[sick472]

I am looking for ideas to add support to the 1/2 acre of sheet metal that we call a hood.

My hood has a tendency to oil can easily (on both sides), but has good shape when in the outward oil can position. The braces are not the same distance from the hood sheet metal from front to back (or sides to side) which means the replacement pads will only help at one end which leaves me worried that the hood will become a noise maker at highway speeds. I am currently preparing to do the skim putty work and would also like the extra support so that I do not exercise the oil can effect while block sanding.

I know I can cut rubber/foam material strips of different thickness and apply them as necessary (step the thickness up as the brace gets further from the sheet metal).

I do not want to try and bend the braces to improve the gap consistance for fear of permantly warping the hood.

I am currently toying with the idea of intalling jackbolts (#10 machine screws or similay) in the braces which would allow me to apply the "proper" pressure along the braces. These jackbolts would be backed by a strip of shetmetal that could be extra wide for extra support and be glued to the underside of the hood as well. This concept may also help adjust out any slight warpage prior to skim putty.

What's everybody doing with regards to hood support?