I used a wide ratchet strap to pull the back of the hood down, hold it in place while i tightened the hinge bolts. Made it easier for me to do this by myself.
hey man I wanted to thank you for this video. there isn't a lot of clear details on how to get the hood adjusted. I read the manual but didn't understand from it that there were adjustments under the dash. once I saw your video the instructions made a lot more sense and my hood is sitting pretty.
This will help a lot- with my '48 Pontiac. 2 questions- Could you show a close up of your hinges and your catch and release?. Could you say where you got them and part# or name. I think I need to replace my hinges( they don't open all the way)- and decades ago I lost my catch and release- when my hood blew open driving across N.M. - just been tying it down
Nice vid, I would also state that the striker latch has quite a bit of variance in all directions. So if that hood is coming down straight as can be and the striker plate is way off, it will need moved. Esp with mixed matched parts through a build, there is no guarantee they will be perfect. Also for some guys, the springs themselves can be problematic and they may need new springs. The three main points are spring to hood and firewall (spring can be adjusted up and down on firewall) 2. cowl latch (that you can adjust from inside cab) and 3. is striker plate alignment. Other than that the 2x4 is a great trick and I will be doing that, bc my latest build, the hood was the worst ever I'v dealt with and it sticks up in the back. One more tip, as guys are aligning the hood they can pull back on that hood latch release, to help with hood shutting. that spring in the hood itself has a level of adjusting too. So I guess there are 4 major variables in the hood latching correctly. IT does take many hours to get right.
Love your truck! Like the video. Question: How do I tighten the hinge bolts from the inside while I'm pushing with my hand from the outside of the hood?
Thank you Marion! Just have the door open, and reach under the dash with a ratchet while holding down the hood with your other hand. or get a helper to assist.
Put my hood on first time, seemed pretty well aligned, closed that puppy with a good push and... oh no, hood won't open. The pin is too close to the rear (toward radiator/firewall, etc) so the catch wouldn't let go. Removed lower valance and bumper to get up inside and released it with a large screwdriver. Still needs to go toward the front of truck. I've been loosening the bolts on the spring to firewall mount and pushing up the hood... maybe it needs to go down? When the hood is closed its really flat and tight where it lines up to the top of the firewall. I'll give this a try.
HELP!! I followed the procedure in your video and the steps in the service manual you mentioned on my 53' chev PU. I get the hood to fit OK without the spring supports attached but then after attaching the supports it pushes the back of the hood up about 1/4 - 1/2 inch. I can't see any further adjustments of the supports to bring it down. The sides of the hood align with the fender pretty good. I'm stumped. Any thoughts?
Peter Huth Hey Peter. You need to have the block of wood propping up the front of the hood. At the same time (with all the hinges and spring supports all attached) (the spring loaded supports should be completely installed and tightened) (the hinge brackets should be loosely attached to the cab with the 3 bolts on each side loosened. All hinge bolts should be tight on the hood.) While the FRONT of the hood is propped up (approximately 4"), hold down the rear of the hood, (one side at a time) and tighten the bolts down WHILE your holding the rear of the hood down to the top of the cowl. After both sides are tightened, you can take the wood out of the front, and check the rear of the hood clearance against the cowl as you close the hood the rest of the way. If you have the hinges adjusted fairly close with the wood block propping the hood up, it should suck the other 1/4 to 1/2 inch up when you remove the wood and close the hood all the way. (It might take a couple tries to get it perfect.) It's even possible to adjust the hood too much and have it binding against the cowl if you press it down too far when tightening up everything, or if you have the front of the hood propped up too high when doing the adjusting and tightening.. Bruce
CHEVY NAPCO Thanks Bruce. We adjusted it pretty close. the problem was not having the spring supports tightened down first before adjusting the hinges. I may try adjusting it even closer to the cowl as it is could go about 1/4" closer. thanks again. your video and input was very helpful.pete
No. NAPCO was only involved with only producing the 4 wheel drive assemblies for these "Advance Design" series trucks. the turn signal light lenses I used actually are for a (Task Force 55-59) pickup truck I modified them, and mounted them below the headlights. I'm going to put the grill lights back in also, and use them for daylight running lights when I get a chance.
+winsto22 I think I picked them up from www.classicparts.com/Mirrors/products/78/I put little 1" extensions on the arms themselves to position the mirrors a little better. If you look, you can see the drivers mirror is 1" higher than the mirror arm.Bruce
The bolts that tighten the hinges are on the inside of the cab. You just reach your arm around, or have someone else tighten while someone holds the hood down.
***** Actually they discontinued the drivers side cowl vent in late 1950. 1951 was the first year with no drivers cowl vent, wind wings, and last year with turn down handles. But good catch. :-) I actually used a cab off a 49 GMC to build this truck. the 51 cab was shot, and I wanted the extra vent out here in the desert.
Ah yeah brain fart, I gotcha. I actually have a 48 chevy and love the side cowl vent. Not sure why they ever did away with them, but I think they look super cool and work pretty well!
I don't know if you're still around - but thank you for this video. It was very helpful to me with my 47 GMC.
I used a wide ratchet strap to pull the back of the hood down, hold it in place while i tightened the hinge bolts. Made it easier for me to do this by myself.
Thank you it worked well for my 53 GMC
Thats a great help!
I love your Stars n stripes on the bulkhead, Awesome 👌🏻
Stay safe
Thanks Brother 👍🏻
hey man I wanted to thank you for this video. there isn't a lot of clear details on how to get the hood adjusted. I read the manual but didn't understand from it that there were adjustments under the dash. once I saw your video the instructions made a lot more sense and my hood is sitting pretty.
Very Cool! Glad I could help!
Good advice- I'm about to fit the hood on my '50 Pontiac (Cdn.) Sedan Delivery and the same technique should apply. Thanks for sharing.
This will help a lot- with my '48 Pontiac. 2 questions- Could you show a close up of your hinges and your catch and release?. Could you say where you got them and part# or name. I think I need to replace my hinges( they don't open all the way)- and decades ago I lost my catch and release- when my hood blew open driving across N.M. - just been tying it down
Nice vid, I would also state that the striker latch has quite a bit of variance in all directions. So if that hood is coming down straight as can be and the striker plate is way off, it will need moved. Esp with mixed matched parts through a build, there is no guarantee they will be perfect. Also for some guys, the springs themselves can be problematic and they may need new springs. The three main points are spring to hood and firewall (spring can be adjusted up and down on firewall) 2. cowl latch (that you can adjust from inside cab) and 3. is striker plate alignment. Other than that the 2x4 is a great trick and I will be doing that, bc my latest build, the hood was the worst ever I'v dealt with and it sticks up in the back. One more tip, as guys are aligning the hood they can pull back on that hood latch release, to help with hood shutting. that spring in the hood itself has a level of adjusting too. So I guess there are 4 major variables in the hood latching correctly. IT does take many hours to get right.
I remember this video now that I see it, Nice work so far
Glad i saw this. Im finishing a mockup of a 49 and just got new billet hood hinges but the adjustments should work the same..
love the truck , I am restoring a 51 myself .
Thank you. I'll try what you said.
Excellent advise. Thanks
you opened the hood and BLAM! that flag is great!
Thanks so much!! Very helpful.....
Awesome video thank you so much
Love your truck! Like the video. Question: How do I tighten the hinge bolts from the inside while I'm pushing with my hand from the outside of the hood?
Thank you Marion! Just have the door open, and reach under the dash with a ratchet while holding down the hood with your other hand. or get a helper to assist.
not sure how you managed to get a 1951 with the driver side cowl vent. those were in 47-50 but went away in 51 with the addition of the vent windows .
Because I used a 49 GMC cab. My 51 cab was shot. So now i have a drivers side cowl vent AND wind wings!
Put my hood on first time, seemed pretty well aligned, closed that puppy with a good push and... oh no, hood won't open. The pin is too close to the rear (toward radiator/firewall, etc) so the catch wouldn't let go. Removed lower valance and bumper to get up inside and released it with a large screwdriver. Still needs to go toward the front of truck. I've been loosening the bolts on the spring to firewall mount and pushing up the hood... maybe it needs to go down? When the hood is closed its really flat and tight where it lines up to the top of the firewall. I'll give this a try.
Where is the manual downloaded online? What is the link? Please
HELP!! I followed the procedure in your video and the steps in the service manual you mentioned on my 53' chev PU. I get the hood to fit OK without the spring supports attached but then after attaching the supports it pushes the back of the hood up about 1/4 - 1/2 inch. I can't see any further adjustments of the supports to bring it down. The sides of the hood align with the fender pretty good. I'm stumped.
Any thoughts?
Peter Huth Hey Peter. You need to have the block of wood propping up the front of the hood. At the same time (with all the hinges and spring supports all attached) (the spring loaded supports should be completely installed and tightened) (the hinge brackets should be loosely attached to the cab with the 3 bolts on each side loosened. All hinge bolts should be tight on the hood.) While the FRONT of the hood is propped up (approximately 4"), hold down the rear of the hood, (one side at a time) and tighten the bolts down WHILE your holding the rear of the hood down to the top of the cowl. After both sides are tightened, you can take the wood out of the front, and check the rear of the hood clearance against the cowl as you close the hood the rest of the way. If you have the hinges adjusted fairly close with the wood block propping the hood up, it should suck the other 1/4 to 1/2 inch up when you remove the wood and close the hood all the way. (It might take a couple tries to get it perfect.) It's even possible to adjust the hood too much and have it binding against the cowl if you press it down too far when tightening up everything, or if you have the front of the hood propped up too high when doing the adjusting and tightening.. Bruce
CHEVY NAPCO Thanks Bruce. We adjusted it pretty close. the problem was not having the spring supports tightened down first before adjusting the hinges. I may try adjusting it even closer to the cowl as it is could go about 1/4" closer. thanks again. your video and input was very helpful.pete
Are napco Chevy front fenders the only vendors that have the turn signals in them? normally they are in the grill
No. NAPCO was only involved with only producing the 4 wheel drive assemblies for these "Advance Design" series trucks. the turn signal light lenses I used actually are for a (Task Force 55-59) pickup truck I modified them, and mounted them below the headlights. I'm going to put the grill lights back in also, and use them for daylight running lights when I get a chance.
Where could I find the manual about adjustments on the hood ?
Chris E. Lol amen bro
Please tell me where you got those outside mirrors....Thanx..Loving your videos as I have a 47 GMC!
+winsto22 I think I picked them up from www.classicparts.com/Mirrors/products/78/I put little 1" extensions on the arms themselves to position the mirrors a little better. If you look, you can see the drivers mirror is 1" higher than the mirror arm.Bruce
+CHEVY NAPCO Thanks Bruce...Ralph
CHEVY NAPCO what mirrors are those exactly?
Am I having trouble with this How do I tighten the screws when the hood is down
Robert Reynoso upper inside cowl bolts on the hinge up underneath the dash
I have a 52 that I just started body work on and can not remove the front fender. could someone please help me out?
I’m working on a 1953 and most of the bolts broke off. Check out some of my videos it might help.
Great information. Thanks!
How do I put on my own stepside or 52 Chevrolet pick up
How do you tighten the hinges with the hood pretty much closed?
The bolts that tighten the hinges are on the inside of the cab. You just reach your arm around, or have someone else tighten while someone holds the hood down.
Unless you added that left side cowl vent, that's not a 51. Gm discontinued the side cowl vent in 49.
***** Actually they discontinued the drivers side cowl vent in late 1950. 1951 was the first year with no drivers cowl vent, wind wings, and last year with turn down handles. But good catch. :-) I actually used a cab off a 49 GMC to build this truck. the 51 cab was shot, and I wanted the extra vent out here in the desert.
Ah yeah brain fart, I gotcha. I actually have a 48 chevy and love the side cowl vent. Not sure why they ever did away with them, but I think they look super cool and work pretty well!
BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!