53 chevy hood spring help

Is there a trick to putting the hood springs back on a 53 chevy car?

 

this isn't me, but my cousin used this to install his.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9jc8E0aN3k



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9DHUHLoKwA

 

HI Adam
they can be a real *****! not so bad if its not painted and you have extra fingers. you can try to grab both ends of the spring and "bend" it over. have someone stick large washers in between each "spring". now bend it the other way and fill it with washers. now its 1 1/2" longer. test fit it to the hinge.....when you get it on just close the hood and the washers fall out

 

Do a search,There are a couple of threads showing how to do it with a tool made out of rebar,works great.

 

Here's my home made version of the tool in the Chevy shop manual. Take a piece of 1-1/2" pipe and cut it in half lengthwise. Weld a couple large washers on the ends or in my case, hole saw cut outs and your done. When the springs are on the car you just position the hood so the springs are stretched and slip the tool in. If the springs are already out you need to stretch the spring somehow. Never thought of the floor jack used in the video in the first post but with a little strength and a couple pieces of rod you can stretch the spring by hand. Put the rods in the hooks and stand on one rod while pulling up on the other. You then need a friend to slip the tool in. Once the tool is in it's secure so there's little chance of the spring snapping loose and biting you.

 

search for this thread....54 chevy hood spring install ?
check this thread post number 6 shows the tool....

 

sure looks easy with no fenders
when i was a kid i just used a stick i think

gonna have to deal with this too soon