Hot Rods Help with hood top installation

I am wanting to install a hood top only on my 32 Ford Roadster. I have a really good fit between the top of the cowling and the grill shell. The body line is perfect. What have yall found as a good way to secure the hood top without using straps? I may want to ride with the top off but most of the time it wil lbe on. I would like to have the hold downs hidden. Does anyone have a picture of how you did this?

Thanks a bunch.

Scott

 

Build a set of brackets for the front that mount to the rad shell and use a rod which slips into the hood top ring mounts for the hood sides. You simply slide the rod forward into the rad shell bracket.
At the rear you can do the same thing using brackets mounted to the cowl/firewall lip.

 

i use 2 rubber bungie straps,its easy and cant be seen,just use the hooks in the holes for the hood rods

 

done that several times. i put the hood rods in the hood sides with an adel clamp , then hook to that. make sure that your bungies are not too strong as to bend the hood

 

Do you have any pictures of this? I`m having a hard to visioning this.

Thanks

 

I can't offer any help because I'm looking at the same task in the future, except mine is on a Brookville "A" hiboy with a Brookville 1 piece top.
So I'm posting so that I'll get notified when others post,and maybe I'll get some ideas also!
Dave

 

Saw this setup yesterday. It was two rods with hooks on each end. The rods then are tied together in the center with a spring. The rods hooked into small eye bolts welded to the inside of the hood sides. Had one at the back of the hood (pic) and one up at the front of the hood. A little more complicated than has been suggested, but different.

 

Here's a few pics that might help. It's a little on the primative side but it works quite well. It's just a piece of 1/4 in. stainless rod tapped for a vertical screw so you can reach under the hood and slide the rod back and forth


The front hook on the shell is kind of home made. I'm sure Boyd or Brizo would have come up with something a little more elegant but this works for me..The rear is just a reverse of this with a different shaped bracket.
Good luck

 

On my old 33 Ford truck i used modern brake drum springs at each corner to hold it down ( most common brake hardware kits have whats needed) . I welded small tabs on the underside of the hood, at the lower corners, then corresponding tabs on the shell and off the rad support bars at the firewall (my bars ran just below the hood at the sides, not at the top like most). The rear tabs could easily be mounted to the firewall instead either by welding, or bolting.
Then, set the hood on and with a pair of side cutter's or pliers, just pull each spring in place.
NEVER cam loose or off and held it tight. And when i ran without the hood, you barely noticed the tabs they were so small.
Just a cheap, functional idea.

Tony

 

I like this idea! I may have to use it if I ever pull the side panels off the Essex.

 

Thanks guys for the input and pictures