Topic: San Jose hood hinge date code

[gimmea250swb]

I?ve got to replace my hood hinges due to alignment issues. What should I look for on date codes for replacements?

I see SJ may have had an ?OB? preamble to the date code, correct?

The serial vin starts with 164xxx and the engine cast date is Feb. how many month back can I go to be close to the pin?

[CharlesTurner]

Was the car in a collision or hood flew back and bent the hinges?  Hood hinges might get a little worn out over time, but if no accident damage, they are likely fine.  Maybe describe what type of alignment issues there are with the hood. 

[67gta289]

I've snugged up several over the years, including Chevelle (gasp lol), by using a press on the rivets.  Has worked for me.

[gimmea250swb]

Thanks Charles. Car was raced back in the day, so I?m pretty sure it?s had a hard life. I bought it with a full fiberglass hood and over time it became highly bowed - you could see the vin plate. That being said, it seemed to open/close fine.I had it judged once and they indicated an issue with the hinge, but I don?t recall specifics.

I?ll call the shop to get them to explain

[gimmea250swb]

I just called the shop. Unfortunately, the guy doing the work isn?t there today and I?ll call tomorrow. The guy on the phone thinks he heard them saying that one of the hinges is bent.  When they close the hood it shifts to one of the sides.

[J_Speegle]

Will look for the hinges off of one of my cars and report back with the date on those. Should be close to yours in completion date at San Jose

[gimmea250swb]

Will look for the hinges off of one of my cars and report back with the date on those. Should be close to yours in completion date at San Jose

Thank you so much Jeff! There are a couple on eBay that may work. I suppose there are a few questions from what I've read on this forum.
 - What's the appropriate date code range?
 - Should they include OB for a SJ car?
 - There's a thread that suggests SJ has one with an "OB" preamble and the other has an SKD stamp. Is that okay or should they both be OB: https://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=19819.msg125208#msg125208
 - Heck, while we're at it, PO finish?

[gimmea250swb]

Okay, I went to the shop. As the hood closes it shifts toward the driver's side. It lays flat, but there's no more adjustment to the right. When you watch the passenger hinge in particular you can visibly see it arch toward the driver's side on the way down. He said when the hood/spring isn't attached the "rivets" are loose.

So, this is what I've found on my car.

The dash date stamp and door seals are January. Engine cast date is February. The two existing hood hinges are dated OB 3 17 2 and OB 4 7 3, but of course, I don't know if they came with the car.

Anybody's guess on the appropriate range for the hinge dates?

[J_Speegle]

Reporting back

Believe the hinges to be original to the car. Have know it since approx 1973 and dates are very close to other panel dates that make up the uni-body of the car. Believe the two digit numbers identified the stamping machine at the stamping plant so that if there was a problem discovered they would not have to toss all of the hinges out from that day just the ones that were formed in a specific machine

Driver side OB2 7 3



Driver side press number 16




Passenger side  No "OB" or other prefix 2 15 3 and press number 27




Prefixes or lack of them may have helped identify multiple suppliers. Might be outside sub contractors or multiple Ford owned stamping plants. Having multiple was a very typical practice for Ford since he hated the idea(there were big problems with this in the 20s) of one company or plant being able to hold up the entire operation

Hope this helps