I got a hood from Topnault a couple months ago. Not bad but several things to look after:
1- the bracket for the hood bar differs from OEM
2- the front nose needs massaging, one side was not as flush as the other side
3- the hood is slightly bulged in the rear, when I flattened it out the spot welds became noticeable
The plus side, its e-coated and solid metal so massaging it back to spec is easy.
I responded to Topnaught when they asked for a review of the hood I bought and I let them know there are 2 dents and attached a photo. Will see what the response is.
Today I assembled the paint rack to hang the hood from
Then removed the halogen head lights and installed the new LED/projector lights with halo driving and amber turn signals and put the assembly back right and hides the hood release.
Then I removed the hood and hung it from the rack
My body hammers and dollies came in so I used one of the smaller hammers and knocked most of that dent out
Then cleaned the dust off and painted the hood with extreme low gloss frame paint on both sides. Letting the barn air out and tomorrow I will add another coat.
Tried to straighten the vent slots but don't know how to get the rest of the kinks out.
Worked on the cowl where the hinge attaches and got it a little flatter and work on it more when the hood is ready to attach. But I now know I can move the metal. I also straightened up the edge on the cowl where the hood edge will open into.
When I bought the grill and bib assembly it was complete with the head light buckets but they used the wrong screw for one the holds the ring holding the light in place. I went to town and got 6 4mm x .7 bolts and replaced them all for less then $5 instead of buying them from SOR and I like Allen head screws. The ring on the DS needed some tweaking on the tabs for the screws so the ring would turn all the way and the screw head on the narrow end of the key hole slot.
I got a new hood bumper for the rain gutter and may have to glue it because I was loose and most likely why the original went away.
I also replaced the rubber strips on the grill where the hood sits and the two on the sides and replaced the bolts after tapping the threads and replaced with 6mm bolts from my stash. I hope the hood doesn't make contact with the heads but are lower then the counter bore in the rubber.
I also got rubber strips for the ends of the aprons with new clips and installed on the DS. Will do the PS latter.
Worked on the hood and did a little more massaging the cowl with longer screws to get the hinge to bolt up. Not prefect but works and was able to use 2 of the correct screws and one odd screw that was long enough after chasing the thread so the screw would catch without cross threading. Cleaned the rust with the wire wheel and pealed off the old rubber gasket. The shot with some paint.
Got the hinges attached to the cowl and opened and rested against the new bumper on the rain gutter
The prop rod end did not fit in the hole in the apron so I worked with a die grinder until the hook would drop into the hole
Got insulation from Amazon and was a pain to get it installed alone but very easy to cut. The backing paper came off in pieces and the adhesive and rubber stuck to my fingers. Will see if it stays. I will have to punch a hole in it when my ET head shows up for the the windshield washer. Would rather have the insulator from a BJ40 but they a not avaliable.
I ordered a head light harness from Cruiser Corp and it has plenty of length to reach the battery at the firewall with plenty to spare. I had a 3rd plug to connect to the old harness for switched power and I will have to ground and connect to the battery. Haven't read the instructions yet. Once the harness is connect to the battery all that will be needed it connecting the DRLs and turn signals.
I got a hood from Topnault a couple months ago. Not bad but several things to look after:
1- the bracket for the hood bar differs from OEM
2- the front nose needs massaging, one side was not as flush as the other side
3- the hood is slightly bulged in the rear, when I flattened it out the spot welds became noticeable
The plus side, its e-coated and solid metal so massaging it back to spec is easy.
My hood had a dent on the PS with two small dents about the size of spot welds. It looks worse with the reflection then it really was. I ordered a set of hammers and dollies from Amazon and with the appropriate hammer the bigger dent came out but not the smaller dents. But just adds character.
After painting and installing
Just a little short but I am ok with it. It sits on the rubber strips and once hooked it is rock solid, most of the dent is gone and is good enough
Hood opens just fine in spite of the cowl damage that I worked on until the hinge would bolt up. I don't remember how the prop rod engaged in the catch but the rod I bought is aftermarket and the diameter was larger then the holes in the hood or the apron. That was an easy fix with a drill on the hood and die grinder on the apron.
The price was right and shipping was free and will not keep me off the trail this is just a Junk Yard Dog and I am not building a mall crawler. Cosmetic issues wont cause me to walk home. It is almost 50 years old and always been very trusty getting me any where I needed to be I was all ways the limiting factor when I needed to walk.
I really like the wiring harness from Cruiser Corp that is a Toyota product. I really did not need the instructions it just made since where to make the connections. I just need a battery to power up and figure out where the relays will go.
Decided to stop procrastinating and worked on the DS fender with the Metal Tec kit. I did not cut the apron and glad I did not and with the lift I have plenty of room for articulation, I hope.
I used the flange on the apron and a lot of c clamps to form to the curves of the apron and thought I was going to need help and thought I would have to cut a notch in the fender to clear the fuel filter but once I got it secured to the flanges below the filter there is a lot of room.
The sheet metal is clamped to the apron
rear view and will need mud flaps to keep mud from loading up on the running board.
The piece to weld the tubing too that goes between the grill and apron I guessed where the hole needs to be and took some slotting to get it high enough
got the plate sandwiched in and will trim later. I put a fender washer at the upper bolt as shim that was close to the same size. 0.076" and felt pretty close.
The tubbing I have doesn't quite match this sketch . I also found that the bends to match the curves in the sheet metal and apron. After looking at photos on the Metal Tech site and the instructions I saw I have the shim backwards so turned it around and no trimming needed other then adjusting the bolt hole, may have to lower it to get a full pass.
Looks like I am mussing the main supports with a long radius 90 that gets welded to the plates bolted to the frame where the originals did.
I drilled 1/4" holes and used 6mm bolts to work my way from the front to the rear and stitched the 18 gauge to the apron and then the section with the vents and use 3 bolts for each of the curves in the apron to pull the sheet metal in a flush as possible with the apron. I was just guessing where to center punch and got most all close to center.
Then switched to the PS and removed the fender and installed the new support plate to the frame and installed F250 shock tower
The separated the PS apron from the old fender and put the fender off to the side to see if I can salvage any for support of the battery and and inner fender. I used the Wife's cart because it is the highest and is comfortable for me. She was not home at the time.
I put the shim plate that the tubing will weld to and a fender washer between the grill and the apron and snugged the bolts. Then worked on securing the other end of the apron and keep everything as square as possible. Then started clamping the 18 gauge sheet metal and work it in to position with about 1/8" of the apron extending past the front edge of the sheet metal. With out support for the fenders the whole front is is very floppy.
Fender washer and new attachment shim between the grill and apron, will wait until later to drill the bolt hole until it is time to weld the turbine.
Satisfied with the position of the sheet metal and ready to drill
Measured the DS to check the projection from the side of the body and it was 9-3/4" so I set the PS the same
Drilled with a similar pattern as the DS but was having problems getting the holes drilled in the center of the apron flange and the first one needed a fender washer and one I drilled to close to the break in the flange and had to redrill so that I could have room for wrenches. I started measuring ~3/4" from the inside edge of the 18 gauge.
Before quitting for the day I put the hood down and latched the sides and found that the hood is the right length after putting jacks on the front tires to support the fenders and things just need to be squared up when building the turbing and get the fenders supported.
I replaced all the bolts on both fenders for less contact with the tubing. I removed the aprons and fenders and took the tubing to the shop and laid everything out with the PS fender that will be cut to modify the inner fender. Once He was able to see how it was all going to work and it was all do able we decided he needs the truck to get everything done at once since everything is pretty floppy with out the supports to the frame.
The old fender can be cut to salvage the inner vender and modify for the F250 shock tower and also bolt back up to the apron and the grill. Then mirror model an inner fender for the DS that will accommodate the F250 shock mount and the steering box with a shroud around the outside of the box.
