Slick 60's

I'm planing on removing inner support on the front of the hood to repair the rust and fix a couple of dents, looks possible but I never saw any posts on this kind of repair. I can't find any other non rusted hoods local so I figure what difference does it make at this point and time. Any hints. Tom

Take some measurements, make some contour templates, and before you start using a spot weld cutter to cut through any spot welds, I would drill a few 1/8" holes in the flanges (BETWEEN spot welds)so that when you put the inner back in, you can use sheet metal screws through the holes you drilled to positively locate the panel WHERE IT WAS. This should make it easier for the hood to have the same shape as before, because if that inner brace is positioned differently after, the hood will not have the same shape as before the inner/outer were separated......

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-con ... e-907.html

My vote would be to leave that inner structure in place and do the repair from the other side, even if I had to repair both sides of that flange.
How bad is the top of the hood? Cut it open and get a look in there.
Nic

No rust in the top . I would rather not do any welding if i don't have to in the side you see. Been there done that. Thanks Tom

Personally i would never cut the outside to fix a problem, I happen to live in the rust belt also and have a pretty good auto body background having worked in a custom shop as well as a collision shop.
You are on the right path when you say separate them . It should only be glue/seam sealer. but you may want to check for spot welds in case.
After separating them i would get some poster board at wal mart and create a pattern for the parts before cutting anything.
Next be careful of where you cut off the damaged material, where the outer skin wraps over the inner skin in your photo i would cut to the left of the visible body line, as far left as you can. This will make it easier when smoothing your welds. Also make sure when creating the patch for your inner support you leave it long enough to bend over and fit inside the outer skin. Should be able to hammer and dolly this.
Hope my 2 cents helps. I would reseal it with Eastwood Body adhesive and seam seal when done.

I had this very problem fixed by a body shop whilst they were doing some floor repairs,
This support was in reasonable shape (from under the bonnet at least) but outside was awful and also full of filler from a previous repair.
I don't have pics of the process, but a guy was kind enough to cut out a good section of a bonnet about 18" long which was welded in from the top rather than separating the support the full way along. This was the only rust problem in the bonnet O had so I didn't want it all pulled apart.
They cleaned up the support whilst the skin was off, welded on the new piece and you wouldn't even know there was a repair.

From looking at the bits missing in your pic, it might turn out ugly (or not) when you pull it apart. At least you'll get the opportunity to treat/paint the support before it all goes back together!

I've never seen a hood that rough that wasn't rusted through on the top too. Which is why I would still do it from the top. Bend sheet to match hood contours, bend hard bend around to bottom of hood, then I split the flange and brought it in some because the hood isn't straight across.

Nic

Although looking at it again what if you cut that flange down to good metal, drill out the welds, repair the support where it sits then weld the flat edge back on, spot welding it to the support and but welding it to the sheet that makes up the top of the hood.

I've had hoods that had the same problems just along the seam between the inner structure and skin. I'd drill the spat welds and remove the inner structure so that you could prevent any further rust on the skin. There are spot welds all along that seam. My new favorite spot weld cutter is a dewalt 5/16 pilot point drill bit. Found someone on ebay who sells them in packs of six. Last as long as any other cutter i've had and cost a lot less.

Bruce, do you have an item number on the cutters?

Well I got it out, hardest spot welds were the at the hood ornament holes

........and here is a good write-up on how to get rid of that nasty rust you've discovered between the panels........

http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2257

here's the bits I use: http://www.ebay.com/itm/PACK-of-6-DeWal ... Swo6lWQjl7

done this with hoods fenders beds and doors too

i always cut the new piece first whether its from a parts piece or new tin
then i trace carefully the outline with a scribe and cut the rusty piece out

Toms repair is not that hard to do just lots of time and patience and like all of them careful measuring and cutting

curves are a bit more challenging, and compound curves i would only replace with a piece from another truck


all sorts of pics of that in my old uni build thread
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=11692&start=60
some in the newer 4x4 uni one as well like the gas tank hole

I have a very nice, rust-free, original hood available for sale if you're interested. I'm up in MA. Just an FYI.

I did this same repair to a hood as well, was nice to be able to clean, prime, and paint everything in there before putting it back together.
I have also poured some rust inhibitor down in the front and sloshed it around on other hoods while they were off the vehicle.. NOT ON NICE PAINTED hoods... just old stock ones that were off the truck !

I'm there now....took the hood off to clean and paint the hinges. Laid the hood down and realized I had a major rust problem brewing under there! Drilled out, like, 50 spot welds and separated the brace from the hood skin. I had to repair some rust out on the brace and also some pin holes on the hood skin itself.

By the way...If the gasket is missing from under the front hood emblem, water will seep in-between the hood and the bracing and rust and rot and rust and rot....