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1937 Cadillac 60 series 4dr hood help!!

Started by olds34dude, September 21, 2011, 09:15:02 PM

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olds34dude

Hello, can anyone tell the correct way to install the hood on a '37?  Near as I can figure, I need to put the rear piece [attached to the center strip] through the hole and then slide the front contraption that holds the Lady and the cowl to rad. support rods into the center piece that holds the  two halves of the hood together- if this is correct, can I then put the bottom sides on- or is it better to put the sides in first and put the four pieces of the hood on as a unit?  The car had a hood which was riveted together in the center with an additional piece down the center to hold it all together, and actually worked pretty well but I have a real nice hood and am also installing a new Lady from Don Sumner- as I described putting the thing together seems   like the only way to install the Lady after painting. Any input would be greatly appreciated- the 4 pc. hood on my '34 Olds seems easier to deal with!! thanks,Dave Varney
D. Varney

harvey b

Hi Dave,it is easier to install the side panels after the tops have been installed,just be sure to lubricate the grooves where the long hinge rods go so they will slide easier when you push them in,always better to have a helper for this too.as for the hood lady,it can be installed after, if you have the original nuts,they are about 9/16 deep and are made of brass,you put the nuts and a small washer on then slide her back to where she fits good and tighten the nuts,with the original deep nuts you can get a open ended wrench in to tighten them,you might find something like them at a hardware store that has a assortment of fasteners?, I could get you a picture of mine if you need one to go by.  HTH Harvey B


harvey Bowness
Frenchfort PEI
Harvey Bowness

olds34dude

Thank you Harvey,  I don't have the original nuts and in fact this SS replica lady doesn't have studs, of course I can put threaded rod in bot unfortunately there are only two holes on the lady that nI will be able to use, the forward most one is way to shallow and not threaded- if I hadn't bought this  lady a number of years ago and had to do it again I would  repair anoriginal, I hadn't really looked that closely at the replica, though at first sight it is beautiful. thanks again, Dave V.
D. Varney

Steve Passmore

Hi Dave, You  cant slide the front "contraption" on to the hood afterward, I presume you mean the lady base bracket? this has a locating hole at the front that sits into the grill dowel, therefor preventing forward movement, it would also mean you would be trying to locate the rad stays under the hood without it being fixed, trickie!   The trick is to bolt down the front bracket but remove the rear one, with help place the two halves assembled with the centre hinge on the car and slide into the front retainer, then place the rear retainer on the hood strip and drop it into the rear hole in the cowl.
Steve

Present
1937 60 convertible coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe
1941 62 coupe

Previous
1936 70 Sport coupe
1937 85 series V12 sedan
1938 60 coupe
1938 50 coupe
1939 60S
1940 62 coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe x2
1941 61 coupe
1941 61 sedan x2
1941 62 sedan x2
1947 62 sedan
1959 62 coupe

olds34dude

Thank you S Passmore, I have the grill out of the car, would there be a difference in lining things up if the grill were in before putting on the lady base bracket? when I hold the grill in place, the dowel does go into place , but there is a larger gap than I would like to see between the front of the hood and the grill.  I came to the conclusion that putting the front [end] in first would make more sense but i did it the other way as I was working alone, and it did work.  The Lady actually looks great and as it turned out I was able to use all three holes int the base. I used screws that were the correct size and cut the heads off to make studs, used washers and nuts but I couldn't find any deep nuts,so I took a small drill from the top and drilled down through the rad. support in the location at which the lady woulld be in the final position, then with a step drill from the underside I made the holes large enough to put a nut driver or socket through; put nuts and washers on the lady, put her on in the normal way and simply tighten the nuts with the nut driver from the underside of the grill shell.  My car is modified so I didn't feel horrible about this little modification and I can have the lady off in a matter of minutes.  I am in the processs of painting the car and returning it to its original appearence. It had alum wheels and custom[?] paint incorrect hood and tailights and and a trunk lid with the tag recesses in it- so a new hood , decklid , taillights , black paint  and wheels painted  with trim rings and hubcaps- I am keeping the incorrect fender mounted front parking lights.  Generally I spend time on the modified site but I really enjoy the "regular" site and am very appreciative of your help. Thanks, David Varney
D. Varney

Steve Passmore

I guess with the front end dismantled you have the option of how you assemble things, To get the proper alignment of Hood and grill the whole front needs to be assembled first, then you have to loosen the fender retaining bolts located at the far rear of the fenders where they meet the bottom cowl legs, (they are up inside the fenders, all adjustments of hood to fender gaps are then achieved by adjusting the rear threaded portion of the long rad stays, one nut inside the car under the dash and the other directly at the cowl.
this can be a little time consuming, at little at one side, then the other, then maybe back the other way on the first one, sometimes its taken me hours on a car thats been fully apart.
Steve

Present
1937 60 convertible coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe
1941 62 coupe

Previous
1936 70 Sport coupe
1937 85 series V12 sedan
1938 60 coupe
1938 50 coupe
1939 60S
1940 62 coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe x2
1941 61 coupe
1941 61 sedan x2
1941 62 sedan x2
1947 62 sedan
1959 62 coupe

olds34dude

Hi R.P. now that is interesting ! thanks so much for that info. I can't wait to check it out. Actually I was in the garage for awhile today and I think that Ihave the alighnment better than I had thought; with the grill in position its really not looking too bad- again thanks so much for your help, D Varney
D. Varney