Hood Bend -- Who is good at fixing it? | FerrariChat

Hood Bend -- Who is good at fixing it?

Discussion in '308/328' started by oceanview328, Dec 30, 2020.

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  1. oceanview328

    oceanview328 Karting

    Dec 7, 2012
    214
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Ed
    Hey guys. Is this the 308/328 owner's emotional support group? You know, the first step is admitting you have a problem, haha. Long time, no talk to. I hope you all had a merry Christmas and will have a great new year!

    My 328 has the hood bend problem pretty bad. The original owner must have forgotten many times and the square support tubes now have little triangles eaten out of them. My local body shop said they won't work on it until I've corrected the support tube problem. I had spoken with 308nut some years ago and he had a method where he cut and inserted a smaller diameter square tube within the original, welded it up, ground it and made it look like new. But, it looks like 308nut is not very active on here anymore. Do any of you know anyone, preferably SE US, who is good at fixing this? Otherwise, are any of you able to get in contact with 308nut? Thanks in advance for your help! :)
     
  2. oceanview328

    oceanview328 Karting

    Dec 7, 2012
    214
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Ed
    Am I the only one where who's had the hood bend problem? I thought it was a common problem (at least it used to be). Maybe everybody else has already fixed it a long time ago?
     
  3. Brian Harper

    Brian Harper F1 Rookie
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Feb 17, 2006
    4,078
    San Jose area
    Full Name:
    Brian Harper
    It's a common problem, I see it often. But what you asked is who is good at fixing it.

    Not me.
     
  4. oceanview328

    oceanview328 Karting

    Dec 7, 2012
    214
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Ed

    Oh, OK. Thanks for responding. I think I'll post a solution 308nut provided me a few years ago and see if anybody has opinions on it.
     
  5. miketuason

    miketuason F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Feb 24, 2006
    15,517
    Cerritos, CA.
    Full Name:
    Mike
  6. oceanview328

    oceanview328 Karting

    Dec 7, 2012
    214
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Ed
    Ah-ha, very nice. I like that. I was thinking of doing some welding on it but, I'm a little too nervous to try. I was also thinking of using a steel square tube along with some industrial epoxy. I hadn't thought of the u-shaped tube. Yours is one of the least risky approaches I've thought about. I also like the fact that any future potential owner can easily undo it in case they want to try a different approach. Thanks!
     
    miketuason likes this.
  7. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 6, 2002
    79,143
    Houston, Texas
    Full Name:
    Bubba
    Here's what I would do,,,,,

    I had a TON of work done on my car. by a local Hot Rod fabricator.
    Now ask with your hat in your hand, as they HATE "foreign cars"!!

    But as Wade did, FIRST you fix the iron tube framing system, then you repair the (on my car) aluminum hood skin, if needed.

    It's just going to take some "dive in there" work, and my fabricator could build anything, but he did no paint.
    So, the second step would be refinishing.

    My hoods never bent as I put a HUGE Warning sign there, our early hoods had a hard ball detent.
    Quick damage if you f&^%*&^% ed it up..
     
  8. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 6, 2002
    79,143
    Houston, Texas
    Full Name:
    Bubba
    Welders have tons of tricks on heat transfer, and keeping the welding stresses local.
    May still have to paint though..
     
  9. oceanview328

    oceanview328 Karting

    Dec 7, 2012
    214
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Ed
    I hope 308nut won't mind me throwing his name around. I'd like to get him in the thread but, it looks like he's not very active on here anymore. Following is what he had said about his fix, a few years ago. I like his solution because it will result in a factory looking result but, it still involves some minor tack welding so it still makes me a little nervous. If I drill and tack weld only on the bottom edge then that's a good distance from the hood so, maybe it won't be a problem. For a possibly stronger result, I could try drilling and tack welding on each side of the tube but, that would be a little more risky. I'd be interested if anybody else has any thoughts on this or other methods.

    oceanview328 said:
    "Matto mentioned that you may have a good method of reinforcing the hood support tubes. Mine are broken and my hood is bent. I was thinking about welding a square tube to the existing one for additional strength. I was also thinking about getting a longer strut and attaching it at a higher point to avoid the weak area at the top of the vent or maybe even doing away with the strut and attaching a metal rod for supporting it when it's open. What was your method of reinforcement and have you been happy with it?"

    308nut said:
    "I have repaired about 15 or so bonnets with my method so far and everyone has been completely satisfied with it. Also even if you forget to release the rod my fix is stiff enough where it will not bend again. What I do is similar to what you are thinking but instead of welding a square tube next to the existing tube, I cut the factory tube open and insert a more rigid tube inside of it close the factory tube and weld it in place. then I re-coat the underside of the bonnet and all looks factory again. no-one cal tell anything has been done."

    oceanview328 said:
    "Yes, that sounds like a perfect solution. Can you tell me the exact size of the tube you use (square tube I'm assuming). Do you run it the full length of the hood otherwise, how far do you run it (the hood has a subtle curve to it so, I'm guessing you can't run a straight tube the full length). Also, what holds the new tube in place? Do you cut and remove the strip of metal along the top of the existing tube and then re-weld it back after the new tube is inside? Are you also welding the new tube in place along with those same weld lines?"

    308nut said:
    "I cut the existing tube open, measure the radius of the curve and bend my new tube to fit. I then close the existing tube and drill 1/4 holes the length of it, and tack weld the new tube to the old tube, then re-weld up the cut in the old tube. I use only about a 12 inch length, just enough to strengthen the bonnet. The size of the tube is 1/2 square."

    oceanview328 said:
    "Thanks for all the details. Do you use a machine to bend the radius"

    308nut said:
    "No, it is very slight so i just use whatever is handy."
     
  10. oceanview328

    oceanview328 Karting

    Dec 7, 2012
    214
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Ed
    Thanks BigTex! Sorry, I posted Wade's conversation before I saw your reply. Yes, I've already found a really good local body shop that will do the basic body work and painting (I'm going to have the whole car repainted) but, he won't do anything to the hood until I fix the tube supports. Yes, my plan is to to any welding right before I take it to the body shop. We also have a well respected hot-rod shop in my town. I can do some welding on my own (and I really enjoy doing things myself) but, in this case, I'm nervous enough that I may take it to them for the welding part. I'll tell them about Wade's method and see if they're willing to give it a try (hat in hand, of course, haha). :)
     
  11. Dave Bertrand

    Dave Bertrand Formula Junior
    Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 24, 2005
    770
    Castle Rock, CO
    You could do what Porsche guys do with their 911s...get rid of the gas strut and just use a broom handle when you need it.
     
  12. oceanview328

    oceanview328 Karting

    Dec 7, 2012
    214
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Ed
    Yes, well that's what I'm doing right now in the mean time, to prevent the bend from getting any worse than it already is.
     
  13. versamil

    versamil Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2013
    1,148
    Gaston, Oregon
    Full Name:
    Brian Healy
    I agree with the technique of putting a brace inside the factory tube. Anything on the outside looks like a patch. So WHY are there three holes in the hood tubing right by the hood support? This hood is designed to COLLAPSE in an accident rather than go through the front of the car. Notice the braces at the back of the hood that engage holes in the body.. They support the back of the hood in an accident, and the hood conveniently creases right where the HOLES are drilled in the tube- right where the hood unfortunately bends. WHY do I bring this up? I was going to machine a bar and slide it up into the tube, when I realized that by doing that, I'm making the hood WAY stronger, and defeating the purpose of what the engineers at Ferrari were trying to accomplish. I'm STILL going to do it, but just keep in mind in our litigious society, if you sell your car and someone gets in a front end collision, you may be held liable if anyone gets decapitated. LOTS' of ifs- but still something to consider.

    I have three 328's AND I bought a brand new factory hood. ONE 328 only has one hole in the side tube, well in front of the hood support. The other two cars and the new hood have a series of three holes on each side. OBVIOUSLY a crush zone. My 86 328 just has a gas filled hood support, and at 85,000 miles, an undamaged hood. My 11,000 mile 328 GTB had a bent hood when I bought the car. It and another 87 GTS both have the stupid BUTTON in the hood support- a dumb design.
     
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  14. oceanview328

    oceanview328 Karting

    Dec 7, 2012
    214
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Ed
    Ah-ha, yes I see. I always wondered what the hell they could have been thinking, putting those holes in the worst possible place. Thanks for your insight. Yes, my hood support has that stupid button. Would you have the brand and model (or a link) of the gas filled hood support that doesn't have the button?
     
  15. 83911SCDrew

    83911SCDrew Karting

    Oct 21, 2018
    92
    Bernardsville
    Full Name:
    Andrew K
    Classic Coach in Elizabeth NJ repaired mine, probably better than new, and much more reasonable than I would have imagined for their level of work. Factory Authorized.
     
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  16. BLACK HORSE

    BLACK HORSE Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 11, 2004
    1,937
    California - Bay Area
    Full Name:
    Rob
    Yep I also have the same problem with my hood.... at some point I'll have a local body shop fix it.
     
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  17. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 6, 2002
    79,143
    Houston, Texas
    Full Name:
    Bubba
    I have two spare hoods...:D :D

    But really ya'll are over thinking it...cut the old tubing out, weld the new tubing in grinding the splices smooth enough to be unnoticeable..

    Drive on..
     
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