I have done several searches and have found nothing, so here goes.
I have owned several 70-72 Chevelles over the past 15 years and they all did the same thing. The hood buckels in the middle on both edges when closing. All hoods showed the same split on either side of the underhood bracing. I am now resoring my first SS, and with the original C.I. hood, I do not want this to happend to it also. Has anyone run into this? If so, are there any 'tricks of the trade' to re-inforcing this area, and still have it look good? Thanks. Invaluable site for Chevellers.

I have seen this many times as well, usually due to improperly lubed hinges creating too much resistance over the span of the hood, some ape grabs the hood to push it down and it, over time gives that nice high spot on both sides. I have seen a gusset welded on the part of the hinge that bolts to the hood to give the stamped metal more rigidity, but I don't think that is the correct solution. Use fresh hood springs with the correct tension rate for the hood, (SS hoods tend to be heavier) and keep the lithium grease in all the pivot points. Make sure your rubber bumper heights are on the money as well, and go easy on it when closing!

Thanks for the info. I guess I just though that since this problem spanned across several cars, it might have been recognized as a flaw, and have factory type "correction" or fix. I will install new hinges and take your advice. Thanks again.

I agree with Marshall, keep those hinges working properly.

The factory designed a weak spot in that area so the hood would buckle in a collision rather than end up coming through the windshield. I have braced many in the past but I'm not sure how they would react in a collision.

I've never had that problem because, as was recommended, I always kept the hinges lubed with sprayable white grease. And, yes, the hood IS designed to "fold" at that point to absorb a front end impact. My wife found that out in a front end collision in '84!