

[petehoovie]

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I recall when I sold my '37, the first thing I stressed to the new owner was the correct way to open and close the hood...

[rockfla]

Originally Posted by petehoovie

I recall when I sold my '37, the first thing I stressed to the new owner was the correct way to open and close the hood...

I was taught on our 37 Station Wagon at age 4, Just turned 58 on the 17th

[Bruce of MN]

I was used to '60's cars with spring loaded hoods and then with my first car with a prop rod, I pushed it down and bent the prop rod! I straightened it well enough, but it sure trained me to think about it first.

[Planojc]

On my 39 standard I welded a 6 inch long piece of 1/2 inch angle iron in the under side of the hood where they crack.

[Zeke3]

Cjshaker, I also have a 1937 coupe project car that has a damaged hood that I haven’t attempted to fix yet. Someone attempted to repair it with some crude welding to both sides that would have been done before 1964, we my brother acquired the car. I plan to straighten the hood and repair the damaged areas. I might add a reinforcement on the backside of the hood flange.

I was not aware of the weakness at the deck lid support location. Sure enough, my deck lid has a couple of stress cracks to the inner structure, just below the trunk support mounting pad. The outer sheet metal has not been damaged yet. I am thinking I would have to separate the outer skin from the inner structure to add reinforcement in that area.

Thanks for bringing this area of weakness to my attention. I guess I will have to carry two broom handles in the car.

[Robert/Texas]

I have an unrestored '37 Fordor Touring Sedan with 62k miles on it. The hood is cracked close to the front where someone tried to close without lifting it first. Also, all four of the hubcaps are damaged by someone trying to pry the centers off. Otherwise the car is in fairly good shape.

[JayChicago]

The day after buying my ‘37, I posted on the V8 Club forum asking where I could acquire the missing hood prop. Got replies saying “DON’T DO IT! There is a reason hood props are removed from ‘37 & ‘38’s.”

I took that good advise. Carry a telescoping aluminum hood prop in the trunk. For use in the garage, a plastic-tipped broom handle works great.

[cjshaker]

Well I'm glad to know that this wasn't just my imagination. The hood issue stems from the very thinned down area of the underside lip, towards the front. The decklid, because the support is a very short piece, puts tremendous strain on the strengthening rib, causing it to fatigue and crack, not to mention it puts the whole decklid in a twist while in the up position.



To combat the twist, I've considered using 2 decklid supports, one on each side. Basically just mirroring the left side support. I don't think it would be difficult to make it look like a factory thing, but of course it wouldn't be, and that is where I start to have problems.



I get torn between keeping the car as original as possible, but wanting it to be able to stand up to use over time. It's going to be used....alot, as in pretty much daily (except rain and snow obviously). That means a lot of trunk use. I think using an extended brace under the support would greatly help. It would extend the point of force being exerted on the support farther out, essentially greatly reducing the leverage (weight) placed on the underside brace. The leverage is the issue, placing 3/4 of the weight directly on one spot of the brace. Luckily, my decklid is not buckled, but it is cracked at the brace, and at the outer lip. One ham fisted person would buckle it completely.

[cjshaker]

Originally Posted by JayChicago

The day after buying my ‘37, I posted on the V8 Club forum asking where I could acquire the missing hood prop. Got replies saying “DON’T DO IT! There is a reason hood props are removed from ‘37 & ‘38’s.”

I took that good advise. Carry a telescoping aluminum hood prop in the trunk. For use in the garage, a plastic-tipped broom handle works great.

That probably is good advice, I just don't like the look of a prop rod in the center of the hood/grille area. I'm going to have to look the hood over more closely and see how I might be able to strengthen it, while trying to be inconspicuous. I also wouldn't be opposed to placing a small sign under the hood at car shows that says "DO NOT CLOSE HOOD"...with a small picture of Yosemite Sam.

[Newc]

Didn't Drake make a '37 hood once? Was it stronger? Newc

[Fritz]

Other cars have problem too. Like early VW Beetles. I had a steel rod welded inside the lip of the hood as a repair in my old 57 oval. That protects the weak spot. But if someone still tried to close the hood improperly, they would only end up finding the new weak spot on either end of the rod. There remains also the problem of most of the weight being on one side of the hood.

[fordv8j]

I put my hood prop on oue 38 conv. to go to National meets; take it off when I get home; use a stick with do not close hood wrote on it