...Or, how I stopped being a big scaredy pants and just cut the damn thing. If you've gotta pee do it now, I ain't stopping once the ride starts. Pack a lunch, this could take awhile... There have been other threads about hood peaking... I know, I've searched... I've looked at them all and then some. There are threads about the rod-n-bondo method; the brakeline-n-bondo method; the always impressive hammer-n-dolly no welding method; the lotsa welding, warping and hammering method; the cut-n-graft a hood peak off an existing car method; and even at least one asking about using adhesive to stick a hood strip on. There are threads about Pikes Peak, Sneak Peaks, Peking, Mount Hood and sneaky hoodlums. I know, I've searched. All of them skip some steps, or make it sound like hood peaking is the most intimidating custom touch you can do (it might be, I was scared shitless), and most of them are done guys that have lots more experience than me using equipment I don't have access to. They ALL talk about how easy it is to warp a hood, it's a big-ass expanse of unsupported sheet metal. Tinbender posted some shots just the other day using the same method I'm using, but I think my way is a bit more user-friendly for regular punters like me, using basic materials and hand tools. I'm working with a shoebox Ford, so I have a one-piece hood... Pop that trim strip off, it's a nice little spider hider, and full of pine needles imported from Wisconsin... ...and here's why I didn't want to do the rod-n-fill method. There's a lovely divot down the middle that would take a whole lotta bondo to fill. I've spend 2 and half years trying to get rid of (most of) the bondo that was on this car... (dig the visual aids, eh? ) How to make a nice peak is the part that the other threads seem to skip right over. Either everyone finds it obvious or easy, I was intimidated as all get-out. How the hell do I make a nicestraightpeak without using a big honkin' shop press or something? I have a HF bead roller, but no tipping dies, and not enough experience to think I could actually roll a sweet peak. I do have a homemade hillbilly bender that is ok for not-too-accurate bends up to about 30" wide, but for this I ordered a pre-bent hunk of 18ga 90° angle... I thought about stopping there, just duct-taping it on and calling it done, but it kind stuck out like a proboscis monkey... ...which come to think of it would've come in mighty handy in a joust. I haven't had to defend any maiden's honour lately, so I decided to go ahead with the rest of the job. I ordered 60" of angle, I would need about 54" or so, so some bending and trimming was in order. I came up with the brainwave to make a jig and bash the shit out of it... With the theory being something like this would leave a nice rounded peak in the steel... I keep a 12ga under the bench and the 14ga on top, for just such an occasion... Testing my groove... I pre-flattened the steel a bit just using a dead-blow hammer (warning! physics lesson: a ball pean or body hammer would focus the energy too tightly and create dents; a dead-blow spreads the energy and softens the blow. No dents)... Then slapped 'er back in the jig and smacked it around a bit... A "holy shit! it worked!" moment... Flat and straight, just like my grade 10 prom date... I slapped it on the car and started to think this might actually work... I used a steel bucket that was handy (and surprisingly not full of ice and beer) to bend the strip to roughly the right wang... Here's the part where all the real metalworking guys out there in HAMBland say "you did WHAT?!" Since I don't have a shrinker, I made a series of cuts to get the steel to lay down and play nice. I also tacked the strip to the hood and used a hammer and wood block to gently(!) work it into shape...
I measured twice, then measured twice again. Marked off the hood... So at this stage I realize I am seriously punching above my weight, but hey it only took me 2 years to find a nice set of affordable fenders, how hard could it be to find a nice new hood... Then I turned my attention to the tapered ends of the peak, they need to end before they get to the edge. If I knew what I was doing I would have hammer-formed the metal, but since I'm kinda clueless about stuff like that I planned to make some cuts. Again, the metal guys are laughing... Cut a V and notched the centre out to give the metal somewhere to go when I hammered it flat... After a bit of finagling, swearing and shimmy-shystering, I got the darn thing tacked in... This is also when I set my car on fire. Don't weld over a cloth drop-sheet... who knew? Let's move over to the work bench, shall we? Patience is a virtue. Tack... go for lunch... tack... go watch some tv... tack... crack a beer... tack... don't drink that beer because my welding skills are shitty enough as it is... tack... tack... tack... keep it cool... Jump around, tack tack tack, until it's all welded up and hopefully not warped too damn badly... Our burgers can't be beat 'cuz we grind our own meat. Grind grind grind grind grind... Pardon the shitty welding, this thread is more about making the peak and getting it to fit rather than trying to showcase my poor-ass welding skills. I'm not proud of my welding, but I did get the damn thing straight... ...and tapered... Still have lots of welding and grinding to do, lots of chances to screw this up yet, but so far it's looking good like a hood peak should... The point is, this is hard, but not hard enough that you shouldn't try it. If you want to slap rod and bondo on your car go for it, but the big kids cut and weld. Be careful, patient, handsome, witty, obsequious and clairvoyant and you'll live happily ever after.
WOW! I knew you were witty, but your multitude of talents and bravery never cease to amaze. Looking good!
Not sure I will ever use the technique, but thank you for the clear, interesting article! I especially like your final tack-and-wait-to-cool process. How did the tips come out? you didn't have any closeups of after, although it looked like a lot of grinding was in store.
Looks good. Thanks for the how-to. Something I'd like to tackle one day myself. Looks better than the bondo method for sure.
Wow, thanks for the comments. It might not be earth-shattering tech stuff, but hopefully informative (and entertaining ).
You certainly earned the right to wear some big-boy pants. Great job, should be in the Tech Week stuff.
I have no doubt. I'll add some more shots when I get further along. See all the rust in there... This weekend I'll be cutting the inner frame out and cleaning it all off. More welding from the inside, paint, then weld the inner frame back in.
HILARIOUS. Can't wait for the next write-up. Imagine it'll be even better. Unless, of course, you peaked too early, LOL.
The Jalopy Journal
