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 My buddy Garys 56 Sky Hawk - reverse open hood
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sbca96
Commander Member

USA
3056 Posts

Posted - 01/22/2007 :  03:37:27 AM  Show Profile  Visit sbca96's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Update per picture location - 01/15/09

I have known Gary since grade school, he was my next door neighbor,
and pretty much the first person I met when my family moved to Santa
Barbara in 1974. After I got my 60 Hawk, both Gary and another friend
Jason wanted Hawks too. Jason bought a 61 Hawk, which met its end at
least 15 years ago. Mine met its fate about 10 years ago, & Gary's is still
in one peice (cross fingers). Gary gave up on his Hawk when he joined
the forest service and gave it to me. When he returned about 6 months
later - I gave it back. I needed to get my Hawk out of the garage to make
room for my wifes 78 Camaro. So I gave him my Hawk, but this time I
gave him my reverse open hood setup - and installed it. We also agreed
on a list of things he wanted off the hulk. I went up to take some pictures
of the 60 Hawk, and happened to catch him there at the Station. Here are
a few shots of his Hawk, he has been busy with "life", but he still plans on
finishing the Hawk.

Currently, a built 289 Stude engine, Corvette 700-R4 w/Steeltech adapter,
Steeltech front disc brakes, and a Steeltech HEI distributor. It has factory
power windows, and unfortunately a wiring nightmare. The car was saved
from the frontyard of a house in downtown Santa Barbara. Right away it
needed a front clip. It also needed rear springs. Two sets from Newman
& Altman were sent back after they couldnt support the weight of the rear
of the car! Since only one spring was bent, I pulled them both apart, and
alternated the springs - then added a helper 1.5 inch offroad lift spring. It
runs the entire length of the main leaf. That brought the back end up.



Here is a closeup of the reverse open hood I designed years ago.



You can see the hinges poke out just under the chrome. On my Hawk, I
had the bumper adjusted up a bit higher which hid the hinge better.



Not noticeable from further away.



His trunk lid is in better shape.



Here is the hood open.



I mounted the catch struts to the edges of the hood. Just bent some flat
stock metal and through bolted it.



Shot from the other side



Used a Datsun hood latch on each side.





Had a nut welded to the inside of the hood, cut the Datsun bolt to fit, and
used a very thin nut to "lock" the height against the welded nut.



Tom

'63 Avanti, zinc plated drilled & slotted 03 Mustang Cobra 13" front disc/98 GT rear brakes, 03 Cobra 17" wheels, GM alt, 97 Z28 leather seats, soon: 97 Z28 T-56 6-spd, Ported heads w/SST full flow valves, 'R3' 276 cam, Edelbrock AFB Carb, GM HEI distributor, 8.8mm plug wires

Edited by - sbca96 on 01/15/2009 4:02:43 PM

foobar
Golden Hawk Member

930 Posts

Posted - 01/22/2007 :  05:46:00 AM  Show Profile  Visit foobar's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Sure looks like it makes life a lot easier. The one aspect I would try and modify tho, is the placement of the hood spike. Is there a chance you could use the old bolt stud to attach something. That way, you could, practically, make this mod without having to paint the hood over.
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sbca96
Commander Member

USA
3056 Posts

Posted - 01/22/2007 :  11:14:24 AM  Show Profile  Visit sbca96's Homepage  Reply with Quote
If I understand you correctly, you are refering to the welding of the
nut on the hinge reinforcement? I dont remember the heat affecting
the paint that was on the hood at the time. I would guess that if it
was done "slowly" the heat wouldnt be enough to hurt the paint. With
the hood upside down, the heat will "rise" away from the paint. Hard
to say, but you make a good point. The "spike" as you call it (I was
not able to come up with the name) kinda has to go in that spot, to
end up between the firewall and the fender. I sware I think that its
what Stude had in mind, when you consider the weight of the hood, and
the way the reinforcements were made.

Tom
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r1lark
Commander Member

USA
1087 Posts

Posted - 01/23/2007 :  3:53:52 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Tom,

Neat pics, thanks for posting. I always thought the Sky Hawk was the best looking K-body Hawk. I also see that it has painted side grilles, which I personally like a lot.

I love your hood, never thought about that on a Hawk. Sure looks like it increases the access to the engine, plus it looks trick!

Paul

Visit The Studebaker Skytop Registry website at: https://hometown.aol.com/r1skytop/myhomepage/index.html

Edited by - r1lark on 01/24/2007 06:24:23 AM
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sbca96
Commander Member

USA
3056 Posts

Posted - 01/24/2007 :  03:37:28 AM  Show Profile  Visit sbca96's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Thanks Paul, yes it gives an amazing amount of room to get to any
part of the engine. Was a dream to work on. I couldnt stand doing
any work on my 60 Hawk, getting knots on my head from banging it on
the sharp corners that Studebaker designed into the Hawk hood. I had
all painted, monochrome on the 60 Hawk. I can across a set of 1962
GT Hawk front turn signal inserts, the inset ones? They would have
completed the 'clean' look I was going for. The accident changed my
plans and Gary ended up with the hood. I plan on keeping tabs on his
car, so if he ever plans on selling .... guess who will be there?



Tom

Edited by - sbca96 on 01/15/2009 4:04:26 PM
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sweetolbob
Commander Member

USA
1386 Posts

Posted - 01/15/2009 :  6:03:22 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Tom

Simple, neat, well thought out and executed.

Well done

Bob

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BobPalma
Commander Member

USA
5363 Posts

Posted - 01/15/2009 :  6:06:04 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
As easy and natural as that looks, Studebaker should have done it - really! BP
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52hawk
Commander Member

USA
1504 Posts

Posted - 01/15/2009 :  9:07:11 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Tom,Ever since I saw the pic of your backward hood,I've thought I shoulda done it to my car.All I'd want to do is disguise or cover the hinges a little better. Did you do any reinforcement to the lower mounting points? It seems like a lot of strain would be put on that cross bar,which also holds the side grilles although it looks like it's still working just fine!

Oglesby,Il.
Anybody that drives faster than me is a maniac.Anybody that drives slower than me is an idiot.
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fstst56
Regal Member

496 Posts

Posted - 01/15/2009 :  10:39:53 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I've had the grille out of mine before, and was surprised at how much lighter the hood was to lift. I like this conversion because not only does it give you more room to do service work, it must make the hood very easy (light) to lift. Plus you don't have to worry about the hood flying up in your windshield while driving down the highway.

What are the hinges from?
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sbca96
Commander Member

USA
3056 Posts

Posted - 01/15/2009 :  11:17:19 PM  Show Profile  Visit sbca96's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I didnt see a need to reinforce anything up front, that crossbar is
quite stout. Also when the setup was on my '60 Hawk, my bumper sat
a little closer to the grilles and covered the hinges pretty well. I
had to put the hinges out a little in order to get the stainless in
the front to clear when the hood tips. The stainless is a gentle "V"
which makes the "point" move toward the crossbar. The hinges are a
couple of galvanized gate strap hinges bent in a vice. I have thought
about producing a kit, but I doubt I would ever get my investment back.

Tom
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JGK 940
Golden Hawk Member

USA
839 Posts

Posted - 01/16/2009 :  12:57:44 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Tom, that's one fine piece of shadetree engineering: slap-my-forehead-now-why-didn't-I-think-of-that elegant and functional. Thanks for showing it off.

Now I'm trying to figure out how to do something like it with a '53/'54 so when I finally get my hands on one I don't aerate my brain every time I have to climb into the engine box...




Keoni Dibelka / HiloFoto
In Hawai'i; on Hawai'i; on the Windward Side
If da salt air never chew 'em up bumbye da lava will...
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grobb284
Cruiser Member

USA
198 Posts

Posted - 01/16/2009 :  10:13:05 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Tom,

That really does appear to be a clean way to gain more access.
Job well done!

Best regards.


1963 Studebaker Avanti: C4 Corvette narrowed front/rear suspension, C5 13" calipers/rotors adapted to C4, Viper differential with Intrax 3.54 ratio (the snake has been charmed!), coil overs, stainless tubular frame, stainless chambered side exhaust.
Here are two links for some pictures and information.
Slide Show
Magazine Article
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JGK 940
Golden Hawk Member

USA
839 Posts

Posted - 01/17/2009 :  11:11:33 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
We Are Not Alone. Check out the ninth and tenth pics in this thread, just the other side of the red '64 convertible... https://forum.foobar.com/topic.asp?whichpage=1&TOPIC_ID=25514#211472

Keoni Dibelka / HiloFoto
In Hawai'i; on Hawai'i; on the Windward Side
If da salt air never chew 'em up bumbye da lava will...
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sbca96
Commander Member

USA
3056 Posts

Posted - 01/18/2009 :  01:20:00 AM  Show Profile  Visit sbca96's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by JGK 940

We Are Not Alone. Check out the ninth and tenth pics in this thread


Well, I would imagine to see more of them changed by now. I did make
it to a huge LA meet with my Hawk shortly after I made the hood mod.
This would have been around 1992 or so, about 17 years ago. The Hawk
caused quite a stir at the time with its reverse open hood, 700R4 and
the rumble from the turbo mufflers. I answered a ton of questions
and there was a pretty decent crowd gathered when I opened the hood.

I remember parking next to a beautiful Avanti, and my Hawk was a rough
daily driver. He seemed to be worried having a lessor cr near him. As
I opened the hood .... I stole his look-EE-loos.

To clarify ... This setup originated on MY 1960 Hawk, but after it was
totalled in the mid 90's, he bought the setup and I transfered it over.

Tom

Edited by - sbca96 on 01/18/2009 01:21:45 AM
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sbca96
Commander Member

USA
3056 Posts

Posted - 01/18/2009 :  01:21:20 AM  Show Profile  Visit sbca96's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by JGK 940
Now I'm trying to figure out how to do something like it with a '53/'54 so when I finally get my hands on one I don't aerate my brain every time I have to climb into the engine box...


I had planned to eventually do a 53 conversion on my Hawk, so I did
some thinking on how to make a 53 hood open out. What I came up with
was making a pivot point higher up. Where the hood goes down to the
point up front, create a bar to go across between these two structure
points on the fender and remove the latch assembly and the lower area
under the "nose". Then the hood will rise up at the rear, and nose
will tuck under toward the radiator. I realize this is considerably
more work than the Hawk, but could be almost unnoticeable. One could
even add weight to the nose to counter balance the rear of the hood
and make it extremely easy to open.

FYI, I dont have a '53 around here, so I am going on memory from about
15 years ago when I was around one with the hood open.

Tom
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sbca96
Commander Member

USA
3056 Posts

Posted - 11/19/2009 :  02:37:20 AM  Show Profile  Visit sbca96's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I was recently asked to give some more info on this, so here it is :

"Wish you had contacted me before the car left for Wisconsin. I might be
able to get my friend Gary to take a few measurements, basically there
are two struts that sit on home made angle brackets in the pockets right
on the front of the fender. This is where you normally set your wrenches
when working on the car. The upper mount on the hood basically was by
how high the strut reached with the hood open. There are two arcs which
cross. I made little brackets to offset the bolt away from the folded edge
of the hood, and twisted slightly to make the bolt perpendicular to the way
the strut needed to rotate. The two latches I used bicycle brake cables
and compression bolts (with the hole the cable passes through and when
it is tightened it grabs the cable). When you pulled the one cable it also
pulled a second cable that opened the opposite latch. The Avanti uses
a similar setup, but a bent rod instead.

The latches were off a Datsun 510 or Z. I think I got one of each. Memory
says they were the same part :



Hood struts came from a 70's Triumph :



I used both the spring end and the catch. I had a thick nut welded to the
hinge support, and then used a thin nut to lock the adustment. The hinge
was two gate strap hinges bent to hind behind the lower stainless piece
that runs the length of the front hood edge. I drilled through the hood and
support tube from the front and bolted the strap hinge the the hood behind
the stainless. This kept the bolt heads away from the hinge so they dont
get pinched and hold the hood up higher. I drilled the lower support that
holds the side assemblies on the bottom, and bolted the other end of the
strap hinge to it. I pretty much went together pretty easy."

Tom
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sbca96
Commander Member

USA
3056 Posts

Posted - 11/19/2009 :  02:48:32 AM  Show Profile  Visit sbca96's Homepage  Reply with Quote
The only thing I failed to mention was to make sure that the strut is
not going to bottom out BEFORE the hood closes, that is the deciding
factor on where the top mount of the strut attaches to the hood edge.
I think I mounted the bottom first, then collapsed the strut, opened
it a little, and then closed the hood eyeballing the mounting bolt. I
then made the little bracket, with two bolts holding it to the hood
and one tapped hole in the bracket for the mounting bolt.

Tom
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jimmijim8
Commander Member

USA
1607 Posts

Posted - 11/19/2009 :  03:51:03 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Very good Tom. jimmijim

Stude Junkie+++++++Do it right the f$$$$ Time. Never mind. Just do it right. When youre done your done. You'll know it.
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bams50
Commander Member

11629 Posts

Posted - 11/19/2009 :  05:39:05 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Another great engineering job from Tommy R. The disc conversion, the TREMEC conversion, now this. What's next?? Keep 'em comin'!!

Robert (Bob) Andrews- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys)
Parish, central NY 13131


GOD BLESS AMERICA





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55champion
Regal Member

USA
487 Posts

Posted - 11/19/2009 :  07:28:38 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Great work and you really thought everything through.
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candbstudebakers
Commander Member

USA
1721 Posts

Posted - 11/19/2009 :  09:40:37 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Nice set up, easy to work under, but Sky hawks still look better with a sky hawk hood...Bob

Bob Peterson / C & B Studebakers

Castro Valley, CA
canbstudebakers-
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Captain Billy
Regal Member

Canada
261 Posts

Posted - 11/19/2009 :  10:34:02 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I would like to get my hands on a reverse hood system for my 53, in a previous thread on this subject someone posted pics of a member car, John Martin, from the Ozark chapter who has a nice reverse hood set up on his modified 53. I tried to contact him, but alas my roster is old and John's phone number has changed.

I know Jerry Forrester does this mod, but John Martins set is sweet.



Bill Foy
Kingston, Ontario
1964 Wagonaire Slider
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sbca96
Commander Member

USA
3056 Posts

Posted - 11/19/2009 :  12:11:01 PM  Show Profile  Visit sbca96's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by candbstudebakers

Sky hawks still look better with a sky hawk hood...Bob


Agreed, unfortunately this Hawk had the hood open up and fold in half.
He had a replacement, but the corners were bent, and bent back. I sold
him my setup a few years after I totaled it. Early hoods arent easy
to find, even out here in 'rust free' California.

Tom
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3x2stude
Champion Member

USA
25 Posts

Posted - 11/19/2009 :  5:32:46 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Tom,

Thanx again for adding the additional info to the site. I have already located places to purchase NOS and or mint used struts and latches. I will post the sources as soon as I get my parts purchased.

Soon to be front flippin'

Jon Kammer
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3x2stude
Champion Member

USA
25 Posts

Posted - 11/19/2009 :  5:34:50 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Tom,

Thanx again for adding the additional info to the site. I have already located places to purchase NOS and or mint used struts and latches. I will post the sources as soon as I get my parts purchased.

Soon to be front flippin'

Jon Kammer
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Jerry Forrester
Golden Hawk Member

USA
932 Posts

Posted - 11/19/2009 :  6:28:11 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I don't work on other people's vehicles (and don't work on mine very much anymore). I have done only ONE reverse opening hood. It was on a '53 'C' and it worked very well but it was just waaaaaaaay too much work.

Sold that car to a guy in either Penn. or Ohio. He said he had a Viper V-10 to go in it.
quote:
Originally posted by Captain Billy



I know Jerry Forrester does this mod, but John Martins set is sweet.

Bill Foy
Kingston, Ontario
1964 Wagonaire Slider




Jerry Forrester
Douglasville, Georgia
Be sure to check out my eBay store
https://stores.ebay.com/CHROME-CHROME-CHROME
for your shiny Stude stuff


More pix of Leo the '55 Pres HT here...https://tinyurl.com/2gj6cu
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silverhawk
Commander Member

USA
2021 Posts

Posted - 11/19/2009 :  8:57:20 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I dig that hood set up! Maybe if I got a custom hawk someday, that will happen,lol!

Dylan Wills

'61 lark deluxe 4 door wagon
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candbstudebakers
Commander Member

USA
1721 Posts

Posted - 11/19/2009 :  11:53:15 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
56 hawk hoods , how many do you want? hard to ship...Bob

Bob Peterson / C & B Studebakers

Castro Valley, CA
canbstudebakers-
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sbca96
Commander Member

USA
3056 Posts

Posted - 11/20/2009 :  1:58:12 PM  Show Profile  Visit sbca96's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by 3x2stude

Tom,

Thanx again for adding the additional info to the site. I have already located places to purchase NOS and or mint used struts and latches. I will post the sources as soon as I get my parts purchased.

Soon to be front flippin'

Jon Kammer



Sweet, you might photo document the process and do a tech article to
show how its done, its not as hard as some make it out to be, at least
with the Hawks anyway - the '53 hood is not so "easy".

PS 3x2 .. to delete multiple posts, click the trash can on the second
post and type in your password.

Tom

Edited by - sbca96 on 11/20/2009 1:59:54 PM
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bezhawk
Cruiser Member

USA
107 Posts

Posted - 11/20/2009 :  7:55:33 PM  Show Profile  Visit bezhawk's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I did something very similar to my 56 Flight Hawk (w 327) in 1979.
I used 3/4 electrical conduit and curved it to match the edge of the hood for reinforcement.I used steel pop rivets to attach them. It looks like we used the same hinges
For a latch I drilled a hole in the back of the "hinge bump" and a corresponding hole in the pocket area of the firewall. I then threaded a brass fitting in these holes.The brass acted as a bushing. Then I ran a legnth of rod through the bushing into the hole in the hood. Kinda like a hood pin running "latterally". The rod was long enough to go all the way from the dash board edges. I drilled a small hole in the rod and put a cotter pin then a washer and a spring pushing against the back side of the dash.(So the rods wouldn't vibrate loose. I put lavatory faucet handles on the end of the rod (they had "H" (for hot) on them) kinda a crazy way of latching but it worked very well. The only draw back was you had to reach through the open door and pull the rod while simultaneiously pushing down on the hood corner.
What the heck I was 18 at the time!
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sbca96
Commander Member

USA
3056 Posts

Posted - 04/26/2010 :  10:02:09 PM  Show Profile  Visit sbca96's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Here are some more detailed pictures for those considering this mod:


































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bams50
Commander Member

11629 Posts

Posted - 04/27/2010 :  05:20:37 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Excellent Tom, as with all your other projects. One thing I couldn't quite see is how the hinges bolt to the hood- under that filler strip?

Robert (Bob) Andrews- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys)
Parish, central NY 13131


GOD BLESS AMERICA
Ephesians 6:10-17





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