68 442 hood hinges
September 5th, 2018, 02:34 PM
#1
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Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 290
68 442 hood hinges
The hinges on the 68s dont open very high and it makes working on the engine pretty difficult. Is anyone aware of any retrofits/workarounds or aftermarket solutions that will open the hood more fully?
September 5th, 2018, 07:18 PM
#2
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 361
1968 hood hinges are a one year only fit. The bolt pattern where the hinge bolts to the fender is not the same as later models (i.e. 1969-1972) and there is no interchange with other GM makes. No aftermarket replacements are available that I know of. After a divot or two gets removed from your skull, you'll adapt... I did.
September 5th, 2018, 07:25 PM
#3
Randy C.
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Albany, OR
Posts: 3,244
I suffer the same thing with my '68 4-4-2 convertible. So, when I got my '69 4-4-2 convertible, I was so happy because of the hood hinge change that allowed the hood to open wider. WRONG! Oldsmobile had to stick that nose on the hood so the fact that the hood opens wider makes no difference with the scabs on the back side of my noggin! Just got to be careful!
Randy C.
Randy C.
September 6th, 2018, 06:22 AM
#5
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Location: Seneca Falls, NY
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My fenders are dual pattern and I have the 69 hinges but it was enough of a PIA that I chose to just install the 68 hinges. Even after you elongate the holes there isn't much forward/back adjustment available
Last edited by allyolds68; September 6th, 2018 at 06:26 AM.
September 6th, 2018, 08:49 AM
#6
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the 68 hood doesn't open far enough to let enough light in to see well or avoid hitting your head so after I hit my head one too many times on my 68 hood I modified my hinges by cutting off the stops and welding them back up and grinding them smooth so the hood opens up higher, am the only one to do this? the only drawback is it makes the hood harder to close and I have to push back hard on the hood while pulling down .I have to keep the hinges well lubricated and if I just pull down to close it would probably bend the hood, but it is worth it to not hit my head every time I open the hood.
September 6th, 2018, 09:17 AM
#7
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the 68 hood doesn't open far enough to let enough light in to see well or avoid hitting your head so after I hit my head one too many times on my 68 hood I modified my hinges by cutting off the stops and welding them back up and grinding them smooth so the hood opens up higher, am the only one to do this? the only drawback is it makes the hood harder to close and I have to push back hard on the hood while pulling down .I have to keep the hinges well lubricated and if I just pull down to close it would probably bend the hood, but it is worth it to not hit my head every time I open the hood.
September 6th, 2018, 09:45 AM
#8
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Location: Seneca Falls, NY
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I did an entire engine bay overhaul last year which included stripping everything off the engine, painting, and reassembling. I had the radiator out and worked in the engine bay most of the time. I didn't hit my head hard once.
September 6th, 2018, 12:00 PM
#9
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Posts: 231
I pretty much cut all the stop off and it opens easily as much as a 69-72 hood does . it is harder to close because the spring is no longer stretched as far with the stop removed in the open [resting] position and in order to close the hood you have to first stretch the spring far enough to start the hinge movement downward as it works like a cam eccentric in an arc,somewhat like a compound bow's cams work. pushing back on the hood stretches the spring allowing it to start moving down that arc. hope that explains it well enough!
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