The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks What the ... ?!?!?! AWwwww $#@&!!!

Life gets exciting when you hit the off ramp at 75mph and suddenly the hood is laying up against the windshield!

Hood's totaled. I've been looking for a good '60-'61 hood for my '62 Suburban since I bough the truck 4 years ago, but not looking real seriously. Last month at my swap meet, a guy sees the truck, we get to talking, and he's got "About the nicest '60-'61 hood I've ever come across. Call me if you're interested in it." So I'd planned on calling him all month, but hadn't just yet.

Called him tonight, and he wants $300. Haven't seen it yet, but I'll probably get it.

The real bummer is that my '62-'66 hood was perfect: no rust, no dents. Now it's scrap... it folded up over the roof and creased side-to-side. At least I have some decent metal for patch panels, huh?

The good news is that it didn't hurt the roof or the windshield.

Just had to vent.

-Brad

Man that sucks. I remember an exciting ride when the hood on my dads 58 Metropolitan flew open on the freeway. It didn't damage the top either, but it smashed the windshield. And with hoods for these trucks being so hard to find, it's fortunate you found one even if it is $300.

I was at a local car show a few weeks ago and one of the participants offered me a 63 GMC hood for $100. It was "cherry", with nothing but a long scratch in the top. Unfortunately the long scratch turned out to be the center of the top caved in enough to hold about 2 quarts of water. Hopefully yours will turn out to be more cherry than what I saw.

Check my recent post in the ebay/craigslist finds about the 61 threatened to be going to scrap.

It probably won't do you any good anyway, but I have a spare hood for my '66 that appears to be in very good shape. There aren't any major dents in it or any rust, although it does have a couple dings in it. With a little touch up and paint it would look good as new. Like I said, probably won't do you any good being I'm in MN, but I thought I'd offer anyway. I'd be willing to sell that for less than the $300 you will pay for the other one, if that hood doesn't work out and you can find an economical way for me to get it to you. Best of luck finding a solid hood!

Thanks guys.

I've had my heart set on the "ugly" '60-'61 hood since getting the truck. I even found a V8 emblem for one a year ago and picked it up. It's just a shame a nice hood is dead. And even more of a shame I can't sell it to offset the cost of the earlier one!

The '60-'61 hoods were practically rusted through when they arrived on the dealer lots, so finding a good one is tough.

Fortunately, Boy Wonder was along with me. After we were back on the road, he said "so, how did you see to drive when the hood was up?"

X-ray vision, son. X-ray vision.

(I then explained looking out my door window to make sure the road wasn't curving, then looking out his window to get close to the shoulder while I climbed on the brakes... while looking in the rear view to make sure I wasn't going to have anyone drive up my tail pipe. I preach to him to never panic. Today he saw it in action.)

-Brad

The hood that friedgreentmater is talking about is being sold to me or at least thats what the guy told me

One other thought now that the horse is out of the barn, on every vintage car I've ever owned I've always chain my hood shut. I originally did this so there would be a battery in my car whenever I wanted to start it, but years later I was in a wreck when a guy ran a redlight and demolished my car. The hood was torn from the hinges and was resting against the windshield. The only thing that kept it from coming through the glass was the chain that held it down in front.

Here's how I did my 1960 with 62-66 hood. It's really easy to fit and use.

[IMG]http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/48/chain01.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/6288/chain02.jpg[/IMG]
URL=http://img301.imageshack.us/i/chain03.jpg/][IMG]http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/7443/chain03.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

that's a good idea Markeb, I was thinking of putting an inside hood release on my 53, but that might be easier and more secure to do.

i have experienced this so many times. not the hood flyin up part! every time i am looking for one they are high, yet i have parted many out and most of the times you can't give them away.

I'm definitely going to extend the "barb" on the hood release catch on the new one. I'll cut the hook off the one I have now (or, more accurately, "what's left of the one I have now") and will weld it to the bottom of the catch on the new hood, so there are two catches.

I'm sure i'll find it was my fault, for the hood not being latched or something, once I dig into it, but no matter the reason, I don't ever want to experience that again.

darn... like my kid said--"you've experienced A LOT of "one in a million" things."

-Brad

at least if they are one in a million, you don't have to worry about them again for a long long time!

Yeah, you'd think. Unfortunately, the list of "one in a million" things is pretty darn long!

-Brad

So the guy with the hood shows up at my swap meet today and says "I don't think I want to sell it alone... I think I want to sell it with the chrome grill, chrome headlight doors, chrome hood inserts and chrome front bumper."

(groan)... How much do you want for all of it?

"Well, my wife really likes that hood... and the guy I got the grill from gave $800 to have it all polished..."

Lovely. So now I'm once again on the hunt for a '60-'61 hood.

Anyone want to help me with a relay from Minnesota?! Anyone going to Toledo Ohio, or Indianapolis?

-Brad

Unbelieveable!! Can't believe that guy did that to you. Although something like that happened to me once.

I'm looking for a '60 to '61 hood as well for a spare. Since these hoods are hard to come by in good shape it's good to have one tucked away.

I wish you good luck!

Hey Brad, you could talk to superfly, he's an over the road trucker in northern MN, and oddly enough he delivers stuff to my podunk hometown sometimes. I have no idea if he runs that far south, or what he would charge for shipping, but it could be worth looking into at least.

Brad,

If you do make a "relay" to Minnesota. I do have seven 60-61 hoods in my inventory right now.

Sorry to hear about your "one in a million" hood experience!

Is your truck covered under a "classic vehicle" insurance policy? Policy will cover incident like you experienced.

Brian

No, my truck isn't covered by insurance that way. It's my daily driver, and I have the max liability, uninsured driver (thanks to the illegals here in Georgia routinely getting in accidents with no license and no insurance) etc. on it, but I figure if someone hits me their coverage will take care of it, and if I have something, I can cover it with a little leg work. That may change once I get the body restored. For now, I've restored all the mechanicals, electrical, cooling, brakes, etc. but the body is still rough.

You're who I was thinking of for the hood. I've seen the pics on your site, and a couple of them are great looking.

-Brad

Brad - that really sucks... I'm glad yer ok.

-W

Ahhh wait till you come off Donner pass when your truck decides to show under its hood, took a jackhammer to wedge me off that seat.

Heck drive Donner Pass when its covered in about 3inches of ice and it's the only way out of Truckee and you "HAVE" to get out. THIS will give you an idea of how bad it was. They shut the passes road down as we topped the hill and we were the last truck on it..Joe

yup. key not to panic...& use common....GOOD sense. my parents 65 caddi did the old, supprise! now you cant see! trick going down the highway. dad was pulling over, & mother, being the sensible one in the family, looked under the hood, and saw a parked car on the shoulder. yelled at my dad to "get back on the road!" and as a result, lived to have kids.....-)

Actually, not to play the "I can top that game," but I can... I drove over Donner Pass in a blizzard at midnight a few years ago, and they shut down all the roads then, too. I was driving a '70 Challenger that was the stunt car for the TV-remake of "Vanishing Point." In the movie, the car is very dirty. In real life, that dirt is brown paint sprayed on the car, including over the headlights. The lights were about 60-percent covered with brown paint. And when we hit the dimmer switch for the Brites... well, all the lights on the car turned off.

-Brad

I like the idea of the using a chain on the hood. If just to keep people from stealing the batt. My Dad had a 68 that had the hood come up on going down the highway. bused both the higes. Very scary.