How to salvage his hood

[Mack B]

I've been on the lookout for a better hood for years, nothing is ever close enough to justify the trip. This isn't my only issue with the hood, it needs rust repair up front as well. That part I'm comfortable with, this part I don't have a strong grasp on.

The passenger side ridge that's circled is bowed down about a quarter inch in that short span. The metal to the passenger side from there is stretched about the same. I've looked at threads about shrinking metal with a shrinking disk. Is that what's needed here? Will that pull the bow out of the raised ridge? Where do I apply the shrinking disk, just randomly inside the low spot till I see what moves?

[MP&C]

What does the ridge look like on the driver's side?

[Mack B]

Originally Posted by MP&C

What does the ridge look like on the driver's side?

The straight edge lays flat across that same length.

[nsb29]

Shrinking is a little bit of a trial and error you have to work from the high side in your case it will be the inside of the hood when it starts to heat up it will actually look like you’re making it worse but when you apply cold wet rag to it it will pull down You could try and find a YouTube video on it

[MP&C]

Can you determine what caused the damage? Someone walk On the hood or something fall on it? Hard to tell in the picture without seeing it in person but it appears that something fell on the crease, and the sheet metal to the side is only along for the ride. Meaning, if you can persuade the crease back where it belongs, perhaps the sheet metal will follow. Once this is done, then Re-assess for the need for any shrinking.

[Mack B]

Originally Posted by MP&C

Can you determine what caused the damage? Someone walk On the hood or something fall on it? Hard to tell in the picture without seeing it in person but it appears that something fell on the crease, and the sheet metal to the side is only along for the ride. Meaning, if you can persuade the crease back where it belongs, perhaps the sheet metal will follow. Once this is done, then Re-assess for the need for any shrinking.

It's been like this since I got the truck, in my mind it's like someone sat on it, or put their weight on one hand on the crease. I'll give it a shot and see what happens. Thank you both for the input.

[MP&C]

I've made special purpose dollies and dies before, what comes to mind for this (if I were trying to straighten the crease) would be to cut a piece of 12 gauge or so flat sheet into about a 12" long piece, (height...at least 6" or so for vise clamping) and cut the top into a gentle, sweeping curve. You want it close to matching what is on the underneath of the good side, but enough radius that the ends don't touch the bottom of the hood. You don't want too much radius that it tries to push a high spot in the middle. So find the happy medium.... Then I would tack weld a 1/4" steel rod to the top, to eliminate any sharp edges from pushing into your sheet metal. Now clamp in a vise, position hood over top of your fixture, and gently push downward to bring the crease up. Use extreme patience, get some help to hold the hood in the air, and use slight pressure where needed to persuade the low side upwards. SLOWLY, I would add, better to sneak up on the end goal than going past it at 90 mph and having to bring it back down again. If you don't have a vise and a friend, then take the hood off and lay in the grass, use the dolly fixture as a punch with a dead blow hammer. Light taps until you see how the metal responds, again, so you can sneak up on the result you seek.

[mongocanfly]

Robert...(12 gauge or so flat sheet into about a 12' long piece)
12' or 12"?

[MP&C]

Yeah, yeah..... just seeing if anyone was reading this stuff..

[mongocanfly]

everything Robert...everything...haha

[Mack B]

Thank you for that explanation, I would have 100% went after this backwards.

[StingRay]

Look at this.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=761382