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View Full Version : no more hood prop rod for L-body



fishcleaner
04-23-2009, 12:10 AM
I bought Redline Tunings neon gas strut hood kit and modified the larger bracket by spinning the ball stud to the opposite side to fit my Omni, it works great but near zero clearance around the strut when the hood is closed.

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh31/fishcleaner_photos/hoodgasstrut.jpg

135sohc
04-23-2009, 12:31 AM
I've always liked how chrysler used self supporting hinges on the K based stuff. Just one of those little 'extras' that used to be standard, instead of a dumb prop rod or gas struts to go flat.

looks good :thumb:

WickedShelby88
04-23-2009, 01:26 AM
If it works I say go for it. Also there are little clamps you can buy to go on the gas struts anyhow that are still far more convenient than a damn prop rod any day. Great idea!

Johnny
04-23-2009, 02:43 AM
Great idea, I'd like to do that.

I bought Redline Tunings neon gas strut hood kit
Contact info? model?

Marcus86GLHS
04-23-2009, 05:19 AM
cool mod.

do i see a modern HEMI badge on maybe a dodge dart in the background?

fishcleaner
04-23-2009, 01:22 PM
cool mod.

do i see a modern HEMI badge on maybe a dodge dart in the background?
good eye, you nailed it, it's my buddy's car, we built it over the winter, he is letting me use his empty bay in the garage for helping him with the car. Its a 5.7 Hemi bored and stroked to 426, you can check it out on his site
http://www.crazy4carz.com/index.php
go to the forums link/muscle cars/soon to be muscle car project dart thread, its the whole build-up. He now has 50 miles on
the car and we will be taking it to Cecil County this Saturday to see how it runs

Marcus86GLHS
04-23-2009, 03:19 PM
very nice old school-new school combo.

fishcleaner
04-23-2009, 09:41 PM
Great idea, I'd like to do that.
Contact info? model?

this is the kit
http://www.redlinetuning.com/QL-DODGE-NEON-9505.html

rare_ram
04-23-2009, 10:06 PM
Nice, I was planning on doing this, now I can buy a kit and make it easier.

shelbydave
04-23-2009, 10:10 PM
Same here. I've been looking at the struts from an Intrepid 'cuz they're so small.

TurbododgePirate
04-24-2009, 10:05 AM
FRICK thats a lot of money.

risen
04-24-2009, 10:24 AM
My bro put the same thing on our omni. They can almost snap the hood down too hard if you just drop it from a foot up. Stops the droopy hood syndrome, it's like Viagra for L-Bodies.

Johnny
04-24-2009, 10:41 AM
I ordered a set for my car. Been wanting to do this for years.

Johnny

Johnny
04-24-2009, 10:43 AM
fishcleaner, how did you know where to locate the attachment points?

turboshad
04-24-2009, 12:39 PM
fishcleaner, how did you know where to locate the attachment points?

The critical distance will be when it is closed so take the shortest strut length and then add a 1/4" or so to give some oops room. That is the distance the two ends need to be apart when the hood is closed. The closer you locate the strut to the hood hinge, the higher the hood will be when open.


PS. Stuts look sweet :thumb:

fishcleaner
04-24-2009, 11:23 PM
The critical distance will be when it is closed so take the shortest strut length and then add a 1/4" or so to give some oops room. That is the distance the two ends need to be apart when the hood is closed. The closer you locate the strut to the hood hinge, the higher the hood will be when open.


PS. Stuts look sweet :thumb:
thats it, but you have to watch for the fender bolts, there isn't enough room for the strut to sit on top of a bolt, you could remove a bolt and push the strut back a little more for a higher hood raise but where I put it seams like enough clearance for working on the motor.

The bracket on the hood is the larger one, I had to heat up the ball stud to remove it and weld it on the opposite side, the bracket was also bent to form to the hood bracing. It is also centered in the recess where the hood pinches in and the front side of the other bracket was drilled out larger and I used the fender bolt in that hole, it should work for your car but check it first. it may be easier to make your own bracket for the hood longer so it doesn't fall in that recess, its tight but does work.

The struts work great, I giggled like a little school girl when the hood went up by itself the first time. Here is a blow up of the hood bracket

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh31/fishcleaner_photos/hoodgasstrut1.jpg

WLKivett
04-28-2009, 01:23 PM
That's pretty cool.

Has anyone used Shadow hood hinges on an L body? Everytime I raise the hood on my CSX my Rampage gets envious. :o P bodies have the springs built in and I would think, if possible, could work just as well.

minigts
05-25-2009, 11:59 PM
I did the kit too, but used a set for the Mustang, earlier years that would fit a 90 model.

http://www.minigts.com/car/charger/engine/engine.JPG

What I did was mount the base of the shocks just behind the weatherstrip and then simply propped the hood up to the highest point, swung the shock up with the bracket connected and then marked where the holes would go. I did make sure to measure the points where the brackets would be in relation to the length of the shock when fully compressed. One side allows the rod of the shock to be exposed like 1/4 of an inch. The other side is PERFECT. The overall length of the strut is like 20.5" or 21" uncompressed. The shock base is like 10". These dimensions are for the 1990 Mustang ones though. And I thought I was the only one with cool hood shocks! hehe The cost of these shipped was like $75, which for the problem of saggy hoods and ugly painted and flaking prop rods, it was worth it.

cordes
05-26-2009, 12:04 AM
Those rods look really nice guys. Thanks for taking the time to post them up.

minigts
05-26-2009, 12:08 AM
Sorry that it's hard to tell, but the brackets for the lower part of the shock are mounted on the INSIDE of the fender, not on the fender.

Reeves
08-20-2016, 02:47 PM
looking to do this before drag week. any new news on this mod?

minigts
08-22-2016, 09:46 AM
Just be sure to mount the hardware on the body of the car. The shock will fit inside the channel of the fender without touching. If you mount it where we've discussed, you'll get a greater angle on the hood opening, the struts will be out of the way and you won't have to drill into the fender and also have to remove it in case you have to move the fender for any reason.

59205 59204 59203

Explanation of the three types http://www.redlinetuning.com/Articles.asp?ID=252

21-11012-01 $70 Standard
21-11012-02 $90 Plus
21-11012-03 $120 Elite

contraption22
08-22-2016, 04:07 PM
I like this.