Drilling Hood for Twist Locks

[73 CJ]

Hello Fellow Enthusiasts; Preparing to drill my 73 Mach 1 hood for twist locks. Is there a template or exact measurements to ensure I'd DON'T make any mistakes!!!....Thanks!!..Mark

 

[Bill73Ragtop]

On the bottom side you have the circular cut outs. You need to find the exact center. Drill small pilot hole. Tape top side with GOOD tape to prevent chipping as much as possible.

I built a dam around the area with plumbing putty and flooded the area with cutting oil. Cut carefully with 3" hole saw (correct count metal teeth). Be very careful at the end of the cutting to prevent the hole saw from gabbing and twisting the metal. Use round file to smooth the cut edge. Seal the edge with epoxy paint.

Good luck.

 

[imusa76]

measure 1,000,000 times before cutting in to you hood!!!

 

[Kit Sullivan]

A 3" hole saw is ever so slightly too small: Hand file the opening a tiny bit larger so the twist lock's chrome cup sits easily in the hole. If the hole is left at 3" and the cup is tightened up snugly from the bottom, it will pull down on the upper sheetmetal of the hood, distorting the sheetmetal.

 

[caspianwendell]

measure 1,000,000 times before cutting in to you hood!!!

+1 be 100 percent sure it's right

 

[73 CJ]

On the bottom side you have the circular cut outs. You need to find the exact center. Drill small pilot hole. Tape top side with GOOD tape to prevent chipping as much as possible.

I built a dam around the area with plumbing putty and flooded the area with cutting oil. Cut carefully with 3" hole saw (correct count metal teeth). Be very careful at the end of the cutting to prevent the hole saw from gabbing and twisting the metal. Use round file to smooth the cut edge. Seal the edge with epoxy paint.

Good luck.

Hello Bill; Very much appreciate your input & suggestions. I thought I was the only "1" that knew the plumber's putty trick...THANKS!!!!....Mark

A 3" hole saw is ever so slightly too small: Hand file the opening a tiny bit larger so the twist lock's chrome cup sits easily in the hole. If the hole is left at 3" and the cup is tightened up snugly from the bottom, it will pull down on the upper sheetmetal of the hood, distorting the sheetmetal.

Hello Kit; Also very much appreciate your input & suggestions. I'm going to try & purchase a 3-1/16" hole saw & test drill a piece of sheet metal prior to making..."The Real Hole"!!....THANKS!!...Mark

 

[Bill73Ragtop]

Mark: Stay with the 3". You can fine tune with a round file. Good Luck

 

[Kit Sullivan]

The hood pins never came with any kind of gasket between the body of the hood-pin and the sheetmetal of the hood from the factory.

Be sure to treat the edge of the cut sheet metal to prevent corrosion.

fabricating a gasket from a blank sheet of water-pump gasket material is a good idea too...prevents scuffing the sheetmetal underneath and promoting corrosion.

If done carefully it can be cut so that it is barely visisble, maintaining the factory look.

 

[Jim and Jutta]

Mark: Stay with the 3". You can fine tune with a round file. Good Luck

I would agree, you can always make it larger by filing "if you must", plus the lip on the hood locks aren't that wide (1/4") so there is very little tolerance.

Jim