FRUNK LID comes off

So that little flipper catch should have caught it when the spring catch failed.  It looks like it can be repaired.  I've had good luck with gorilla hair fiberglass for repairing places like hinge area where strength is needed.  Looks like upper to lower hood bonding was also compromised.  On mine it looked like CMC used that pink Bondo stuff to bond -- it isn't a strong solution.  You could Dremel old out and reseal.

A replacement outer hood shell (inner liner not included nor are 2 bonded) was $249 at RustyTubs. (I think they are out of business).  So guess total would be near $500???? plus costly shipping due to size.

I do have a spare black gel coat CMC hood that has been hanging in my barn since 1989 (so fiberglass is well cured!)  Might have a small nick or 2 BUT hinges are firmly mounted. Probably has 3 holes for hood handle and holes for front latch drilled.  I'd be willing to sell it but don't really want to get involved in shipping (which I once check from FL to TX as $120). I'm in NWFL near Destin (12 hours from you!).  I'll try to find a photo or 2 - if interested.

This happened to someone else here 3? 4? years ago- hopefully he'll chime in. IIrc a body shop specializing in 'Vette work fixed his?  I would think that's the best way to go.

Boat repair shop might be another option.

Wow....  That sucks big time.

BUT!!  Wolfgang's offer is not to be ignored - Few people (maybe only Greg) have a spare CMC hood kicking around, especially in your corner of the country.

Refresh our memories - What is the make of the car?  Vintage?  Beck?  IM/CMC?  Dunno?

@WOLFGANG posted:

So that little flipper catch should have caught it when the spring catch failed.  It looks like it can be repaired.  I've had good luck with gorilla hair fiberglass for repairing places like hinge area where strength is needed.  Looks like upper to lower hood bonding was also compromised.  On mine it looked like CMC used that pink Bondo stuff to bond -- it isn't a strong solution.  You could Dremel old out and reseal.

A replacement outer hood shell (inner liner not included nor are 2 bonded) was $249 at RustyTubs. (I think they are out of business).  So guess total would be near $500???? plus costly shipping due to size.

I do have a spare black gel coat CMC hood that has been hanging in my barn since 1989 (so fiberglass is well cured!)  Might have a small nick or 2 BUT hinges are firmly mounted. Probably has 3 holes for hood handle and holes for front latch drilled.  I'd be willing to sell it but don't really want to get involved in shipping (which I once check from FL to TX as $120). I'm in NWFL near Destin (12 hours from you!).  I'll try to find a photo or 2 - if interested.

Thanks much, checking with a Fiberglass shop now and will see what they have to say.....please send me a Pic.

@Gordon Nichols posted:

Wow....  That sucks big time.

BUT!!  Wolfgang's offer is not to be ignored - Few people (maybe only Greg) have a spare CMC hood kicking around, especially in your corner of the country.

Refresh our memories - What is the make of the car?  Vintage?  Beck?  IM/CMC?  Dunno?

Hi Gordon....it's a CMC WB.....Larry

@ALB posted:

This happened to someone else here 3? 4? years ago- hopefully he'll chime in. IIrc a body shop specializing in 'Vette work fixed his?  I would think that's the best way to go.

Yes....that what I am looking for, someone who comes highly recommended in those circles....

Here's old photo - I'm sure it has more patina (dust) now.

I often think about putting straps on ala Bob, on my car or other double safety cable as every 2-3 years someone on the list has a flying frunk episode happen ..scary stuff.

What I don't understand is why has nobody tried installing a Speedster frunk lid like a Spyder's?

Sounds like now would be an opportunity for a first.

Jus sayin.

@Carlos G posted:

What I don't understand is why has nobody tried installing a Speedster frunk lid like a Spyder's?

Sounds like now would be an opportunity for a first.

Jus sayin.

I'm ignorant, Carlos- what's different about a Spyder lid?

It's hinged from the front, and can't ever flip up.

Hinges in front. If the latch fails it lifts up but the wind doesn't rip it off.

Leather hood straps may be seen as simply decorative, but they do have a useful function. 

@Bob: IM S6 posted:

Leather hood straps may be seen as simply decorative, but they do have a useful function.

Yep. To make it impossible to start fueling up without fumbling around for 10 minutes.

Admit it, Dr. Carely - you got 'em cause they're cool.

The hood straps remind me of a disk product, code-named Zebra, that we had at Data  General in the “good old days” of mini-computers, Oh, around 1982.

It was about the size of a full-size, top-loader washing machine, was painted white and dark blue and could store all of 128 Mega-Bytes of data.  It had a disk stack in it that was five disks high by 16” in diameter and the disk pack was removeable, once the shut down sequence completed which brought the machine to room atmosphere from the slight vacuum it normally ran in to protect the read/write heads from crashing from stray dust.

Anyway, the Zebra disk was very popular but had this one teensy-weensy little problem - Every once in a while and for no apparent reason, the lid of the cabinet would suddenly just pop wide open with the disks still spinning and the heads still seeking and the internal vacuum, well….  Lost.

We eventually corrected the problem - It was an issue between system logic and some electro-mechanical interlocks - But while we were fixing it a few of us came up with a great, cheap, engineering-only fix that worked every time.   We got a pallette of cement blocks, painted them all “DG Blue”, stenciled a DG tool part number on them and sent them to the development labs with a Zebra Engineering Change Order telling the operators to place the ECO’d “tool” in the center of the cover while operating the disk.

Problem solved.

@Stan Galat posted:

Yep. To make it impossible to start fueling up without fumbling around for 10 minutes.

Admit it, Dr. Carely - you got 'em cause they're cool.

They are cool on an outlaw

Speaking of adding 10 minuntes to refuelling...The same could be said of those who age and can't make it to the loo fast enough the belt got in the way... lol  Time for a Cunningham Clamp

@WOLFGANG posted:

Here's old photo - I'm sure it has more patina (dust) now.

Looks good! Pls PM me with how much you're asking for the Lid. My wife is visiting relatives down in Florida now, possibly we can get her to haul it back to NC..... Thanks

Hood straps on the front of a 356 just make it too busy. At least to me. I see these cars as being less, not more.

I don't even like them on the back of my Spyder. If I were to ever repaint my car, they're coming off and I'll find another, hidden, locking method.

But hey, you do you.

It might be time to investigate that a bit more closely.

Leather straps on a 550 Spyder clam are the bomb: period correct, rugged and purposeful, and actually functional.

On a 550A they are slightly less so, both because the intake gills/carb doors crowd the space and because the buckles weren't used on 550As, their clam latching mechanism was completely different and the clam wasn't even hinged.

I have spoken.

You tell 'em Ed!

"I have spoken."

And after all your research to make your Spyder authentic, you sir, are the arbiter or all knowledge on the subject.

Ish.

Ahem.

I have worked on several Spyders that have the straps. It takes some getting used to, they are kind of a PIA. IF your latches are sorted, they aren't necessary at all. If your latches suck, they can improve your day.

I think they are REALLY annoying on the front, and only semi-annoying on the back.

Obviously on a Spyder fueling is not a problem since the gas cap sticks through the hood. I would never put straps on the front of my Spyder (although some originals had them) but they are a must on the rear. Can’t imagine the time and cost of replacing the rear of a Spyder.
My 356 will be an outlaw with gas cap through the hood. And the front hood will definitely have straps.

As some of you know I wavered on whether or not to put straps on my Coupe.  Eventually I decided that they are fine, even kind of cool, on a 356A, but out of place on a 356C, which was made in the mid 60s, not 10 years earlier.  I think the c=Coupe in Phil's picture looks good with them, but would also look good without them.  They would be an anachronism on my car.

Its more work than meets the eye to properly repair that hood, Wolfgangs hood it’s a super deal and a lot less work

@Lane Anderson posted:

As some of you know I wavered on whether or not to put straps on my Coupe.  Eventually I decided that they are fine, even kind of cool, on a 356A, but out of place on a 356C, which was made in the mid 60s, not 10 years earlier.  I think the c=Coupe in Phil's picture looks good with them, but would also look good without them.  They would be an anachronism on my car.

Is that a C coupe? Looks like an A to me.

@Stan Galat posted:

Yep. To make it impossible to start fueling up without fumbling around for 10 minutes.

Admit it, Dr. Carely - you got 'em cause they're cool.

Of course.  And I have it down to 7 minutes, 38 seconds...

@Bob: IM S6 posted:

Of course.  And I have it down to 7 minutes, 38 seconds...

That's getting into electric car charging time. LOL!

I had to Google Cunningham Clamp.  There have been a few times when I could have used one.

I have never been concerned about my frunk lid flying open but now I am a bit nervous about it, especially when the Speedster is wearing its bra.  The lid doesn't seem to latch quite as well with the bra installed.

@Michael McKelvey posted:

I had to Google Cunningham Clamp.  There have been a few times when I could have used one.

Ok, I had to google it as well and all I can say is THAT THING DOESN'T LOOK COMFORTABLE!!!  I'M TOO YOUNG TO KNOW ABOUT STUFF LIKE THIS!!!!!!

@DannyP posted:

Is that a C coupe? Looks like an A to me.

The one in the picture is an A.  Mine is a C.  The "c=Coupe" in my post is a typo.

Yup. The one I’m copying is an A as pictured.

Speaking of latches, I saw these the other day. If I was worried* about my clamshell flipping open, I’d used these before straps.


From a 54 Fiat Turbina, so they’re “period correct” even though Porsche never used them. I’m sure West Marine has nice Stainless Steel ones.

* I’m not.

Hello to all.....how do I gain access to the Frunk Lid broken hinges mounted to the chassis to get the broken ones off and install the new ones?...

On a CMC the box enclosing the hinge is up under the dash.  If your car has those, you would have to cut it loose from the wall of the frunk. I would use a Dremel cutting disk for that.  Don't breathe any of the dust created.

Your hinge on the driver's side looks like it may be OK.  I am curious about the extra piece on the side of the hinge.

@Michael McKelvey posted:

On a CMC the box enclosing the hinge is up under the dash.  If your car has those, you would have to cut it loose from the wall of the frunk. I would use a Dremel cutting disk for that.  Don't breathe any of the dust created.

Your hinge on the driver's side looks like it may be OK.  I am curious about the extra piece on the side of the hinge.

That's what I was afraid of....Thanks