Any tricks to removing the hood?

[clmrt]

I'm going to do the cooling mod and fix the wacky wipers this weekend. It seems that it would be much easier with the hood gone...

That said, any tips or tricks, or is it as simple as it looks?

[justbob]

Just disconnect the struts and raise it really high with a safe support. I don't even remove the hood to swap engines.


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[loud2004marquis]

VERY SIMPLE. Only four 8mm bolts, two on each side. Just make sure to have a helper, a little heavy/bulky. Good Luck!

[460mudsports]

General hood removal suggestions, not specific to the MM.

I hook a strap, rope, etc. through the latch loop and attach the strap to my chain hoist. This way I can remove a hood by myself. The strap protects the paint, the hoist provides support and control while I am removing the bolts. As a note, I have never had the hood off of my MM, but this is my general procedure for any other hood I have taken off. If you aren't going to be moving/jacking up the car once you get the hood up and want to raise it high as justbob said, you can use hook the latch loop up to whatever you have above the car(rafter, etc.) for a tie point/support. This makes a much safer support than a makeshift prop rod.

If you do intend to take the hood completely off, look at the mounting points/bolts. Hoods, as most body parts, have slotted/adjustable mountings. You can mark around them with tape/soapstone/etc. and save yourself a lot of time re-aligning when you go to put the hood back on. You would just put it back in the same place it came from by centering everything from your marks. Some I have done needed no extra marks because the washers on the bolts and the hinges had already marked the paint well enough to use for reinstallation.

Ronnie

[fastblackmerc]

Like justbob said.... no reason to remove the hood. Once you remove the cowl you'll have plenty of room.

[Spectragod]

General hood removal suggestions, not specific to the MM.

I hook a strap, rope, etc. through the latch loop and attach the strap to my chain hoist. This way I can remove a hood by myself. The strap protects the paint, the hoist provides support and control while I am removing the bolts. As a note, I have never had the hood off of my MM, but this is my general procedure for any other hood I have taken off. If you aren't going to be moving/jacking up the car once you get the hood up and want to raise it high as justbob said, you can use hook the latch loop up to whatever you have above the car(rafter, etc.) for a tie point/support. This makes a much safer support than a makeshift prop rod.

If you do intend to take the hood completely off, look at the mounting points/bolts. Hoods, as most body parts, have slotted/adjustable mountings. You can mark around them with tape/soapstone/etc. and save yourself a lot of time re-aligning when you go to put the hood back on. You would just put it back in the same place it came from by centering everything from your marks. Some I have done needed no extra marks because the washers on the bolts and the hinges had already marked the paint well enough to use for reinstallation.

Ronnie

To add to this.........

While the hood is mounted to the hinges, drill 2 1/8" holes in each hinge, when reinstalling use 4, 1/8" rivets in holes for the alignment, it will fit as perfect as does prior to it's removal.

[Bruce Wayne]

let us know how the cooling mod goes, I hear you can do this without removing the intake. etc.

[clmrt]

Thanks guys. I'm doing all the radiator hoses, idlers and tensioner at the same time as the cooling mod and the wiper motor assy. I hope they all show up in time to do this on Saturday, Sunday's shot. Rockauto is the only place I could find the lower radiator hose (with the tee).

[N40GL]

Alternative to get it right back where it came from:

Drill a tiny little hole (big enough for a small nail) through the center of the hinge plate on each side (where it mounts to the hood itself) before you loosen any bolts. Stick your nail in there to make sure it slides in and out freely to test the hole size. Take the nail out. Then take the hood off.

When you put the hood back, use the little hole, and a nail on each side, to line up the hinge plates exactly where they were before. If you are worried about rust, paint the hole on the hood and on the hinge plate, and let it dry while you are working on the car.

Between the factory bolt holes and your new little nail hole, your hood will go back where it was.



General hood removal suggestions

(stuff deleted)
If you do intend to take the hood completely off, look at the mounting points/bolts. Hoods, as most body parts, have slotted/adjustable mountings. You can mark around them with tape/soapstone/etc. and save yourself a lot of time re-aligning when you go to put the hood back on. You would just put it back in the same place it came from by centering everything from your marks. Some I have done needed no extra marks because the washers on the bolts and the hinges had already marked the paint well enough to use for reinstallation.
Ronnie

[Chevyguy]

Just disconnect the struts and raise it really high with a safe support. I don't even remove the hood to swap engines.


Self proclaimed Builder Of Badassery.

Buy it, Break it, Build it BETTER.
"Since 2004"

This

http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q329/folingo/1996%20Town%20Car%20Signature/Engine%20Swap/SL372335.jpg (http://s348.photobucket.com/user/folingo/media/1996%20Town%20Car%20Signature/Engine%20Swap/SL372335.jpg.html)

[justbob]

This



http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q329/folingo/1996%20Town%20Car%20Signature/Engine%20Swap/SL372335.jpg (http://s348.photobucket.com/user/folingo/media/1996%20Town%20Car%20Signature/Engine%20Swap/SL372335.jpg.html)


Close. My hood struts are relocated and raise the hood high enough to not even touch those anymore. :)
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/08/02/9y9e4y3u.jpg


Self proclaimed Builder Of Badassery.

Buy it, Break it, Build it BETTER.
"Since 2004"