8
**Close the hood (that is still attached to the stock hinges). From the fender wells,or which ever method you decided to use to mark the upper mount, position the new hinges so they are in contact with the bottom side of the hood. Mark your holes on the hood with a marker or a scribe.
Raise the hood and drill your holes. The holes should line up with one of the support beams on
the bottom of the hood. You can drill a larger hole about 3/8" away from the mounting hole or
you can use a cutting wheel and make 2 slots in the side of this support beam for clip nuts (or
speed nuts whatever you call them (like the ones on the fender wells and rad support).
![]()
Heres a pic of the clip nuts and bolts used to mount the upper hinge bracket to the hood.
**Once you have your holes drilled and clip nuts installed set the hood back into it original
position (like the stock hinges were still connected to bracket). At this point… close the hood
and from the fender wells line up your new hinge with the drilled holes and mount using bolts (I
used ones from the fenderwells). Now if you didnt pull the fenderwells you can have someone help you hold the hood while you bolt it to the upper hinge bracket. There is plenty of room for
adjustablility on the hinge assembly for adjustment if need be.
**Release the hood latch and pop the hood open, pull up/forward and fold the hood down in front of the grill to make sure everything operates properly. Also check to make sure the hood is not banging into your grille or bumper while it hangs. If everything looks ok… you are ready for the next step. (if the hood bangs into the grille or bumper, you might need to go back and
reposition where the lower hinge is located. It would have to be moved closer to the rad
support). Also check and make sure the rubber stop is not cracked. If so you should be able to
get new ones from the dealer.
![]()
**Now you will need to remove the windsheild wiper arms and cowl. Should only be a bolt on
either side. Now you can remove the bolt on either side that holds the upper hood hinge to the
lower bracket under the cowl. Leaving the stock hinges attached to the hood so that they can
still be used later on. Next, You will need to cut the lip of the stock hinge bracket located
under the cowl. The bracket stands straight up… you will need to cut enough off of it so that
you can hammer the bracket down covering the slip where the stock hinge was located. This will
latch the rear of the hood into the firewall. Make sure you shoot some paint over it so it doesn't rust. Doesn't have to be pretty the cowl will cover it all up.
![]()
This is a pic of the bracket cut and hammered down. this is how it should look.
**Next close the hood till the stock hinge hits the bracket you just hammered down. Mark this
spot on the stock hinges and cut it. (you may need to cut it at an angle so it allows for easier
operation on the hood when opening and closing it. Open and close the hood several times and
make sure it closes properly and the rear hooks clear the bracket. (when hood is fully closed…
the stock hinges should slide under the hammered down bracket and touch them from underneath… this will work to keep your hood from flying open..)
![]()
This is the cut of the stock hinges.
![]()
This is a pic of how the stock hinge should slip back into the stock bracket after it s cut. this will hold the hood down.
** Next reinstall the cowl. Now you can mount your extra set of hood snubbers to keep the rear
of the hood level with the body and keep it from bouncing going down the road. If you decide not
to use hood snubbers.. you will just hear a very annoying rattle while driving… I suggest using
them. You can mount them in the runoff tray off the cowl. That’s it, now your hood flips open to the front. A very easy and inexpensive modification. From beginning to end it took me about 2 hours… some it may be faster.
Heres some pics of the finished product.
![]()
![]()
![]()
Raise the hood and drill your holes. The holes should line up with one of the support beams on
the bottom of the hood. You can drill a larger hole about 3/8" away from the mounting hole or
you can use a cutting wheel and make 2 slots in the side of this support beam for clip nuts (or
speed nuts whatever you call them (like the ones on the fender wells and rad support).
Heres a pic of the clip nuts and bolts used to mount the upper hinge bracket to the hood.
**Once you have your holes drilled and clip nuts installed set the hood back into it original
position (like the stock hinges were still connected to bracket). At this point… close the hood
and from the fender wells line up your new hinge with the drilled holes and mount using bolts (I
used ones from the fenderwells). Now if you didnt pull the fenderwells you can have someone help you hold the hood while you bolt it to the upper hinge bracket. There is plenty of room for
adjustablility on the hinge assembly for adjustment if need be.
**Release the hood latch and pop the hood open, pull up/forward and fold the hood down in front of the grill to make sure everything operates properly. Also check to make sure the hood is not banging into your grille or bumper while it hangs. If everything looks ok… you are ready for the next step. (if the hood bangs into the grille or bumper, you might need to go back and
reposition where the lower hinge is located. It would have to be moved closer to the rad
support). Also check and make sure the rubber stop is not cracked. If so you should be able to
get new ones from the dealer.
**Now you will need to remove the windsheild wiper arms and cowl. Should only be a bolt on
either side. Now you can remove the bolt on either side that holds the upper hood hinge to the
lower bracket under the cowl. Leaving the stock hinges attached to the hood so that they can
still be used later on. Next, You will need to cut the lip of the stock hinge bracket located
under the cowl. The bracket stands straight up… you will need to cut enough off of it so that
you can hammer the bracket down covering the slip where the stock hinge was located. This will
latch the rear of the hood into the firewall. Make sure you shoot some paint over it so it doesn't rust. Doesn't have to be pretty the cowl will cover it all up.
This is a pic of the bracket cut and hammered down. this is how it should look.
**Next close the hood till the stock hinge hits the bracket you just hammered down. Mark this
spot on the stock hinges and cut it. (you may need to cut it at an angle so it allows for easier
operation on the hood when opening and closing it. Open and close the hood several times and
make sure it closes properly and the rear hooks clear the bracket. (when hood is fully closed…
the stock hinges should slide under the hammered down bracket and touch them from underneath… this will work to keep your hood from flying open..)
This is the cut of the stock hinges.
This is a pic of how the stock hinge should slip back into the stock bracket after it s cut. this will hold the hood down.
** Next reinstall the cowl. Now you can mount your extra set of hood snubbers to keep the rear
of the hood level with the body and keep it from bouncing going down the road. If you decide not
to use hood snubbers.. you will just hear a very annoying rattle while driving… I suggest using
them. You can mount them in the runoff tray off the cowl. That’s it, now your hood flips open to the front. A very easy and inexpensive modification. From beginning to end it took me about 2 hours… some it may be faster.
Heres some pics of the finished product.
