I have my asbestos underpants on just in case... I want to shave the hood ornament off of my Daughter's '53 Plymouth Sub Urban project, BUT what do you guys do about the brace for the hood latch that uses the same mounting bolt as the hood ornament to hold it to the hood? Just weld the brace to the hood? I guess I am just worried about the welds or the sheet metal cracking from vibration etc when driving. Am I over analyzing this? Just want to do it right the first time. Thanks in advance Murf
In the old days they would have welded the bolt into the hole from the inside, filling the hole and providing a bolt to hold the latch. Seems a little crude but that's the kind of thing they did in the fifties. No doubt someone has a better answer, involving machine tools and hand made parts.
never did it on a ply - but I've done many on 55 chevs which have a dimple where the hood orniment bolts on -I just bolt it together with a 1/4 inch bolt tightend down good,then bondo over it . It will work & it will last!!! I'ts been like that on my personal 55 since 1980
I was thinking this but worry that tightening the nut on the stud would dimple the hood after painting
I sure as hell wouldn't do that ! Try to take the entire design into account. Ornament on one side, hood skin in center, latch on back side. That's the original sandwich. And it spreads the load around without depending on one or two 3/8 dots in the hood skin for much if any of its strength.
That is why I have not done that, I'd just like to see what others have done. I KNOW I am not the first to do this. I just want to do it correctly.
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