How Do I Replace a Hood Hinge Spring?

[1957chevy]

I noticed that the hood hinge spring on the driver's side of my 57 Belair is no longer connected to the hinge.

Any suggestions for reconnecting it?

Any tricks or "easy" ways to get it back on?

[MikeKy55]

Have someone else raise the hood a little higher than it is at rest and you may be able to put it back on by hand. If it's a little short, CAREFULLY take a thin blade screw driver and pry it over the hook.

[1957chevy]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll try to find time to do this when I have a helper.

[dseale4888]

Try the pliers for installing the brake shoe return springs.
Dave

[Brent's 57]

I noticed that the hood hinge spring on the driver's side of my 57 Belair is no longer connected to the hinge.

Any suggestions for reconnecting it?

Any tricks or "easy" ways to get it back on?

:) Take the spring and bend it sticking pennys or washers in-between the coils, this will stretch it enough to fit. Close the hood & the pennys or washers will fall out. ;)

[1957chevy]

Thanks Brent. Pennies or washers seem to be the most common suggestion, with washers probably being the easier of the two to pick up after installing the spring (can use magnets or even strings or something through the washers).

I have a slight problem however -- I don't have a "safe" way to bend the spring enough to put enough washers or pennies or quarters or anything into the spring. I with I had a workbench with a good solid vice attached to it! Any suggestions?

I raised the hood extra far and "popped" the hinge! Boy did that set me back (time wise). Now that I have the hinge situation back to normal, I'm going to work on getting the spring back on.