Stupid flange around a roundhood

[sorekiwi 761]

My Lawn Ranger (1963) has a stiffening flange around the edge of the sides of the hood. The clearest picture of what I'm talking about is on "oldandred"'s beautiful 754:

Its a perfect moisture trap, and mine is severely rusted and falling apart.

My 502 doesnt have this flange (and doesnt appear to ever have) and looking at the picture gallery it seems that 1961 and earlier never had them. All the 62 on models do appear to have them. They definately do stiffen up the hood considerably.

So whats the consensus on how I should repair this? Make some reproductions? I probably could do it, but I think the whole idea of an upside down channel to catch water is stupid, and it seems like it will be a PITA to paint.

Or should I just weld a strip of steel on the back to stiffen the hood up, and go with the streamlined look?

Dont want to upset the WH correctness police around here...

[oldandred 15]

some of the hoods had that flange and I forgot the ones that do and dont you can always take it off and use body filler and make a new one it just takes time like every thing else

Thanks for the kind words on the 754 I have three more one thats started the hole wheel hores thng back in 1996 it been redone but needs to be touched up a bit it goes to all the showes and gets a little nick here and there.just may be my next years show I will have the other two ready to show wouldnt that be some thing four 754s in one spot.

[linen beige 15]

My Lawn Ranger (1963) has a stiffening flange around the edge of the sides of the hood. All the 62 on models do appear to have them.

My 702 doesn't have one. My 704 does. B)

[joebob 45]

if you replace it, seal or glue it on, there is all kinds of things you can use but use something in the autobody line or something designed for metal to metal contact, just tape off the surface you dont want to get the stuff on, or most of it cleans up really well with wax and grease cleaner , and some can be smoothed with just a little water and your finger or ? this will stop the rust from getting what it needs (water) and if you use a auto panel bonding glue it will hold back the rust that is there already better then just about anything else.

[sorekiwi 761]

if you replace it, seal or glue it on, there is all kinds of things you can use but use something in the autobody line or something designed for metal to metal contact.

The origional one was spot welded on the back in 3 or 4 places. If I do replace them Iwas going to do the same thing, but now youve got me thinking.

If I glue them on, I could paint the hood first, then put the flange on.

I've used that 3M panel adhesive before. Damn is that stuff strong! Have to borrow a gun though, they're about $300

[joebob 45]

if you have used the (8115)3m glue, dont even bother with the welding that just brings in moisture and that will start rust all over again also at the holding weight of 3000# per inch you will wreck the hood before they fall off, and about the gun that easy to do with out one just use something that pushes the plunger the same,(without the nozzel on)I just use a large dowl with marks, just do one at a time the same amount and mix by hand, this stuff isn't that touchy on mixture just get it close and mix it well, but just alot easyer with the gun and mix nozzels ( hint, you can heat the stuff to make it cure faster and it sands pretty easy to, if you need to)

[sorekiwi 761]

Thanks JoeBob,

They use this stuff a lot on Indycars to improve the fit of the bodypanels. One panel is masked off with packing tape, then the bodywork is fitted and all the gaps filled with this stuff.

The next morning you hope like hell that your masking worked and you can get it apart again! A bit more sanding and filling and you end up with invisible joints on the bodywork.

I've also seen cars that have hit at over 200 mph, and the stuff has held up OK.

[joebob 45]

yea great stuff it was a product of a aircraft builder for attaching panels to the big birds , think of the forces they go thru, good luck with the hood project

[badbowtie 0]

Being a fabricator Im not much on glues, adhesives, or body fillers. Glues separate, adhesives come unstuck, and body fillers crack. Im not familiar with that style hood but Im sure you want to do a job that you could be proud of. Dont take the easy way out do it right. If there is enough of the original hood left take it to a Fab shop and get some new edges made up. I wouldnt let them weld it though unless you can trust them not warp the pi$$ out of it. If you cant weld it yourself find someone you trust to do it. Then just grind it smooth, maybe add a LITTLE spot putty to even things out, paint it, and pat yourself on the back for a job well done