My hood does not stand up !

My 1973 365 has the two hood pistons (DISPOSITIVO APERTURA E SOSTEGNO COFANO - Europsares PART N.253-28-550-00) that are gone... maybe gas (oil?) is totally gone after 40 years and I have to use a dead branch every time I have to keep the hood up (!!!).
Eurospares, who I contacted several times in the last two years, has no replacement, neither new or recovered from parts cars.
I've investigated in NW Italy (where I live) and could not find any, nor anybody able to repair/recharge... they seem to be completely sealed...
Is there anyone with the same experience... and/or with a solution ?
Thanks
Marco

 

Hi Marco,
The Ferrari Club 400 site proposes a work around for that situation:

European Ferrari 400 Club » Vérins de capot-moteur, une solution provisoire

It is in French but Google Translate will help.

Essentially drill a hole in the piston just below the body of the jack when the hood is in open position (and the jack fully extended). Use a pin through that hole to keep the jack extended. Remove the pin to allow the hood to close.

These jacks cannot be repaired. However they can be replaced by locally manufactured ones.

I had that done on two cars in France and it works well.

The garage which did that for me is Atelier Automobile in Lyon, France

e-mail: [email protected]


rovexienus

 

I am surprised you can't repair them.
We have several strut re-gas businesses in Aussie.

 

These gas filled struts can be rebuilt. There is a previous post here that gives the information. That way you will still have the original Ferrari struts with new insides. Also there are replacement struts avaible through American Auto Parts stores. When using aftermarket struts make sure of the resistance values of the replacement struts as they come in varing degrees of resistance. They usually start out at 30 pound and then in increments to over 150 pounds. If you replace them with sturts that use excessive pressure to colapse you can damage either the hood, or the mounting brakes on the hood or body.

Howard Musolf
1981 308gtsi]
1982 400i cabriolet
1994 348 spyder

 

Thanks everybody, good suggestions.
My preference is to try and keep them as they are, i.e. no change or modifications... I'll try and search more, either for a replecement or re-gassing... last option will be the pin-lock, which I've seen and it actually works fine !
btw, is Ricambi America selling on-line ? when I try to access their website, I can't dind any contact... nor on Google+ where they are active on advertising...

have a great day
Marco

 

Lift Support Technologies .com. They are in Canada. They are very knowledgeable. The completely rebuild the struts at about $75-$80US. I hope this helps you. Jq.

 

He has the design to build 400i struts from scratch. They did them for me with me giving them dimensions and sending him pictures he requested. That way you do not have pay freight of old ones to him.
Ken

 

Have you tried a bit of Viagra?

 

tried with the blue pill and also with the other one... no way, the hood does not stand up ... a bit earlier than expected (at the age of 40 ...) but predictable...

I truly appreciate all your help; as said, I'll go first for soemone (local ?) who can re-gas and, if nobody's available, will consider the pin-lock... which is not ideal, but keeps the original struts and is safe !

it's really nice to have this amazing support from experts and/or F'ers who just have the same experience...

Have a very great day, ciao
Marco

 

I've eventually decided to adopt an interim solution, which is safe and preserves the original struts... a simple 1200 mm aluminium rod, with rubber pads on both ends.
Easy and unusually (for the 365's) unexpensive... 7€ / 10 US$...

Now waiting for some decent weather to take the first 2013 ride... hope soon.

Bye bye
Marco
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That is a nice solution and an improvement on the sawed off broom handle that I used on my 400i. I found that it gave me peace of mind because my struts would hold up the hood in calm weather but that almost any gust of wind could cause the hood to slam shut noisily.

I don't know if it is possible for your aluminum strut, but I painted my broom handle to match the color of my car, silver, so that it had the appearance of being from the factory!

 

LOL...LOL...."The ubiquitous Maranello Broom Handle" Molte Bene, Still laughing. (I'd think to employ pvc but to each, his own."

 

I must admit it's not the best solution but it's simple and works... I'll continue to look around for someone who can rebuild the struts, in the meanwhile I can stop worrying about my hood coming down on my head !!!

 

I noted mine are weak; only to be employed in "winds are calm" conditions. I may invest in a Hood Staff too.

 

I can sell it to you, or give you the royalties of the Broom Handle if you want to start a 3rd millenium business !!! market perspective is (maybe) 2 or 3 in the next 10 to 20 years...
Pure italian design, 50 years money-back guaranteed (maybe more... but I won't be there to respond to your claim !), easy to use (it comes with a full handbook with pictures - in 25 langauges), portable and easily adaptable to different Ferrari models...
looking forward to receiving your order(s), have a great weekend
Marco

 

This is a temporary solution but effective.

As stated above Rovexienus :
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Temp solution looks doable, thanks - I wish I hadn't already ordered 100 of Vecchio59's "alum-struts". His offer w/ guarantees was too good to pass up.

 

Wow, I didn't realize I had such a successfull business in my hands !!!
A hundred pieces in the first day, the future looks bright.. I'll probably invest in R&D and flood the market with amazing new tools that nobody will want to miss: top secret for now, but some insiders will easily identify areas of development (e.g. replace 6 Webers with just one and increase mileage from 10 to 20+ mpg... and avoid speeding tickets, as your F won't make more than 50 mph... or, shutdown 6 of the 12 by simply pulling out the spark plug pipe...)
Jokes apart, the only truth is that most of the times when your F needs attention, your wallet goes on depression... but we have a mission, that is to keep our wonderful F at their very best, we don't like failures and shall succeed.
Have a great day, Marco

 

bonsoir a tous
personnellement
j'ai sorti 1 des 2 vérins (cote passager)
et j'ai perce le vérin (uniquement le vérin ) restant cote conducteur l'ouverture du capot étant de ce cote c'est plus simple
et placé une goupille qui le travers complétement
je joindrais une photo plus tard lorsque j'aurais récupère la Ferrari qui est chez le carrossier

amicalement
christopher

 

LOL...eagerly awaiting your next breakthroughs. +1 on last paragraph - Thanks,

 

Merci Christopher - I'm looking forward to your photo -

 

bonjour bonne nouvelle pour toi Faber
la ferrari 400 reviens samedi matin
je ferais la photo
amicalement
christopher

 

Bon jour, Christopher - s'il vous plaît envoyer des photos!

 

My next door neighbor, seeing and hearing my '83 move under its own power for the first time after four weekends of tinkering, remarked "You are a magician!" I said, "Yes, my best trick is making money disappear." Of course with the help of my beautiful assistant it's easy.

 

LOL. Thanks for a hearty laugh. These are the kinds of posts I hide from my bride...Good Grief!