Metal Support in Front of Hoods on 65

[Stephen B.]

Are these clips installed before paint? Was this area blacked out after paint?

Thanks in advance...

[Michael M.]

Re: Metal Support in Front of Hoods on 65

It depends if you have a A O Smith or St. Louis built car on whether that area was blacked out. St. Louis cars had more black out. Most of the A O Smith cars I saw still had green chromate color on the header bar. I believe that the clips were installed when the wire harness was installed.

[Stephen B.]

Re: Metal Support in Front of Hoods on 65

Thanks Michael. So the header bar is green chromate? I did not see any when i was sanding it.

[Alan D.]

Re: Metal Support in Front of Hoods on 65

Header Bar is a replacement (if I'm viewing it correctly)

[Stephen B.]

Re: Metal Support in Front of Hoods on 65

It does not surprise me at the car had been wrecked in the front end.

[Stephen B.]

Re: Metal Support in Front of Hoods on 65

How can you tell that it's a replacement? The fasteners?

[Harry S.]

Re: Metal Support in Front of Hoods on 65

When you stick your fingers in the punched holes that allow the speed nuts to be attached to the emblem, what does the edges of the holes feel like? Sharp as if they were punched out or smooth as you move your fingers upward?

[Stephen B.]

Re: Metal Support in Front of Hoods on 65

The holes are smooth. What does that determine?

[Mike B.]

Re: Metal Support in Front of Hoods on 65

Hi Stephen,

When I had my '66 front clip properly assembled at Sermersheim's years ago, I shipped my original headlight metal support brace bar to them first. Happily, it was still servicable. Bubbuh had done a major number on the rest of the clip though.

The reason I did this was to ensure I had the proper nose emblem access holes under there. Harry is correct. The later/aftermarket holes are cut out holes that are flush with the underside of the bar. Since they are flush, the edges feel sharp as you run your finger up towards the emblem studs. My original '65 and '66 header bars have holes that have a slight upward bevel that makes it feel smooth to the touch as you access the emblem studs.

I also sent my original bar to them since I knew that some of the replacement bar's holes were closer together for the smaller '67 nose emblem. This would've made it very difficult (or impossible) to install the nuts on the '66 emblem.

Take care,
Mike

[Harry S.]

Re: Metal Support in Front of Hoods on 65

Mike, thanks for answering as I was hosting a Judging School today. Yes the rough edge is a reproduction or from a 67 as I recall.