The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop solid hood and frenched headlights

has anyone had any experience welding the hood to a solid piece on these old trucks and removing the chrome strip in the middle? how about frenching the headlights. whats the best way to go about these 2 mods? thanks


53 chevy PU

I have toyed with the idea of creating a solid hood, however, I have decided not to. I like the character the strip down the middle gives the truck. These are my plans for creating a solid hood.
Step one: disassemble hood (Drill out all rivets)
Step two: clean and strip all parts
Step three: reassemble hood (minus chrome strip)
Step four: tack center line of hood together where rivets used to go (underside) (Slowly, create low heat!)
Step five: tack top of hood together every two inches (topside) (Slowly, create low heat!) Let cool, tack in between the two inch gaps after first set of tack is cool.
Step six: grind smooth
Step seven: Fill slots for chrome strip, SMALL tacks from underside
Step eight: Grind smooth
Step nine: Body work, good luck, I recommend “All metal body filler” It’s all you at this point, make it smooth or it will look stupid. Time and patience will shine here. http://www.tcpglobal.com/AutoBodyDepot/ItemDetail.aspx?ItemNo=USC+14060
Questions, are you filling the front emblem mounting holes, or leaving the front emblem?
If you are filling them, I would make small circular filler panels for the recessed mounting holes. I would first cut the recessed part out of the hood and then fill it flush with the filler panels. Of course tack the filler panels in creating low heat, and then grind them smooth. Overall this project will take HOURS, but it will look cool. I have given it a lot of thought maybe someday I will complete the project myself who knows. Good luck, if you take on the project post some pics!

I installed french head lights in my buddys 49-3100 it's pretty easy
1- remove all the old head light stuff
2- take the french buckets and remove the metal from the inside of the fender,where the old bucket was, till the bucket fits inside the fender
3- this is important when you have the french bucket so it fits before you tack it in make sure it's level and turned in the right direction I pulled a string across both at the same time so I knew they were level
4- clean the metal around the head light and tac alittle at a time all the way around
5- Then comes the body work to blend in to fender and your done


Pete