Fitting Hoods to DHC Car

Hi All,
How easy is it o fit a hood and are there any tips to make sure the finish looks like a pro fitment as I am on the last legs of the restoration and would be grateful of tips and advise.

many thanks in advance

Cheers

NICO

Fit the header rail bit first.
Measure twice cut once.
You will need someone to help you.
Make sure it is nice as tight as the material relaxes a bit once fitted.

If you want to do it right it’s time consuming ! first point. And if it’s a new hood don’t expect it to fit either :unamused:

You’ll need a punch of some description to put the holes in the hood for the tenax fastners. And a space heater to warm the whole hood up, else a very hot sunny day.

When I fitted mine I first worked out the center location on the hood and fitted a tenax there. Then I fitted the hood over the header rail and draped the hood back over the .

Opened the doors and turned the space heater on (I had no trim fitted on my car at the time) Else recommend you warm it up off the car !. The hood will need to stretch a fair bit and warming it up is needed. Once warm and flexible I slowly stretched the hood till being able to fit the first tenax to the male part on the bodywork.

Keeping the hood heated I then stretched it to the foremost location to put a tenax in the hood there (one nearest door) and then popped it on the male part fitted to the car bodywork. Same the other side. And then one mid point between hood centre and foremost (door). And so on till all tenax’s fitted to hood and attached to male part on car body. If you don’t have a roll bar fitted then you’ll probably not need the heat just yet as I’ve described

Then undo all the tenax’s, lift the hood up and put the larger hoop of the hood frame up (one with side rails attached).

Drap the hood back over the hood frame and turn on the space heater again to get the hood really hot. Slowly it will strecth till the center tenax will fasten down. And slowly you will be able to go round all the tenax’s and fasten them. Get a couple eithe side of center secured before starting with the foremost and working back. When all the fasterners are secured then you can start to put up the hoop of the hood frame which sits just above the ‘rear window’. A new hood will be quite taught to start with and

It’s easier to show than describe, and isn’t overly difficult, just takes time and patience. I’ve attached a few images to give you an idea hopefully.




Great Job Riverkeeper ! You blew away what I was about to write by a mile.
The heating of the overall material is critical, just as you say.
Enough for a pull to stretch a large area, but not too hot in any one spot where it won’t re’shrink.

Good Luck Nico,
Eric

Hey, Mr riverkeeper,

Nice hood, where’dya get it?

ta verily

Paul

Hood was from Paul Matty’s. Think it was around ?150, though that was a few years ago. Required a few mods where it attaches to the Hood grip rail, and the window alignment could be better. But not bad for the money when you see an equivalent for an MGB and it’s cost. :stuck_out_tongue:

I got my current hood from dear old Arnolds garage of hampshire a few years ago - and very pleased with it. One thing I’ve noticed a year or two later was a slight crease in the paint, on both sides, of the car, above the rear wing, going forward from the back of the hood tray in a diagonal line to the front of the wheel arch.

Related to hood fitting ? - I don’t know. I was always determined to ensure a nice tight fit, as my previous hood would lift at the front above 60 mph. I’m wondering therefore if it’s a bit too tight, and using it has resulted in body flex. This is all supposition on my part (it is 35 year old paint !), but just something I thought I’d add to the mix.