I am 74 years old, and I have owned 8 corvettes. After my recent back surgery I cannot lift the hood on my '78 Silver Anniversary. I have lost most of my upper body strength. Can ANYBODY help me find a way to raise the hood? Thank you.
Submitted by: sgt.silver
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I would recommend taking a piece of flat aluminum bar, about an inch wide by 6" or so long, bending
it in to a "J" shape. Then drill a 1/4" hole in the long end and tie about six feet of nylon line into the hole. Make
sure the inside of the "J" is well padded. Then you can simply unlatch the hood from inside the car, get out
and hook the "J" bar to the middle of your hood, take the end of the nylon line and walk to the front of the
car and pull the hood up. Hope this helps!
M.R.
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Posted by Administrator on
5/18/2016 8:34:05 AM
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Speed Direct has a bolt-on hood strut that may help. Their strut kit fits 1973 to 1982. It is a gas filled strut conversion kit. Like most gas filled struts it will make single hand opening and closing of the hood easier. The kit is a bolt on using the factory mountiing locations. You may want to give them a call at 1-800-724-0948 and see if it might solve your problem.
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Carl Pannell on
5/17/2016 11:07:20 AM
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Well the previous member has a good idea with the pulley system.
You can go to a hardware store and get the coated cable, glides easier over the pulley's. you need to have a clamping device to attach to the center of the hood. This could be fabricated by using 2 pieces of a nylon block. Put a groove in the bottom one so it doesn't slide off the hood, and the other one, line with foam or felt to protect the paint. I believe I did work with a guy and put a gas strut on one, but it was a lot of work. However, you would not be able to close it if you do not have the body strength.
All the best
Mike Siedlak
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Mike Siedlak on
5/16/2016 8:00:50 PM
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Hi,
I do not know where you store your Corvette. If it is under a carport or in a garage, maybe you can have a small block and tackle or winch (similer to a Mercedes or Thunderbird hardtop remover) installed. All you would have to do is slip a cable or rope under the hood pins after you popped it and then use the winch.
You can also have a shop fabricate a hood piston set up to boost it up.
I will keep looking on line for some type of set up.
Ron
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Ron Marino on
5/16/2016 10:34:40 AM
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