I have a 67 ss and since the body work was completed, keeping the hood all the way up is a problem. I have purchased two new sets of springs(one being GM and one from NPD) and the if I push the hood all the way up, it comes back down about a foot then comes to rest, good for a head bangin! Someone suggested old caddy hood springs but I don't know if the configuration is even correct. Any ideas? Thanks for any input.

well when I rebuild other members hood hinges, I always suggest buying the new 29 coil springs, that Ground Up sells. They are the only hood hinge springs listed on thier website and catalog. Most cars still have the 26 coil Malibu springs, and the 3 extra coils will make a difference. Check what you have, if they are 29 coil springs, you will have to have the hinges rebuilt. The hood falling back down is a classic sign of hood hinge problems, that any kind of new spring, will not fix, when the rivets are worn out! If your hinges have good rivets, and new springs, the hood will stay put at any level when you want the hood up, 3/4, 1/2 or 1/4 down. Ask any other members who have had this problem, that I have either worked on thier hinges or not.
Willie

Can a person replace the rivets at home?

Willie, I counted the coils and I have 29. Unfortunately, with all the work and parts put into this car, I never even thought about the hinges! I looked at ground up and the GM are more expensive than the others, but I don't mind if the quality is better. What is your thoughts? Also, thanks for the good info!!

Mike -

Listen to Willie. He's the man. I made the fatal mistake of lubricating my original hinges. After that, the hood wouldn't stay up. I had Willie rebuild the hinges and re-used the original springs. Now the hood stays up just fine.

Mike -

Listen to Willie. He's the man. I made the fatal mistake of lubricating my original hinges. After that, the hood wouldn't stay up. I had Willie rebuild the hinges and re-used the original springs. Now the hood stays up just fine.

LOL, I had a 68 Camaro RS back a hundred years ago. I put a teflon lube on the hinges. The hood would stay up, if you pushed it up all the way and held it there a second or two. But if it got tapped, or the wind was blowing or something...WHAM it would slam down with the force of a guillotine!

Brian

I'm fighting the same problem, the hinges work great, and the springs were supposedly new SS springs. I put white lithium grease on my hinges and to this day (been this way for 2 years now), it will come down out of the blue with just a hair touch, just like you're talking about. I've been meaning to spray some brake cleaner or something in the hinges hoping to get rid of all that excess grease, but just haven't did it yet.

LOL, I had a 68 Camaro RS back a hundred years ago. I put a teflon lube on the hinges. The hood would stay up, if you pushed it up all the way and held it there a second or two. But if it got tapped, or the wind was blowing or something...WHAM it would slam down with the force of a guillotine!

Brian

You might be able to replace the rivets at home, if you mic all the metal pieces, and know the OD and ID of the holes you need to replace the rivets and the measurement of all the rivet steps. I know for a fact that Chevrolet had bases on the 70-72 hinges, that could have 3 different thicknesses, which can hurt you if you do not have the right rivet. Also there is the press you have to have and the stamp to make the X on the top of the rivet, to flare the rivet onto the hinge. I can sell you the rivets if you give me the measurements you need.
I have always found that most of the people who lube the hinges, and say the rivets are fine, just will not hold the hood up, do have some rivet wear. It might not be all 14 in the set, but most likely in the base itself. The only way to tell properly is take the hinges off and then the springs, to see if they have any side to side movement or up and down play in the rivets.
You must have lubrication in the rivet joint, if you do not, it is metal to matal, and The Hinges Will Gauld Up on you, and you will have major problems then. It is like a knee joint without cartilage, with oil. Even after I rebuild the hinges, I put a note in every box to oil the hinges.
I can rebuild any set of Chevelle hinges for 125.00 plus shipping. So that not too expensive, and powdercoat them as well, if you need it. I am not saying all the sets need rebuilding, but Mike's hinges sound like they need it, since he got the proper springs.

Willie:
I was just going over my 'problem' hinges with a body shop tonight. My hinges are on a '70 flat hood. They are new, cad plated, 26 coils and have Fisher Body coach stamped into the hood mounting bracket.

It is a problem opening and particularly closing. In fact, it has caused a tweak in the hood. If the 26 coils are the weaker springs, what do you suggest would help?

Willie's the man! Just send him the hinges and let a pro do his thing.

My are still doing great Willie. Thanks again.

Thanks for the good Press Herb! Glad to hear they are still working great for you. Steve, what exactly is the problem you are having with the hinges, because if the hinge rivets have some that are worn out, new 26 coil or 29 coil springs will not help you out.