Hood support

[87gtVIC]

Does the Great Stuff actually bond things? I was always under the impression that it's use was just to take up space between two other things to keep out that nasty draft not to actually adhere two things together. I am sure it will work though because all one really needs is to have something taking up the empty space between the hood support and the hood to stop it from moving around.

[P72Ford]

If I were so inclined to fix this problem...

I'd use an adhesive backed foam. I bought some of this 1" thick, sound deadening medium density foam one time. If you cut it into neat pieces and fit it in there, it'd probably look ok. The great stuff comment was kind of a joke... that stuff is nasty. It looks hideous, and gets everywhere.

Like I said earlier though, it is unecessary to bond the bracing to the hood. The bracing mainly adds support by adding structure to the outer perimeter of the hood (to prevent bowing, bending, distortion, etc). It was never intended to contact the hood, as it would damage the appearance on the top side of the hood.

Not to over-think this... but technically, if you use a permanent means to attach the structural skelton to the skin, you will have an "over constrained system". The sheetmetal will end of breaking free anyway, in that case, and you risk damaging the skin.

On the other hand, just adding some foam (fixed to either the skin, or the bracing) will lose the gap, and prevent any accidental chaffing that might occur.

[87gtVIC]

Not to over-think this...

ohh It has already been over thunk!

[gadget73]

great stuff isn't really a bonding agent. it will stick to both sides to some extent, but its not really an adhesive. It will allow things to give, similar to how the factory junk would.

[torquelover]

The Great Stuff is probably close enough to the original, though its a horrible yellow color. If you do go that route, get the minimal expansion stuff. There are a couple different grades, and i think the one that swells the least is marked for sealing around windows.

Great Stuff Door and Window still looks bad. Try this if you can:



I used it to fill the A, B, and C pillars on my '92 Civic way back in the day, and (at the time) it matched the Ford stuff in my old POS pretty closely.

[gadget73]

is that the stuff that remains flexible? or is it at least not that horrific yellow color?

[pantera77]

It's white, and remains semi-mushable. It's also even messier than regular great stuff.

[86GmLsCoupe]

You can just use 3m Seam or Lord's Fusor seam sealer. When the Paintless Dent Repair guys were doing my hood I had a look under the liner and it looks like plain old beige seam sealer.

[Archangel]

I'd still go with the Great Stuff, but then again I always trim the excess of it and then spray paint over it.

[Brown_Muscle]

hey guys! thanks for all the input! I ended up using Great Stuff and it worked...well... great!! my hood is nice and solid now, no more wiggling on the highway or clanking when i shut the hood!

Thanks again!

[87gtVIC]

lol Good.