The factory hood hinges on your classic American car or pickup were designed to do a simple task—hold up your hood when you’re working on the engine. After years of use, stamped steel hinges get sloppy. The rivets and hinge pins wear out, and springs that keep the hood from landing on your head fatigue. That leads to misalignment issues and hoods that just won’t stay up.
You do have options. You can rebuild the original springs or someone else restore them. Reproduction hinges are also available. But if you want something that is stronger and will really wow the troops on cruise night, it’s hard to beat a pair of billet aluminum hood hinges like those made by Eddie Motorsports.
Eddie Motorsports billet hood hinges are CNC-machined from solid T-6 billet aluminum for strength and fitted with nitrogen gas-filled stainless steel struts for smooth operation. You even get a choice of finishes–plain, polished, black powdercoat, and clear powdercoat. They are available for many popular GM, Ford, and Mopar passenger cars from the 1950s through the 1980s plus GM and Ford trucks from the late 1940s through the 1990s.
We’re going to show you how to install a pair of Eddie Motorsports hood hinges on a 1968 Mustang. The procedure is similar for other vehicles. We do have some tips to make your installation go smoother: • Have a helper who can support the hood during both installation and adjustment • Wrap the edges of the hood with thick tape to protect the paint. It’s pretty thin in this area • Spend the necessary time to properly gap the hood. A good measurement tool is a paint stick, which is roughly 3/16-inch thick • Open and close the hood slowly when setting gaps. Plan on doing this a lot until the final gap is reached • Snug the hood and hinge bolts, but do not tighten them until hood adjustment is complete
Eddie Motorsports billet hood hinges are CNC-machined works of art. The T6 billet aluminum hinges have sealed bearings and stainless steel nitrogen gas-charged struts for smooth operation. Eddie Motorsports offers hinges for steel, fiberglass, and carbon fiber hoods, which you must specify when ordering. That’s because the struts are tailored to the weight of the hood material. For example, a fiberglass hood doesn’t need as strong a strut as a steel hood would. (Image/Jim Smart)The threaded hinge inserts on the fender aprons of classic Mustangs are notoriously problematic. The top insert was badly compromised and had to be welded. Lube the threaded portion and run a test bolt through each insert to make sure they are structurally sound. It may be necessary to clean the threads with a tap or thread chaser. (Image/Jim Smart)Position the hinge on the fender apron and start the three button head hinge bolts. You will need a Torx wrench to install them. Tighten the bolts until they are snug. You will tighten them fully after the hood is adjusted. (Image/Jim Smart)The gas strut is installed on the ball end mounts using the provided clips. The strut is a preloaded gas/hydraulic unit that replaces the traditional hinge helper spring. (Image/Jim Smart)The Eddie Motorsports hinges can be adjusted for proper hood fit. The hinge pivots to where the trailing edge of the hood becomes flush with the cowl. You will need a helper to move the hood and hinges during adjustment. (Image/Jim Smart)Hinge-to-hood bolts should be snugged but not tightened. The hood slides fore and aft at the hinge, which requires caution. Slowly close the hood and watch clearances at the fenders and cowl. Plan on doing this multiple times until the gaps are as even as possible. (Image/Jim Smart)Hinge installation complete. The look of billet aluminum against a freshly painted surface which provides a nice contrast. You’ll enjoy the smooth operation and easy hood opening and closing too. (Image/Jim Smart)
Jim Smart is a veteran automotive journalist, technical editor, and historian with hundreds of how-to and feature articles to his credit. Jim's also an enthusiast, and has owned and restored many classic vehicles, including an impressive mix of vintage Ford Mustangs.
Comments