Rust around hood hinges. Looking for repair panel??

[cudadave72]

I couldn't stand it any longer and started poking around at the rust that was around my hood hinges. I thought I saw there was a repair panel instead of replacing the entire apron. Where do I find these??

Thanks

[burdar]

Year One used to sell that piece.  I havn't looked through their cataloge in awhile so I don't know if it is still available. 

[OxfordMotorSports]

I couldn't stand it any longer and started poking around at the rust that was around my hood hinges. I thought I saw there was a repair panel instead of replacing the entire apron. Where do I find these??

Thanks

It's not a HARD piece to fab up in sheet metal. I just did the same repair on a 71 Cuda . Cut the rust out, punched holes in the new metal, passed on a flange, welded it in flush.

Lesson learned? Find the repair panel. It's a lot LESS work.

Todd

OMS

[RUSTY Cuda]

There out there I got one for the drivers side, but had to make up the part that slides around for adjustment, on the other side I bought the whole inner fender , but the metal where the hinge bolts in is thinner. So there's some extra work either way.
this was before amd, check them 1st there stuff seems to be higher quality, Rich.

[73EStroker]

Goodmark has em. Horrribly expensive but they have compound curves in them so are really difficult to make accurately. They have the correct holders of course to contain the cage nut bar that holds the hinge bolts and allows them to slide around in for adjustment

[E-Body Products]

PM Sent...

[R/T hedkace]

Hey Dave, I don't know how much of, or how bad your is, but this is a VERY common spot on e bodies, and funny you should mention this. I just got on this piece on my Chally a few hours ago today and started welding in a piece I cut off of a junk 72 fender.
 There is actually 3 different pieces you should be aware of that make up the front hood hinge adjustment plate(s) for the front bolt for the hinges.
I'm not quite done yet, but if I can do it, ANYBODY can do it. Seriously dude 
Pretty easy......and I'm an idiot when it comes to this stuff 


 Here's some pics to give you a better visual and to maybe help you out a little 
And if you need any other pics for reference, just let me know 

[acudanut]

It's alot easier just to replace the whole inner fender.

[cudadave72]

It's alot easier just to replace the whole inner fender.

Thats not an option. Being that my car is in overall great shape and this being the only "major" concern I'm not going to tear the entire car apart. Being that my wife and I just had twins if my car come that far apart then I will end up tearing the entire car apart and it will be years before its back together. The way it sits now its a perfect driver and still quite a looker. The damage is not that bad and I have even concidered something like a Por15 filler in the damaged area, patch it and let it ride until I do a full resto. I'll know the full extent of the damage once the hood hinges are off the car and I guess I take it from there. If I rock the hood back and forth the area around the hinges does not flex one bit so I feel pretty good about that.

[the_engineers]

 

Do you have any pics of how it looks now?  The pics that hedkace posted look to be a fairly simple "pull the hood, cut out the bad, put in good, paint and reinstall hood" type of deal.  I could see it being a week-long ordeal in the evenings if you've got the materials and a welder on hand.

[OxfordMotorSports]

Thats not an option. Being that my car is in overall great shape and this being the only "major" concern I'm not going to tear the entire car apart. Being that my wife and I just had twins if my car come that far apart then I will end up tearing the entire car apart and it will be years before its back together. The way it sits now its a perfect driver and still quite a looker. The damage is not that bad and I have even concidered something like a Por15 filler in the damaged area, patch it and let it ride until I do a full resto. I'll know the full extent of the damage once the hood hinges are off the car and I guess I take it from there. If I rock the hood back and forth the area around the hinges does not flex one bit so I feel pretty good about that.

You did the right thing. Un-seaming the entire panel is not necessary if it is completely solid other than the hinge area. It just takes more fab time to do a proper patch repair. By the way Jeff - your work looks EXCELLENT. It's a straight forward repair and if you have the time to do it in this manner go for it.

Todd

OMS

[E-Body Products]

By the way Dave, your cuda looks great!   Wish mine was looking that good right now!

[OxfordMotorSports]

By the way Dave, your cuda looks great!   Wish mine was looking that good right now!

They ALL look good. Nothing beats a Cuda or a Challenger. Nothing! 

Todd

OMS