Ram Air Hood spring now available!

Fabrice · Dec 14, 2021

73MustangCoupe said:
I may have to try that.

Keep in mind that even if that will fix for a big deal the situation, mebbe even fix completely the way your hood opens/lock for the time being. That this will not cure the real problem underneath: the rivets have lost their round shape or they have eaten the hole(s) in which they are pivoting or lost material for the contact area. Pressing them will add friction but they will deteriorate again. How long the added friction will last depends on their current state and how often you will operate the hinges.
That's why, I'm hoping to find these somewhere to really address the issue at some point. Till then, squeezing them real good with enough pressing force will surely give you a respectable amount of ok open/close moments before you, like me, really have to find rivets too or change the hinges.
Oh and if you press them, add gradually pressure on all of them before increase of each one again for a second pass. They need to allow some kind of rotation. You don't want to have a hood that doesn't close either!!

MooseStang · Dec 14, 2021

Do you think the rivets can be tightened while still in the car? Maybe with a LARGE C clamp?

Fabrice · Dec 14, 2021

MooseStang said:
Do you think the rivets can be tightened while still in the car? Maybe with a LARGE C clamp?

I don't have a reference for your C clamp so I can't really say if enough. All I know is that even weak, they are not softy type either. My vice, a medium sized one, wasn't able to press them enough as I wanted them and as said the hood was already able to stay locked if you wouldn't touch it or wiggle the car. So the gaps to win not as great as with a hinge with loads of play as you describe yours. You really need a significant pressing power per square inch as the rivets are large and I think the only way is to have the hinge out of the car and have the spring out too, in order to not only work properly/safely but also to have access to all of them and be able to feel how the scissors movement goes after each pass.
That having said, if your c clamps and the operator are really "Popeye spinach" level, which I'm not, you can try and see. At least trying on one will tell you very quickly if there is any change.
I think not.

Sheriff41 · Dec 14, 2021

When I have a chance I'll take the hinges off and press the rivets. That's a great idea! I've been using an adjustable door security bar I bought at Walmart. It fit on the latch and hooks into the catch on the hood, and it collapses for storing. It's been a good solution for shows and while working under the hood.

rio1856 · Dec 16, 2021

If pressing the rivets doesn't get the results you guys are looking for, there might be another choice. Back in the day when Scott, aka Qcode351mach use to frequent here on a regular bases, he suggested this company for hood hinge rivet replacement:

https://www.hoodhingerepair.com/

He stated he used them and he highly recommended them. Just wanted to throw that out there as another alternative.

jeremycfr · Jan 2, 2022

When I restored mine in 2015, round springs would not hold my hood up and I was using a bat to keep it from slamming. Found some OEM square springs for 190 a pair. Problem solved. This is a great addition to our available parts list.

ponyup · Jan 5, 2022

RacerX said:
I just received an email this morning from NPD stating they have the Ram Air correct flat springs reproduced and available now!

https://www.npdlink.com/product/spring-hood-hinge/205419?backurl=search/products?search_terms=16789-5A&top_parent=200001&year=

No affiliation with NPD, just a satisfied customer and thought I'd share a new, desirable item.

RacerX said:
I just received an email this morning from NPD stating they have the Ram Air correct flat springs reproduced and available now!

https://www.npdlink.com/product/spr...search_terms=16789-5A&top_parent=200001&year=

No affiliation with NPD, just a satisfied customer and thought I'd share a new, desirable item.

Tired of getting hit in the head so I will be ordering a pair tomorrow.
Will let you know how they work out.

Bobby · Jan 6, 2022

71mach351 said:
I’ve never had a problem with my non ram air springs holding up my hood. Even after I added all the ram air parts.

Ditto…

kevken1959 · Aug 14, 2022

The Grabber Blue Q code 4 spd vert in my profile picture has the same problem with the weakness of the hood hinges. I took the car to a friend/mechanic and he swapped out four sets of springs/hinges that all appear to be in good shape and the hood still falls with the force of a finger once it is up. I am about to order the new springs and hope that fixes the problem. All I can do is try. My question is, is it possible for four sets of springs and hinges to all be so weak from age that none of them can keep the hood up? Will new springs likely have that much better performance that older original springs? How hard is it to remove and install the springs with the hood still on the car and the hinges bolted in place? How do you remove and install the springs? I've never done it myself. The repetitve removing and reinstalling the hood and hinges has caused 3 chips in the paint on the hood and now it is terribly out of alignment and still won't stay up. I paid good money to have the work done and now wish I would have started with new springs but I did not know they were available when I started this project.

MAD IRISHMAN · Wednesday at 7:07 PM

So my hood hinges are pretty sloppy and the hood staying up an "iffy" proposition. Tried the large hammer technique but those rivets are made of some hard stuff! Decided to try the "hot wrench" method to tighten them up. Used a welding tip to keep heat located on rivet. Backed up other side with a piece of round stock that covered the head of the rivet. Heated until the top and edges started to look molten. At that point took a regular size hammer and beat it all around the edges. Once it cools down you have to work the hinge some (using some WD 40 helps). Now my hinges are good and snug. Given how much runway I likely have left, not real concerned about future wear. LOL

Ram Air Hood spring now available!

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