Heavy to lift hood

[satdoc2]

I finally found out why my 57 Hawk hood is a chore to lift. When I removed the grill to get the hood prepared for painting, I was surprized that it is so heavy! A chrome plated plastic reproduction one would be nice.

[lstude]

I have wondered why someone can't make chrome plated plastic parts for Studebakers like 53 grille shells.

Leonard Shepherd

http://leonardshepherd.com/

[railway]

The added weight is to hold the hood down at 100 + mph <G>
But it didn't work,( have you tried to buy a Hawk hood lately?)

Ebon...
[img][/img]

[sals54]

You need the new workout video available at the SASCO website. It just boils down to doing regular sets of lifting the hood and setting it down, lift and set it down, lift and set it down, lift and set it down... you get the picture. You need to work out those Studebaker muscles. Remember to take you non-power steering Stude out at least once a week and go into town and parallel park it about 20 times to keep those muscles in shape too. Don't let yourself get flabby. Work it, work it, work it......

sals54

[sbca96]

quote:Originally posted by satdoc2

I finally found out why my 57 Hawk hood is a chore to lift.

Flip it around!





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

[bams50]

I remember seeing that before, Tom; looks like the way to go! Especially since in stock configuration it's a real PITA to work under, since it's WAY too low- like working in a cave[|)]

What are the details of the conversion- hinges, latch, etc.?



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

"With your Lark you're on your own, free as a bird, alive as a Lark. You've suddenly discovered that happiness is a thing called Larking!"

[mbstude]

I decided long ago, that if I ever own a Hawk, it's gonna have a front hinged hood. It's a pain sometimes doing under hood work on one of those cars. [xx(]

Another thing, when there's lots to be done in the engine bay, only four nuts hold that hood on.

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, GA

[Warren Webb]

Another obvious plus is it eliminates the fear of the hood flying open at speed. That would be my main reason to make such an alteration, but the access to underhood is a big plus too. Why not go all the way & make it power too, like the liftgates of minivans & suv's. I'm all for it!

60 Lark convertible
61 Champ
62 Daytona convertible
63 G.T. R-2,4 speed
63 Avanti (2)
66 Daytona Sport Sedan

[rockinhawk]

Did you know you can remove the motor and trans from a Hawk without removing the hood? But you must find a way to hold it up,because you must remove the prop. NT


Neil Thornton
Hazlehurst, GA
'57 Silver Hawk
'56 Sky Hawk
'51 2R16 dump truck
Many others.

[bams50]

quote:Originally posted by rockinhawk

Did you know you can remove the motor and trans from a Hawk without removing the hood?

LOL!!! I didn't know that, Neil- but I also can't think of why I'd ever try!!![: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

"With your Lark you're on your own, free as a bird, alive as a Lark. You've suddenly discovered that happiness is a thing called Larking!"

[sbca96]

Thats because I have posted it up before[]. I did that to my '60 Hawk
in the early 90's, I am surprised I havent seen ANY others done, even
on resto-mods with 10's of thousands into them!

The mod was fairly simple actually, I used two gate hinges mounted to
the brace that holds the latch, and then hid the hood part of the hinge
under the lower stainless piece under the grille. I had to cut this to
get the hinge behind it though, but its not visible from outside. That
got the hood to reverse open, but I needed a latch. I had a nut welded
onto the old hinge brace & shortened a set of Datsun 510 hood latches.
I modified the bottom of the latch to fit into the pocket where the old
hinge was. Then attached some hood release cords to it and BAMM! The
hood is held up by a set of Triumph trunk supports. I used metal stock
to create attaching points to hold them. Could have used gas struts,
but I wasnt too sure about having the hood in tension when closed. This
was done in my early 20's, with a budget of about 50 bucks. Got a LOT
of attention at a Stude meet in L.A. back then.

The main two reasons I did it was fear of the hood opening, and ease of
maintainance in the future. Honestly the hood assembly LOOKS like it
was designed to open that way anyway!

After I wrecked my Hawk in the mid 90's, the hood assembly was sold to
a friend of mine and it in use again on his '56 Sky Hawk.





Tom

quote:Originally posted by bams50

I remember seeing that before, Tom; ..... What are the details of the conversion- hinges, latch, etc.?

[hank63]

And it will stop that Hawk grille contacting your neck when you forget yourself and straighten up.
/H

[bondobilly]

A bunch of mohths ago I asked ED R. about reproducing the Hawk Grille in plastic. As I remember two things came to mind, huge expense, and a fear that nobody would buy them as they are "plastic".

I did find something interesting about the hood/grille combo. After my hood was damaged by an idiot mechanic, trying to re-install the grille presented a problem. The holes moved. Seriously I needed to open 6 of the holes to allow the tabs to fit in. I know it was not from anything the body shop did as the damage was behind the phony air scoop, so nothing was cut or wleded causing any shrinkage.

[mbstude]

quoteid you know you can remove the motor and trans from a Hawk without removing the hood? But you must find a way to hold it up,because you must remove the prop. NT

It's easier to just take it off.

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, GA

[sbca96]

How about cast aluminum instead of plastic?

quote:Originally posted by sals54
Don't let yourself get flabby.

Tom