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  • Body / Glass: Sky Hawk Trunk Lid

    The trunk lid on my Sky Hawk is VERY heavy, and is quite hard to lift. All 4 springs are on both of the hinges (2 each), but when I twist the latch release I have to get my fingers under the lip and really lift. The hinges are oiled and free, and once opened, the lid stays up. Are all C/K trunk lids like this?

  • #2
    My Sky Hawk is the same.

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    • #3
      Yep!! Everyone.
      Some get even heavier from all the Bondo.

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      • #4
        The engine and trunk lids are both heavy. You can try oiling all moving parts on the hinges that helps. But you probably already did that.

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        • #5
          There's always those hydraulic struts that are used on the newer cars. The parts stores have racks of them in every size and lift pressure.

          treblig

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          • #6
            Hydraulic struts are exactly what I had in mind. However, I haven't a CLUE on placement, length, or how to go about properly installing them...

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            • #7
              Originally posted by 345 DeSoto View Post
              Hydraulic struts are exactly what I had in mind. However, I haven't a CLUE on placement, length, or how to go about properly installing them...
              Well, I installed some on my son's '46 Chevy. It wasn't that difficult, mostly time consuming. I estimated the amount of weight it took to lift the truck lid (in my case it was about 70 lbs). Then I got inside the trunk and closed the lid. Once inside with flashlight I looked for a place to attach the strut and estimated the "closed" length. I went to the parts store and got a strut the correct length and lifting weight. You can also go to ebay and look at hundreds of them to the weight options and lengths. So you'll need to know the "closed" length and the "extended" length. You get the extended length by opening your trunk and measuring from the attach point that you found when you were inside the trunk. If you happen to buy the wrong strut you can always return it for a different one, so you won't lose any money. I think I returned 2 before I got the exact length I needed. On my son's car I put one on each side so it would lift and close evenly.
              Someday I plan to install struts on the hood of my daughter's Silver Hawk.

              PS - SAFETY PRECAUTION!!!! Take a screwdriver and some pliers with you when you climb in the trunk so you don't get stuck!!!

              Treblig

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              • #8
                TREBLIG - That is exactly the info I needed. Thanks, SO much! I'm going to do the trunk AND the hood...

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by 345 DeSoto View Post
                  TREBLIG - That is exactly the info I needed. Thanks, SO much! I'm going to do the trunk AND the hood...
                  I can take some pics of my son's trunk struts so you see how they came out but he won't be home until tomorrow. If you don't mind waiting.
                  Also on the Silver Hawk hood, after making many measurements, I think it will require a collapsing arm to pivot because the hood opens so high there are no struts long enough that won't end up sticking out of the bottom of the bumper. I really don't want to drill holes into the hood to attach struts on each side (hinge area), the hood is just too long and heavy and kinda weak. Still kicking it around to get the best idea!!

                  Treblig

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                  • #10
                    TREBLIG - Thanks for the pictures...in advance...

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                    • #11
                      Forget the struts to help lift.
                      After all we all need a bit more exercise anyway, and lifting the hood and trunk helps some.

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                      • #12
                        Just a word of caution. You take a chance on ruining a difficult to find one year only hood if you install struts without reinforcing the hood. The Hawk hoods are notoriously weak.
                        Frank van Doorn
                        Omaha, Ne.
                        1962 GT Hawk 289 4 speed
                        1941 Champion streetrod, R-2 Powered, GM 200-4R trans.
                        1952 V-8 232 Commander State "Starliner" hardtop OD

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by 41 Frank View Post
                          Just a word of caution. You take a chance on ruining a difficult to find one year only hood if you install struts without reinforcing the hood. The Hawk hoods are notoriously weak.
                          My plan is to use a strut in the very front but I think I'll have to design a fulcrum (break over) because the strut would need to be too long and it would stick out from under the bumper. I don't want to drill or mess with the "weak" sides but lifting from the front center should work well.

                          treblig

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                          • #14
                            Here you go:




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                            I cut and mounted a 90 degree piece of angle iron to the underside of the seal gutter. The head of the screws are hidden by the rubber gasket. Then I drilled a hole to fit the ball stud that came with the strut:

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                            I basically did the same thing on the trunk lid. I cut and fitted a piece of angle iron and drilled a hole in it for the ball stud.


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                            If you only use one strut it will tend to push the lid up from one side only and even when you close the lid the strut will continue to push on that one side but it may or may not be noticeable. I guess you could put one on one side and see how it works then if it tweaks the lid too much you can install another on the other side but then you would need 2 weaker struts instead of one strong strut.
                            Just find the attach point for the body and the lid (with the lid at the proper height) and that will tell you the approximate extended length, then close the lid and measure the distance between the two attach points and it will give you the collapsed length. Leave yourself a 1/2" or so so that the strut doesn't bottom out when you close the lid.


                            Treblig

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