Hood support plate available for inside of hood?

[John M.]

Will be needing the support plate that goes on the left side of the hood on a 66 with air conditioning. Is this part available today? If not can anyone provide the specifications so one can be fabricated? A simple drawing or photo with dimensiions would get the job done Thanks!

[Tom D.]

Re: Hood support plate available for inside of hood?

Do you have a photo of such a plate?

[John M.]

Re: Hood support plate available for inside of hood?

Ton, I do not have a photo of one of the plates. When the hoods are built the passenger side plate is between the skin and the frame of the hood. It seems to be in there even if the car was equipped with AC. When the air unit was added during assembly the other (drivers) side of the hood had a slot cut into the hood frame on the left side and another plate slipped in and riveted with what appear to be pop rivets and the holes for the hood support bolts drilled as well/ It is a somewhat amateur looking install, but GM was satisfied with the results. I have never seen one but it cannot be too complicated. It may well be identical to the one sealed in the hood on the left side but have never cut open a hood and seen that one either. I hope someone will chime in with some photos of an A. C. 66 and illustrate what we are discussing. Looking at random samples it appears that very late? in the production year 1966 they quit moving the hood support to the drivers side but uncertain of the change time period.

[Leif A.]

Re: Hood support plate available for inside of hood?

John,
Is your car a SB or BB? All '66 SB with or without A/C had the hood support on the passenger's side. All, but a very few early, '66 BB with or without A/C had the hood support on the driver's side.

[Don H.]

Re: Hood support plate available for inside of hood?

Here is a very original Mar 66 AC car, with the slot cut for hood support. Sorry but I have no photo of the plate.

[John M.]

Re: Hood support plate available for inside of hood?

Thanks, Don That is exactly what has been observed on most 66 vehicles with AC. I am guessing that the original plate is in fact still held with rivets on the passenger side of your hood as well? I suspect that toward the very end of 66 production they left the hood prop on the passenger side but have seen only one vehicle configured in that manner. The car in question here is a Feb 22 build date and it seems a pretty sure bet that it should have the prop on the drivers side just as the photo you provided. Perhaps someone has salvaged one of these plates from a trashed hood and can post an image of what it looks like.

[Don H.]

Re: Hood support plate available for inside of hood?

I'm sorry John but it is not my car. It belongs to a So CAL member, original owner. I haven't seen the car in many years.
Good luck,

[Dan A.]

Re: Hood support plate available for inside of hood?

There was an article or blurb of some sort about the addition of this nut plate in the Restorer back in days of yore. I recall a photo of the crude slot cut for that plate in the article. There may be other pictures or illustrations in that article. Do a search of long past Restorers articles.

[Joe L.]

Re: Hood support plate available for inside of hood?

Thanks, Don That is exactly what has been observed on most 66 vehicles with AC. I am guessing that the original plate is in fact still held with rivets on the passenger side of your hood as well? I suspect that toward the very end of 66 production they left the hood prop on the passenger side but have seen only one vehicle configured in that manner. The car in question here is a Feb 22 build date and it seems a pretty sure bet that it should have the prop on the drivers side just as the photo you provided. Perhaps someone has salvaged one of these plates from a trashed hood and can post an image of what it looks like.

John------


I cannot find that any such plate was ever available from GM in SERVICE.

[Jack M.]

Re: Hood support plate available for inside of hood?

There was an article or blurb of some sort about the addition of this nut plate in the Restorer back in days of yore. I recall a photo of the crude slot cut for that plate in the article. There may be other pictures or illustrations in that article. Do a search of long past Restorers articles.

Good memory... it was a Summer 2005 article.

[Dan A.]

Re: Hood support plate available for inside of hood?

Jack to the rescue once again, THANKS.

[Scott P.]

Re: Hood support plate available for inside of hood?

John, I will check tomorrow but Im pretty sure I have and can send you that plate. Or at the least a photo and size and description of it. I have a hood frame separated from its skin. Scott