leaving the hood opened

[puma]

Hey there quick question that might seem stupid but is it bad to leave the hood opened for a long period of time? let say i winterize the car for 6 months and want to leave a battery charger on it, it would fit better if i let the hood opened.

Could the hood start to curve or something since it is so long and it is made out of fiberglass? I know old shcool Corvette had this problem of the body sagging over time, could it happen with our hood when opened for too long?

thanks a lot

 

[Leslie]

Welcome to the site!

I have seen a couple of pictures on here where the guys were able to put a battery tender under the hood without leaving it open.

This hood to me seems very similar to some of my older stingrays as far as flexibility. I don't leave it open long because of that.

 

[JUCD VPR]

Is there a way of just lowering the hood but not closing it. Just having the wires running out from under the hood? I wouldn't keep it opened like that because i think after time it wouuld wear the spring. If you do have to leave it open i would prop something up to help assist and take some of the load off of it. Just my opinion.

 

[C O D Y]

Isn't having the hood closed all the time with more pressure on the hood springs harder on them?

 

[JUCD VPR]

Isn't having the hood closed all the time with more pressure on the hood springs harder on them?

Hmm good point! I would think. So maybe just leaving it popped in the front would be the best?

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

So maybe just leaving it popped in the front would be the best?

Thats what I do when my hood stays open for any length of time

 

[VIPER BAZ UK]

Same as above......

 

[Joseph Dell]

The hood won't bend. But if you are worried about wearing out the springs (which i haven't in 7 years) try this trick: get a vice grip and with the hood open, clamp it on the hinge. Hood won't move even if the wind blows.

good luck!

JD

 

[puma]

thanks guys for the quick replies. Since there isn't much left of the winter and that it doesn't seem like anyone had this kind of problem so far, i'll take a risk and leave it like that for the 2 months that are left.

thanks again, really nice community you have here, can't wait to use the new forum format.

puma

 

[InjectTheVenom]

I don't know if the setup that you are using is gonna permit doing this in terms of hood clearance, but maybe you're able to close the hood and feed the wires leading to the battery charger through the driver's side gill opening (and put some wrapping around them in that area in order to protect the paint against rubbing marks)?

 

[ViperJohn]

Isn't having the hood closed all the time with more pressure on the hood springs harder on them?

Hmm good point! I would think. So maybe just leaving it popped in the front would be the best?

That's what I do to, the only thing in addition to that is that I unlock so it will open all the way up in front.

 

[Mopar Steve]

The battery tender comes with a plug/cord combination that can be mounted to the battery terminals under the hood. You dont even have to open the hood to connect or disconnect this plug. order extra leads from battery tender and mount these to all of your stored vehicles.

 

[Warfang]

The battery tender comes with a plug/cord combination that can be mounted to the battery terminals under the hood. You dont even have to open the hood to connect or disconnect this plug. order extra leads from battery tender and mount these to all of your stored vehicles.

They even have attachments that just plugs into your cigarette lighter slot... just leave your window cracked open.

 

[Madduc]

I hook my Battery Tender clips to the positive terminal on the fuse block and the negative to the ground wire down on the side sill. Then route the remaining wire thru that slit on the rear section of the wheel well. Now I can close the hood no problem.

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

Hey there quick question that might seem stupid but is it bad to leave the hood opened for a long period of time? let say i winterize the car for 6 months and want to leave a battery charger on it, it would fit better if i let the hood opened.

Could the hood start to curve or something since it is so long and it is made out of fiberglass? I know old shcool Corvette had this problem of the body sagging over time, could it happen with our hood when opened for too long?

I don't think it can bend, but the springs can definitely weaken over time. Mine have over the last 7 years of multiple ups and downs. The slightest wind outside will drop the hood now. The vise grip method will work to clamp the spring, but I made a little hood holder upper out of a scrap piece of pine. It works pretty slick, especially if the hood is up outside or on any type of backward leaning elevation. ie. Front tires on a plank in the garage to get a jack under the frame members in the front.

As for a battery tender. You can easily hook one of these up and shut the hood.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Pretty elaborate, there, Steve. I had always thought a 2x4 cold sit cross ways in the notch, but never tried it. I found a broken golf club works well; the small end fits in one of the holes in the underside of the hood near the cowl(so it can't slide) and the rubber grip rests on the intake manifold runners (which then also can't slide.) And it's light, thin, and comes in handy for other things...

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

Whadda ya think Tom......a patent for my holder upper? Perhaps made out of a nice piece of hardwood....maybe Bird's Eye Maple. Hardwood would be more fitting for a Viper than #2 Pine. It also tucks in nicely next to the spare tire.

Steve

 

[Madduc]

What about making it of some form of plastic? I'd buy one!

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

For a Viper, MGW should make it from billet aluminum, anodized in the color of the car, with the logo inscribed. Sold for a few hundred bucks.... far better than a broken gold club!

 

[Mopar488]

I used to go the under the hood route, but I got the cigaratte plug adaptor and a 20' extension cord for the plug cable. I crack the window about 1/4" to run the cord out to the Battery Tender. Kind of a PITA, but less than opening and shutting the hood

 

[FE 065]

I want to hear the story about how the golf club got broken...

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

It's not what you think.

Thinking "why pay so much for a Callaway" I started making clubs. I bought superlite shafts, which I learned are light because they use less resin, not less glass fiber. Good tensile strength, but poor in bending. Many broke at the hosel.