I used a Buick LeSabre hood hinge (not sure of year range)
- It had to be shortened approximately 4"
- After cutting it down to size, I used a small block Chevy fuel pump pushrod hammered in to both sides to join the two halves back together. As it turns out, it is just the right size.
- I removed the springs during mock up, and then decided to cut off the lower portion of the hinge where the springs mount, and not use them at all. This provided me more clearance for the PCM and fuse box.
- I used an aftermarket overflow bottle mounted to the A/C lines, which allowed me to mount the PCM directly to the inner fender (using spare polyurethane end-link bushings that I had laying around.)
- I moved the rear of the fuse box over one hole to provide clearance on the drivers side for the hinge in the closed position.
- I used button head 3/8" bolts and washers to mount the hinge to the fenders, about 1/8" back from the factory headlight clips. The hinge mounts to the bottom of the fender lips. Otherwise, it will interfere with the edge of the hood and not allow it to close properly. As it was, I had to trim the hood just a little to clear the bolts.
- At this point, you can move the hinge through it's full range of motion to determine if you have any clearance issues. Move it to the closed position, and then gently set the hood down to check for any interference. I ended up having to trim a small notch in my K&N FIPK to clear the crossbar.
- I then fabricated mounting plates for the hood side of the hinge out of 1/16" steel plate, bent in a sheet metal brake to match the bracing under the hood. I lined it up with the hinge, marked and drilled holes, then welded 3/8" nuts to the back side of it. The main reason that I needed to do this was to fill the raised spot on the driver's side hood bracing that is there to make room for the fuse box from the factory. I also did this to provide a stronger mounting point instead of just mounting the hinge directly to the sheet-metal hood. This would work really well for you if you had a fiberglass hood.
- I moved the hinge to its closed position, and marked the front and rear edge on each fender with tape. Then closed the hood and transferred the marks to the hood.
- To prepare the hood, I placed the brackets that I had made between these marks, and marked the hood where holes would have to be drilled to clear the nuts on the back side of the plates. Then I drilled the holes, and rivited the plates to the hood. I also had to clearance the under-hood bracing for the crossbar on the hinge. This requires a small notch be cut out on both sides of the hood between the mounting plates and the front of the hood.
- I then conned my wife into helping me balance the hood and bolt it to the new mounting plates (again using 3/8" butoon head bolts) after removing the outter wiper cowl pieces and factory bolts in the rear.
- I removed the secondary hood latch and spring in the front, and test fitted the hood until it closed the way that I wanted it to.
- In the rear, I welded the factory bolts to the fender tabs, and notched the stock hinges so that as the hood closes, the factory hinges act as a latch on each side, wrapping around the bolts, and holding the rear of the hood firmly closed.
- Last, I removed the underhood light, and lengthened and re-routed the washer fluid hose so that it still worked.

Here is the hinge, bolted on and complete, in the open position.

The mounting plates that I built.

Passanger side fender mount and rear latch assembly. You can see the overflow bottle that I used in the background of the 2nd picture.

Drivers side fender mount showing washer hose routing, and a final shot showing the hood semi-opened.

And there you have it...the suicide hood mod all done!