Front hood questions

crvc · Post by **crvc** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 1:43 pm

I can't guarantee I haven't screwed up the photos again. But here goes. I'm ready to chop off the old front clip and weld the new one on. I put the front hood back on to use as a guide fof alligning the clip. The old hood has deep cracks on either side 3/4 of the way down. I assume from the springs binding when trying to close the hood. I welded the cracks. The metal had been eaten away by rust. So I'm wondering what I could do to stiffen the hood. Maybe mold a bunch of bondo along the inside?

Also, what about the springs. Do they get stiffen with age? This is a 1967 beetle. I don't suppose the local hardware store will have replacement springs.

TIA,

Kevin

BUILDER · Post by **BUILDER** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 2:34 pm

What you will need to do is cut yorself som metal strips and weld them on the inside of the hood where the cracks are. If you have 3" strips mark 1 1/2 and put that line where your crack is, that way it overlaps evenly for support. Bondo will give you no support at all and will pop out as soon as you close the hood. 73-87 chevy pickups also had this problem.

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:00 pm

Before welding up your new clip..

Chances are you're best off getting a straight hood.

It's common for front clips to be minor tweeked...

crvc · Post by **crvc** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:30 pm

Thanks for the replies. What guage metal for the bracing? I've got a lot of leftover metal from items I removed, like the old luggage rack, but that metal seems soft. Also, what about the springs? I've owned over a dozen vws in the past 30 years and I don't remember any of them creaking so loudly whenever I tried to close their front lids.

I looked for a 1967 front hood on ebay. Found one for $400. No thanks. I went to the local junkyard and found several but their hoods were worse than mine. As long as the clip matches up to the hood, I'm happy. I understand if I should ever decide to change front hoods someday the new one might not fit right.

TIA,

Kevin

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:38 pm

Anyone know what years interchange for a 67.. if authenticity isn't important.. chances are there are some other years.

Teh bummer is stitching on a front clip and having issues with alignment.

crvc · Post by **crvc** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 4:10 pm

The hood I've got is not original. I'm guessing 1965 or earlier. I know because the aluminum trim that runs along the top of the hood is much wider than the trim on the sides of the body. I planned to replace that trim with 1967 stuff.

slowtwitch · Post by **slowtwitch** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 2:49 am

Kevin, Where are you located???

pete

crvc · Post by **crvc** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:47 am

slowtwitch wrote:Kevin, Where are you located???

pete

Southwest Wyoming, an hour from Salt Lake City.