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  1. #1

    Default Hood flew up on my 83 GT - Progress and Pictures from the Body Shop

    Hello all,

    I know I like looking at pictures like this. While this has not been pleasant, I have been getting this corrected.

    The day after Thanksgiving I was driving my 83 GT. I usually drive it once a week to keep everything working ok.

    Well, while I was driving, the hood flew up. It stayed attached to the car, yet it bent the cowl, broke the cowl grill, damaged the hood, and hood scoop.

    This is what it looked like



    I was sick to my stomach. Thank God for insurance.

    The insurance appraisal came out, and it went into the body shop.

    The body shop process is very slow. They have a lot of business.

    I finally got an opening on 1-10-22

    I had the car taken there and waited.

    The first progress picture was this. They were able to correct the cowl.



    Next, I had to wait on a hood. I found the Hood Scoop off of eBay.



    They stripped the hood and scoop. This is what it looked like after paint

    Hood



    Hood Scoop



    Then they sanded the front of the car to male it all blend together



    While it was in the body shop, and they had the paint mixed. I asked them to paint the underside of my rear hatch. It had some surface rust on it, and I wanted that taken care of.

    Before




    After




    Before



    With the hatch back on.



    It is almost finished. The body shop has done a great job and have sent me the progress pictures of each step of the way.

    I will next drive this car again without checking the hood latch!

    I will post again with updates. Thank you for your time.
    Last edited by 83GTTops; 06-10-2022 at 01:08 PM.

  2. #2
    FEP Super Member escogt's Avatar
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    Jan 2006
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    Long Island, N.Y.
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    Sorry that happened to you & your sweet '83GT. Looking good though on the repair & resto!
    '85GT Bright Atlantic Blue
    '92LX Bimini Blue-sold
    '93 COBRA Teal Metallic-sold
    '86SVO Oxford White-sold
    '86GT 'Vert True Blue-sold
    '81'GT' Medium Red-sold

  3. #3
    FEP Super Member gr79's Avatar
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    Jun 2009
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    SE Michigan
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    Have hood pins and hood struts on mine.
    Pins keep hood from flying up even when hood is not latched and are a useful visual indicator from the drivers seat.
    Struts keep hood from coming down when under it and the rod comes off from a upward shoulder bump or wind gust.
    A chain prob would work as a safety limit retainer.
    Is nice hood opens straight up for engine removal but not as a speed brake.

  4. #4
    FEP Super Member Bryan Knebworth's Avatar
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    Sep 2010
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    Lexington, MA
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    '83 Mustangs suffer from a manufacturing defect related to the hood release cable. It may not be an "official" defect according to Ford, but its been present on all the '83s I've seen. When you pull the hood release, you need to push the lever back in completely. If not, when you attempt to drop the hood, it won't catch. My mechanic didn't know this, and kept POUNDING on the hood to get it to close, denting the hood in the process!! (grrrrrr) They denied it of course.

    I've seen many '83s over the years that have dents in same area next to the hood decal, evidence of bodywork in that area, or the hood has actually flipped open as mentioned by the OP. More people need to know about that hood cable.

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