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**blackhawk61** · 01-11-2009, 02:26 PM

Try this .........works for me.

1961 Hawk 4BC,4-SPEED,TT

Ken Byrd
Lewisville,NC

**Tom Bredehoft** · 01-11-2009, 04:03 PM

I've inadvertently had my '53 C body up to 50 or so with just the J hook holding the hood. I noticed the hood moving, stopped and latched it. I'm pretty sure if it hadn't been for the j hook, I'd have been wearing my hood.

[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Avatar1.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe (since 1959)
'55 President (6H Y6) State Sedan
(Under Construction 571 hrs.)
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All Indiana built cars

**52hawk** · 01-11-2009, 06:44 PM

Ken,I did the same thing to mine after seeing that pic [or a similar one?] posted quite a while ago. Easy cheap insurance!! Is your release lever missing?

Oglesby,Il.
Anybody that drives faster than me is a maniac.Anybody that drives slower than me is an idiot.

**Flashback** · 01-13-2009, 03:56 PM

I appreciate the picture and comments. Anyone know of a tech. tip
from Studebaker on this?

Tex E. Grier

**mbstude** · 01-13-2009, 05:36 PM

quote:Originally posted by Flashback

I appreciate the picture and comments. Anyone know of a tech. tip
from Studebaker on this?

Tex E. Grier

Yes. A replacement hood.

[

)]

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, GA
'58 Commander
'59 Pickup
'63 Daytona

**53k** · 01-14-2009, 06:55 AM

quote:Originally posted by Flashback

I know I have read something about hoods flying up on
early C/K cars, but search revealed nothing. I have seen
somewhere about drilling and using a lynch pin. Was there
ever any tech. service letters from Studebaker on a fix?
Or, was this something that occured later after we all
started "modifying" and "restoring"? Maybe a brace or
something missing? I never had a problem, on the 53 C
body champion I had from 60-63, that I recall.

Not that I'm a very good source, but in all my years of being around Studebakers I have never heard of a '53 - '55 C/K hood flying open. Hawks, yes- pretty common problem. I suspect it has something to do with the aerodynamics being better on the early cars.

Paul Johnson, Wild and Wonderful West Virginia
'53 Commander Starliner (since 1966)
'64 Daytona Wagonaire (original owner)
'64 Daytona Convertible (2006)
Museum R-4 engine
1962 Gravely Model L (Studebaker-Packard serial plate)
1972 Gravely Model 430 (Studebaker name plate, Studebaker Onan engine)

**Tom Bredehoft** · 01-14-2009, 10:32 AM

When I got my '53 in '59, both rear corners of the hood had been repaired, leaded, primered painted to match (sorta) both side rails showed ground down weld where they had broken. It had come up at some point before I got it.

[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Avatar1.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe (since 1959)
'55 President (6H Y6) State Sedan
(Under Construction 571 hrs.)
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All Indiana built cars

**Andy R.** · 01-15-2009, 11:13 AM

I've never had any issue with either of my GT Hawks.
After seeing Ken's photo several months ago, I couldn't resist following his example.

To that I added a simple black zip-tie loosely through the ring so I don't lose the pin in a predictably future "senior moment."[:0]

Andy
62 GT

**sbca96** · 01-15-2009, 02:08 PM

quote:Originally posted by 53k
I have never heard of a '53 - '55 C/K hood flying open. Hawks, yes- pretty common problem.

Hawk problem solved :

403 Forbidden

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8122

Tom

'63 Avanti, zinc plated drilled & slotted 03 Mustang Cobra 13" front disc/98 GT rear brakes, 03 Cobra 17" wheels, GM alt, 97 Z28 leather seats, soon: TKO 5-spd, Ported heads w/SST full flow valves, 'R3' 276 cam, Edelbrock AFB Carb, GM HEI distributor, 8.8mm plug wires

**alanmende** · 01-17-2009, 05:31 AM

Coming back from the Lancaster meet a day before the concours, a fellow came by me in the left lane of Rt. 283 (65 MPH speed limit that I was probably doing at the time), dropped back a bit, and started blowing his horn at me, pointing to my hood. That's when I noticed it was rattling. So I pulled over and discovered that only the J-hook was holding it down. (What a bummer that would have been if the hood flew up and wrapped itself over the windshield and roof the day before judging!) I readjusted the dovetail a bit lower and haven't had any other incidents, but I like Ken Byrd's idea. Pretty cheap insurance, I'd say.

Kindest regards,

Alan Mende
Hummelstown, PA

I'm not a mechanic; I don't even play one on TV.

**bams50** · 01-17-2009, 06:55 AM

Tom's cure is by far the best! Solves not only the fly-up problem, but the problem of the PITA under-hood access... and as a bonus, eliminate the cut heads from the latch dagger[xx(]

Tom's way seems like the obvious way to attach these hoods. I suppose that by that time Studebaker was so shell-shocked that clear thinking was at a minimum, or they certainly would have done this from the start

EDITED TO ADD: I realize this isn't an option for show cars; but for the other 98%, it's a great idea!

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

**ralt12** · 01-17-2009, 09:27 AM

When I first got my '53, my crew chief (for another race car) said the first thing I needed to do was find a way to securely latch the hood, as his Bonneville experience in the '60s suggested that there was no way the stock latch was adequate.
So we are using the pinning arrangement that Ken used in the second post. Maybe it's a PITA, but it's certainly better than having a hood and paint ruined. It's cheap insurance.

'53 Commander
Art Morrison chassis
LS6 ASA/4L60E

**bams50** · 01-17-2009, 10:11 AM

quote:Originally posted by ralt12

we are using the pinning arrangement that Ken used in the second post. Maybe it's a PITA, but it's certainly better than having a hood and paint ruined. It's cheap insurance.

Not to mention the filled shorts from the hood suddenly crashing up over the windshield!![:0][:0][:0]

Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131

"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311

"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"

**Tom Bredehoft** · 01-17-2009, 10:18 AM

Tom's solution is great, for the Hawks, won't work on 53s or 54s.

[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Avatar1.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe (since 1959)
'55 President (6H Y6) State Sedan
(Under Construction 571 hrs.)
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All Indiana built cars

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Securing 53 hoods

Securing 53 hoods

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