What.......Another New 71-73 Part!!

[secluff]

Something new for us and it isn't even Christmas yet!

Anyone that is a member of the Mustang Club of America may have already seen these. In the Oct 2020 edition of Mustang Times Magazine, there is an announcement from NPD about a flat hood spring they have been working on. Donor cars with good springs have become rarer by the day. Good to see that some vendors realize Ford did continue to build Mustangs after 1970.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

NPD in Charlotte has the last 1973 Cougar convertible built with a few miles on it. I had them send me a couple pics once. 

 

[Big Red Mach 1]

Nice! My current springs are super stiff and annoying. 

 

[soonerbillz]

So these are the correct hood springs for the NACA hood application?

 

[JD79]

So these are the correct hood springs for the NACA hood application?

Yes. I have a convertible with an original NACA hood and it has these flat springs.

 

[JD79]

Something new for us and it isn't even Christmas yet!

Anyone that is a member of the Mustang Club of America may have already seen these. In the Oct 2020 edition of Mustang Times Magazine, there is an announcement from NPD about a flat hood spring they have been working on. Donor cars with good springs have become rarer by the day. Good to see that some vendors realize Ford did continue to build Mustangs after 1970.

View attachment 45596

Thanks for the info Steve!

Hopefully a company will start the production of correct hood hinges with phosphate and oil as well. Still looking for a NOS set...  all the used ones have a lot of play.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

You can hammer the rivets tighter and take lots of slack out. You can order the Iron Phosphate and do that also or take to a plating supplier.

 

[Spike Morelli]

So these are the correct hood springs for the NACA hood application?

The advert specifies Ram Air Equipped only, not every hood with NACA scoops is a Ram Air equipped car as we all well know. Is there a difference in spring tension with the flat wound springs? I don't know, I'm sure someone has looked into it.

 

[Big Red Mach 1]

Mine are either stainless or have been plated. They seem stiff as hell to me. But that could also be the hinges themselves. I have not fully investigated. I'm not a fan of the shiny springs though. I'd prefer something that looked a little more OEM. 

 

[OMS]

Mine are either stainless or have been plated. They seem stiff as hell to me. But that could also be the hinges themselves. I have not fully investigated. I'm not a fan of the shiny springs though. I'd prefer something that looked a little more OEM. 

View attachment 45843

Big Red those are not stock, FastE probably had them plated

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I saw the note that was for Ram Air also. If you got a NASA hood Ram Air or not, you got the flat springs. With the ram air installed they were marginal if you had lube on your hinges. I always kept a prop rod when working under my hood you will get slammed. Of course I am sure they loose tension over the years since they are stretched out with the hood closed.

 

[TommyK]

Thanks for the info Steve!

Hopefully a company will start the production of correct hood hinges with phosphate and oil as well. Still looking for a NOS set...  all the used ones have a lot of play.

You can have yours rebuilt.

http://www.hoodhingerepair.com/

 

[secluff]

Spike, their description would be more accurate if stated for Mach 1 style hood with or without ram air. I have an early production (9-21-70) and a late production (7-28-71) '71 Mach 1s, neither of which had production installed ram air but had flat hinge springs. After adding ram air to them, I had no problem with the hood staying up. Just stay away from the hinges with a five-gallon bucket of lube!! :biggrin:

 

[OMS]

Yes. I have a convertible with an original NACA hood and it has these flat springs.

JD... is your car all original ?

I have had 4-5 72 and 73 Q code convertibles with the nasa hoods and none of them has flat sided springs.

They were all rusty parts cars but complete so cannot say for sure what is correct but it seems odd.

Maybe you check with Kevin who has a collection of big block convertibles to see what his cars had

 

[7173Vert]

My J Code Vert came with round springs on the date code correct hinges. They looked original to the car when I got it. They hold the hood up fine... I reinstalled them after the restoration, just because)) I have a spare set of the correct ram air hinges... 

 

[JD79]

JD... is your car all original ?

I have had 4-5 72 and 73 Q code convertibles with the nasa hoods and none of them has flat sided springs.

They were all rusty parts cars but complete so cannot say for sure what is correct but it seems odd.

Maybe you check with Kevin who has a collection of big block convertibles to see what his cars had

Hi Don, I have to check the date codes on the hinges . The car is being restored at the moment. The Tu-tone hood was ordered from factory according to my Marti report.Most of the car was original when I bought it. Just the wheels ,exhaust and interior had been changed. My car was produced early April 1973.

 

[JD79]

You can have yours rebuilt.

http://www.hoodhingerepair.com/

Thanks TommyK ! Since I would like to restore the car as close to original as possible , this would be a very good solution!

 

[Mike King]

Cheers for that,

I have had them on my "wish list" at NPD for a while and have now put them on back order.

Regards,

Mike