The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop 56' 3100 hood hinge

Hi friends, I just received a new reproduction hood for my 56 Chevy 3100. Where it mounts to the hinges appears to be on an angle. I have 2 other hoods, one original and another that I found, and both are much flatter mounting surfaces. Looking around at different images on the internet it appears most mounting surfaces are flat. Does anyone know why the mounting surfaces would be angled inwards? Any models use a angled mounting surfaces? Is this a defect? The hood hinges are original as was the hood I took off.. and the new hood is for a 56'...

Something I would have to see but, obviously the mounting surface for the hinge has to end up on the same plane as original. Is it possible that the area is manufactured differently and it's an optical illusion or have you mounted it all up and tried it?

There are several hoods from 55-59, as you know. There are two different hinges 55-57 and 58-59. Be sure you don't have a mismatch, were sent the wrong parts, trying to use the wrong old parts, your hinges are bent, trying to mount hinge on the wrong side/backwards, etc. BE SURE. Unless the hood got bent exactly the same on both sides while being shipped, it would be very rare if it was built incorrectly.

Do you see any signs that this hood was a "return"? Markings around mounting holes like someone installed and sent back? Paint touch up in that area? Where did you buy it?

Thanks for the reply. The hood is from ' the old car centre' out of British Columbia. I did not realize that there was any differences in hood mounting areas, or different brackets. I did understand that there are different hoods for those years, and I assumed a 56 hood would fit a 56..
I have tried to mount it and they are definitely different.. my hinges have never moved so that shouldn't be a problem.

Anyone familiar with the mounting hole difference from 55-59?

Just to be clear, you said "I did not realize that there was any differences in hood mounting areas, or different brackets."

My only comment was the hoods are different and there are two different hinges. This was just to alert you to being sure there was no mismatch causing the problem.
I do not know if the mounting "area" is different or anything about "brackets". I do not know if there are differences in the mounting area. The 58-59 hinge has a third leg to the inner fender.

If I were you I would search the "the old car centre" website for their 1956 hood part number, then check the tag or paperwork to be sure it's correct.
Guess what? They don't show hoods for your truck in their online catalog. So if they had to get it somewhere else, that is an avenue for mistakes.
Looking at their huge "supplier" list, they are mostly a drop shipper with a catalog.

Does the hood you got look like a 1956 Chevy truck hood? Post what part numbers and info you see on the hood labels and post what you see in the paperwork.
We can track it down if you want. The 55-57 hood should fit. The 58-59 hood is narrower. Should see that right away. Maybe you have a Ford hood or a Chevy car hood

Post some pictures. You know the whole "a picture is worth a thousand words" comes into play here. I kinda thought something was bent when I went to mounting my hood. Turns out just needed to have some play in the mounting bolts when fitting the two together initially.

It should be painfully obvious if they sent the wrong hood so I doubt that is the issue.

Thanks for the replies thus far. From the pictures you can see the new hoods mounting surfaces and angled inwards, where the other hood is much more level.
The hood was ordered from The Old Car Centre, who ordered it through Counterparts Auto from California.

I have also attached a picture of the parts number. My bill says 55-56 Chevy hood, as does the box it was shipped with.

If you are talking the imaginary centerline thru both holes in one pad, the old and new centerlines are at the same "angle". Perpendicular to the firewall. The actual "angle" is the fact that the hood is tapered to the front, but the holes are "straight".

If you are talking about something else, you do realize your old hood brace, that is part of the hinge mounting pad, has become separated and possibly twisted, right? Your hinges have probably been twisted also to conform to the bad brace.

Looks like that is the correct Counterparts part number per their website.

The hood is not your problem. Don't compare the hoods, just get new hinges and mount the new hood.

Interesting...I thank you for that. I will look further into the hinges.