How to remove Pre-A hood handle?

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Kent Malone
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How to remove Pre-A hood handle?

#1 Post by Kent Malone »

I did a search in the Pre A and 356 forums, but didn't find an answer. I want to remove the hood handle on my '55 to replace the rubber seals and also replace the aftermarket crest with a proper original crest. There are two small nuts at the top of the handle under the trunk lid but I cannot access the base of the handle given the hood latch platform has no access to the underside of the handle. How do you remove the hood handle?

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Victor Ingram
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Re: How to remove Pre-A hood handle?

#2 Post by Victor Ingram »

Kent

For the Pre-A You have to remove the catch, there is an access hole "under the catch"!

Hope this helps
Victor
Last edited by Victor Ingram on Thu Jan 13, 2022 10:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Jim Clement
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Re: How to remove Pre-A hood handle?

#3 Post by Jim Clement »

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it is likely simmilar to this (1957 T1 )
You can just see the side of the access hole underv the latch mechanism.

Hope that helps..
 

Kent Malone
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Re: How to remove Pre-A hood handle?

#4 Post by Kent Malone »

Okay, I'll look. Is there a spring catch or something I need to dislodge? What do you do within the access hole to free the handle?

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Victor Ingram
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Re: How to remove Pre-A hood handle?

#5 Post by Victor Ingram »

Kent

No spring catch, you will see a nut inside the hole simply unscrew it.
Before you remove the latch, outline the latch with some tape so you can place
It back in the same place so everything stays aligned

Kent Malone
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Re: How to remove Pre-A hood handle?

#6 Post by Kent Malone »

A nut? Holy smokes!! I'd hate to lose that in the cavity :shock:

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Jim Clement
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Re: How to remove Pre-A hood handle?

#7 Post by Jim Clement »

It is actually easy to hang onto the nut with the hood open..
My bigger fear was the hood handle becomming disloged and sliding backwards down the newly painted front hood..

all went well.
and yes to the marking the perimeter
 

Kent Malone
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Location: St. Petersburg and Gainesville, FL

Re: How to remove Pre-A hood handle?

#8 Post by Kent Malone »

Yes, scuffing my vehicle would be a BIG disappointment!

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Victor Ingram
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Re: How to remove Pre-A hood handle?

#9 Post by Victor Ingram »

Kent,

I would suggest before you put the nuts back on, find the thinnest fiber washers that will not be seen under the nuts.
This will keep the paint from being scratched when you tighten them down. Be careful not to over tighten

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Victor Ingram
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Re: How to remove Pre-A hood handle?

#10 Post by Victor Ingram »

One more suggestion, try to keep the hood as level as possible when removing the nut!
IF by chance you lose the nut, don’t open the hood all the way, leave it down.
Get a magnet with a flex end and fish it out.
Don’t ask me how I know

Kent Malone
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Re: How to remove Pre-A hood handle?

#11 Post by Kent Malone »

Thanks for the tips, Victor!

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Victor Ingram
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Re: How to remove Pre-A hood handle?

#12 Post by Victor Ingram »

Kent,

I hope you had success....what say you?

Kent Malone
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Re: How to remove Pre-A hood handle?

#13 Post by Kent Malone »

Hi Victor, I haven't been over to the other house yet to check it out. My plan is to get over this week. I'll report back on how things go (fingers crossed!)

Ned Gorski
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Re: How to remove Pre-A hood handle?

#14 Post by Ned Gorski »

Take some blue tape or a dry erase marker and outline the hood latch so it goes exactly where it was when you reinstall it.

Kent Malone
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Re: How to remove Pre-A hood handle?

#15 Post by Kent Malone »

I finally got over to the car and discovered that I had to remove the hood latch. The hole for removing the hood handle is under the hood latch. I marked the outline of the latch plate so I could reinstall it exactly as it came out. As I was backing off the nuts, I noted that the latch position is not adjustable, so marking the latch base, while an excellent precaution, wasn't necessary. It must be the catch plate that is adjustable. At any rate, the 11mm retaining nut for the hood handle fit EXACTLY in the hole and the nut was captured within the socket. Unfortunately the handle is aftermarket and the aftermarket crest fit better in it than the original. The fitment of the original style crest is terrible, but it looks FAR better than the aftermarket crest. It's a miniature art piece :)

Next task is to buy a reproduction from Stoddard until I can find a nice original one. Plus, I need to see if I can narrow down if my car would have had a blunt tip or pointed tip. I know the change occurred during the April '55 production run, but there's not a specific date of the changeover.
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