Ram Air Hood spring now available!

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1973 351-2v Convertible
1973 351-2v Mach 1
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65 cobra kirkham
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%2Fproducts%3Fsearch_terms%3D16789-5A%26top_parent%3D200001%26year%3D

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

16789-5a_20201222161228.jpg


 
Then you read in the description:

SPRING, Hood Hinge, exact repro, each,

Then it goes on to say they are very expensive to make and that the wire for the springs cost 4 times as much as round wire.

 
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.

 
Then you read in the description:

SPRING, Hood Hinge, exact repro, each,

Then it goes on to say they are very expensive to make and that the wire for the springs cost 4 times as much as round wire.
With the standard springs priced at $14, even with the new wire material costing 4x I'd say they have built a heavy bit of margin in the new springs.

 
Here is the answer directly from NPD

The “KIT” designation is an internal technicality.  It is a “kit” in our system because we have to combine two components; the raw finished spring and the phosphate coating. However, the springs are sold each, which we try to make clear in the main product description. We understand it’s confusing, but our system forces it.

We also know that at $92.65 it is a damn pricey spring. But please understand that the tooling and development to produce this spring as an exact reproduction, with the flat oval wire and correct detail/orientation, was quite a journey. It was also my understanding that used/original springs, either restored (replated) or in-need of restoration, were bringing far more money on eBay than what our new reproduction is selling for.

I hope you understand, and we appreciate your business!

Rick

NPD

 
That's the price one pays for true, accurate reproductions.  The concours crowd always complains that nearly all repro's are lacking in accuracy.

 
Those that complain about the pricing have never known nor understood what an investment of time, money and energy it takes to bring a product from concept to drawing to prototype, find suppliers for material and find a vendor willing to produce something to your specifications while paying attention to accuracy and zero defects. Plus he probably had to commit to a run of 500 or 1000 pieces at the current price, So he's got money tied up now in inventory.

What it takes to run a business is more than paying an employee.

I'm grateful for people like Rick @ NPD who aren't only a hobbyist of Mustangs sharing our interests as well as putting his money and time into it to produce part ssuch as this. 

As has been said, IF you can find a set, they are priced accordingly since they're made of un-obtanium.

Bringing it to market at a price makes it available to those that need them.

Expensive? Compared to what?? They're not available anywhere, until now!

I started this post simply to share with other Mustang folks they are now available.

 
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Good god, all I said was that they are kinda pricey. I know it took a lot of work and probably a pretty good investment to make them. I did not say they are a ripoff nor did I mean anything bad. I’m just kinda surprised how expensive they are. I hope they are a good product and everyone that buys them are happy. Seems like no one can voice their opinion anymore. Sorry if I offended anyone.

 
Jpaz, If someone was offended they will get over it or die offended. Express your opinions. This is America and we have "A republic if you can keep it.".

Chuck

 
Hello, jpaz
Although we in the U.S. live in the land of the "Easily and Often Offended," I hope that no one was off the chart offended by your post. You were stating facts. When I originally posted about these springs in Oct 2020, the projected price was $89.95. The now price of $92.65 is not that far off. The article in the Oct '20 issue of Mustang Times didn't specify if the price was each or a pair. When the springs first appeared on NPD's website, they were listed as back-ordered but still did not specify each or a pair for the price. I assumed, like most others, that price was for a pair. Considering the price I have seen over the years for used flat coil springs, these are still a bargain and a gift from the heavens for the Concourse owners. A repo part for a 71-73 that actually fits and is functional! No matter if you are trying to keep a heap of junk running one more day or are ordering parts for a 5 Star gold-level Concourse car, everyone has had their experience with non-fitting junk repo parts now on the market. Like Hemikiller posted, they could be some $49.95 junk from Scott Drake that doesn't fit or holds the hood up long enough for you to stick your head under it before it collapses with the force of a sledgehammer.
And by the way......in January '87, when Ford discontinued the ram air spring (D1ZZ-B) and replaced it with the standard spring (D1ZZ-A), the B spring retailed at $5.15. What's that song many of you have seen me cry about here for years, "If I Only Knew Then What I Know Now"!   :biggrin:

 
My NPD hinge springs arrived today (12/14/2021). I fitted them when I returned home from work and my bonnet (hood) now stays up when opened and does not feel like a small gust of wind might blow it down on my head. 

I feel that it was well worth the money and thank NPD for following through with the production of these springs. The only original springs i found on Ebay were actually a lot more expensive than these.

Ram air bonnet hinge springs fitted.jpg

 
Great these are avail again, tho if you have a ram air hood that tries to knock you down every time you try to reach your air filter, even if your springs are tired, they are not the main reason why this occurs. My 71 hood was on the limit, meaning it would stay up but I had to park the car against the wind...
When I've nickel plated my springs and the hinges about 3 years ago, I've found out the real bad guys were actually not the springs but the rivets.
Waaaaaay too loose. Once the springs were removed, it was obvious how easy the "scissors" movement was. There was also lateral play.
So as I couldn't find any rivets to replace them, I did squeeze each and every one of them in between my vice. My vice is unfortunately not a press and not the strongest either
but the little extra tightness added to each one was enough to not only remove the lateral play, it also made the opening/folding movement straight and more ferm thanks to the added friction. The springs are actually using their forces once the hinge geometry has past the "elbow" kinda negative threshold, before that point, no matter how strong they are, they will actually help the closing movement.

So to get back on topic, I'd say, if your hood don't stay up past 50% open and is not secure when fully open, try squeeze these rivets before hit piggy for new springs.

On my 73, which had the flat hood and regular tension springs in the prehistorical times, it's now with a full ram-air setup, still have the "lesser" original springs and it stays open once 50% of the travel has been made. Zero play on the rivets.

If someone has an address for the rivets or worthy alternative, please come forward as I would really like to change them on my 71 hinges.

 
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Pinching the rivets in a press - that's an interesting idea.  I may have to try that.  The hood on the Rickster barely stays up on it's own, and it doesn't even have the nacelles, leading edge hood molding, or ram air plenum installed yet.  For now, I keep vice grips on the hinge to make it stay up.  The hinges are a little sloppy, though, and pinching them to tighten it all up makes perfect sense.  Thanks, Fabrice.

 
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