Problem is the hinge arms don't line up with the hood mounting nuts. https://shoebox-central.com/ba-16796-7-pr-1952-1953-1954-ford-mercury-hood-hinge-hinges-pair-new Breaking out the tape measure, the distance between the front arms is 47" across, the distance between the front hood mounting nuts is 47" across.......so that's good. Distance between the rear arms is 48.5" across and the distance between the rear hood mounting nuts is 50" across. 1-1/2" short. The rear arms won't bend at all. Don't want to heat and bend the arms so I was thinking, add a 3/4" spacer on each side and use a longer bolt. My concern is, there's a lot of stress on the 5/16" mounting bolts as it is. That would be compounded by a spacer and longer bolt. What do you all think?
If I was in your shoes, a spacer, a grade 8 bolt and a prayer. Hope it works out for you. That green looks good!
Did you get the correct bolts from Shoebox too ? Do you have the Ford Parts Manual with the Illustration pictures ? There are wave washers that go on those bolts, that illustration may help. This member may be able to help, he was a long time member of the 1954 Ford Club https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/conversations/add?to=HOTRODPRIMER
I compared your hood measurements to one of my '54's and they agree. I have OEM hinges in good condition on all of my '54's. These OEM hinges are poorly designed and weak. Having removed and reinstalled many hoods on my cars over the years, I recall that there was at least 3/4" movement in the hinge arms in order to line them up with the caged nuts in the hood. I have never seen the reproduction hinges in person but I recall that they are advertised as having heavier gauge steel for the arms and larger pivot pins. They are probably a tighter ***embly than the OEM hinges 60+ year old hinges. This may explain why you can't get the arms to move at least 3/4" outward to line up with the hood nuts. If I paid over $500.00 for a pair of repro. hinges, I would for sure not heat and bend the arms as they should be able to work as sold to you. These hinges already use some delicate geometry in order to work correctly and if you bend them in a way other than how they were made, they may not work correctly. As far as using some generic grade 8 bolts of longer length and spacers, that will not work as the OEM and repro. hood bolts have a shoulder next to the head that the hood pivots on. It looks like you are building a nice car so you should not have to use a "Mickey Mouse" solution to solve the problem after investing over $500.00 in these hinges. Are you using the correct hood shoulder bolts? Also, as pointed out by Jeff, there are supposed to be thin wave washers used where the hood pivots on the hinge and the front arms are supposed to have special 1/8" thick serrated on one side fender style washers placed between the arm and the hood. These serrated washers have often gone missing on '52-54 cars over the years and without them you cannot hold the hood elevation adjustment. You either need to get the rear hinge arms to move 3/4" outward to meet the hood installation points or contact Shoebox Central to discuss the problem. Let us know how you resolve this.
Problem solved. Cause: Operator error! I tried to rush and install it with just me and my wife. After sleeping on it, I got a couple of neighbors to come over and help today. It went together perfectly and opens and closes like a dream! I found my original hood bolts but no wave washers. Anyone know where I can pick up some 5/16" wave washers? Thanks for everyone's suggestions! I'm gonna try to update my build thread later this week.
Glad to hear you got it figured out. I was going to suggest calling Chris at Shoebox Central to see what he thought. He is a pretty good guy.
I know nothing about 52-54 hood hinges, just wanted to say what's pictured above is not what I considered to be a "wave" washer.
These '52-'54 hood hinges use BOTH thin wave washers at the pivot points and those serrated fender washers where the front hinge arm bolts to the hood in order to lock in the hood elevation adjustment.
Great idea! The serrated washers were my next question. If you don't mind, I'm gonna copy that! Now, once again....where can I find some wave washers for the other side?? Also, thanks for the accolades on the Firemist Green metallic! I'm still up in the air on whether to paint the roof white for a two-tone effect or just one single Firemist Green color on the whole car?
Any good hardware store (not the "Big Box" places) should have them. You need a store like "Ace Hardware" which has ***orted screws, nuts washers, etc. in those little drawers. I bought some at my local Ace Hardware.
The wave washers can be found at some Ace Hardware stores. The serrated washers you will have to make like in the picture above or order these. https://www.boltdepot.com/Product-D...CqeDGrzYVqp5ltgPaUNcI2ljL-C-OqmgaArMhEALw_wcB
Thanks for the tip! Apparently, wave washers aren't going to work on my aftermarket hinges. The wave washers are too wide to fit in the recesses that are machined into the arms. However, a 1/4" flat washer fits perfectly into the recesses. I drilled the washer centers out to 3/8" to fit over the bolt shoulder and everything fits perfectly!
Just don't forget to lube those new ones monthly and you should be good to go, and follow the hood adjustment procedure in the 1952-54 Shop Manual.
Probably 3/16" wider than the bolt head all the way around. Factory hinge arms are flat unlike the aftermarket arms which have the recess.
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