1969 GS-GTO-Chevelle hood hinge interchangeability??

Discussion in 'Race car chassis tech' started by 69GS430/TKX, Mar 31, 2020.

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  1. 69GS430/TKX

    69GS430/TKX Silver Level contributor

    My 69 GS400 wore out its hood hinges. I swapped in the decent-condition hinges from my '68 GS350, but I am getting tired of hitting my head when I'm working under the hood. So I want hinges that will raise the hood higher. Apparently, no one makes repro hinges for the 69? And having my old ones rebuilt seems like a lot of money for a driver-quality car like mine.

    I did find repro hinges for other A-body cars on OPGI's site. The ones for the Goat and the Chevelle are reasonably priced IMO. (Each of them is a different part number, the GTO ones are for 1968-1972 GTO & Catalina, and the Chevelle ones are for '69 Chevelle and El Camino).

    If I was sure either of them would fit my GS without much modifying, I'd order them. Does anyone know how close GTO or Chevelle hinges are to Buick, fitment-wise? I am willing to drill if necessary. Thanks for any help.

    https://www.opgi.com/sheet-metal-bo...ood-hinge-1969-chevelleel-camino-c990073.html

    https://www.opgi.com/sheet-metal-bo...72-gto1969-70-bonnevillecatalina-g200007.html
     
  2. Duane

    Duane Member

    Gene Hill has a set of nice used 69 Hood hinges for sale in the "parts for sale" section.

    I don't think the other brand hood hinges will fit. Those hoods are really heavy.

    "Drilling holes".......................Do you really want to take a chance with something like that?
    Duane
     
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  3. Gulfgears

    Gulfgears Gulfgears

    Why do you need new hinges just to raise the hood? Can't you just put in new hood springs?
    If you go with new springs do't use OPGI, they don't fit!
    I have not found a source yet for 66 Skylark springs.
     
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  4. A000A

    A000A Member

    Gary, when the hinges are all wore out and loose, you can't get them to adjust in the closed position. hood always sticks up, or gaps look like ****. Thats why the tight hinges are important to most. I honestly have never seen a spring get too weak to hold a hood up. Its always the slopy looseness that sucks.
    I dream of nice 68/69 hinges. All the A bodies differ how they bolt onto the fenders, mostly.
     
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  5. 69GS430/TKX

    69GS430/TKX Silver Level contributor

    Thanks, Duane, I will check out Gene's set. As for drilling holes, I meant that if Chevelle or GTO hinges are similar enough to Buick hinges EXCEPT their bracket mounting holes don't line up with a Buick hood's or fender's holes, I am willing to drill holes in the hinge brackets so they line up with my Buick's holes. I don't care about originality, because my car is a driver, it's had too much modifications over the decades to make a correct restoration affordable.
     
  6. 69GS430/TKX

    69GS430/TKX Silver Level contributor

    Thanks Gary for responding. AOOOA explained my problem pretty well. Except my original '69 hinges aren't just worn out and loose, one of them has flexed do much that it is about to break in half. I could weld it back up and then try to tighten things up, but I would gladly avoid the hassle and just spend $40 - $60 for a brand new repro set.
     
  7. 69GS430/TKX

    69GS430/TKX Silver Level contributor

    Exactly. That's what my hood has done for decades. When you lower it down, you have to carefully push here and there so it fits down where it's supposed to without chipping paint on the way down due to hood misalignment.

    If you might be interested my '68's hinges, I can post some pictures. I was planning to put them up for sale in the "Parts for sale" forum after I have a better set bolted on my car.
     
  8. newmexguy

    newmexguy Well-Known Member

    The '69 Chevelle/El Camino/full size Chev hood hinges were a one year deal. The spacing, between the bolt holes, on the upper arm that bolted to the underside of the hood increased. From '68. Guessing so that the hood could open farther. The '68 Chev A hood hinges, were were also used on the '68 Chev II/Nova and full size Chev as well. The '68 and '69 Chev A hoods were dimensionally the same. But they are not the same, due to the hood hinge change. The '68 hinges were then used, unchanged, all the way through the '79 model year for the X body. (Nova, Apollo, Skylark, Ventura, Phoenix, and Omega. There ARE several hood hinge rebuilders out there. Might be an option for a Buick owner where there is no reproductions available.
     
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2020
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  9. 69GS430/TKX

    69GS430/TKX Silver Level contributor

    Thanks for sharing your knowledge about the Chevy hinges, NewMex. I checked with a GM parts restorer/seller in Connecticut to see if he had any 69 Skylark hinges in stock, and he said he had nothing. And my understanding is that you are right about the 68-to-69 change being for allowing the hood to open farther. That is why I don't want to run my 68 hinges on my 69 any longer. I see my options as:

    1. Try rebuilding my 69 hinges.
    2. Sell my 68 hinges to someone who wants them, and use the money toward buying someone's 69 hinges that are driver quality. (Or if really lucky, someone would want to trade a pair of 69s for my 68s)
    3. Pay more than I want to for a set of really nice reconditioned 69 hinges when they become available.
    4. Look at 69 GTO hinges and Chevelle hinges, and see how different they really are from Skylark hinges where they mount up. Whichever is the closest to Buick hinges, buy them from OPGI (around $40 each) and modify them to fit my Buick's hood and fenders. If modifying them turns out to be possible, I may be able to produce hinges for other Stepchild owners, and fill a niche that apparently needs to be filled ! :)
     
  10. 69GS400s

    69GS400s ...my own amusement ride!

    at one time board owner Jim Weise was rebuilding hood hinges .. he did a set for me. Try sending him a PM
     
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  11. 69GS430/TKX

    69GS430/TKX Silver Level contributor

    Thanks, Alan, I will do that.
     
  12. 69GS430/TKX

    69GS430/TKX Silver Level contributor

    Okay, done sending. You should now have my name and address. I rounded the amount up for your troubles. Thanks! Jeff
     
  13. TyLark

    TyLark Active Member

    Hey guys I am in a similar situation on our 69 - passenger side wore and hood won't close on that corner without a little help.

    Will the 70 hinges work on a 69 GS hood? If not what is the issue, mounting to the fender as 69GS&M21 mentioned earlier ?

    Has anyone had their 69 hinges rebuilt? Just wondering how successful that is.

    -Thx, Curtis.
     
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  14. Buicksky

    Buicksky Gold Level Contributor

    Curtis,
    I had a set tightened up by Jim Weise and they were better . I don't believe he provides that service any longer. Some of the rebuild company's, replace worn rivet's with new larger rivet's to help eliminate wear. If I needed another set I would use one of those companies. Tony
     
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  15. 69GS430/TKX

    69GS430/TKX Silver Level contributor

    Belated reply to Curtis: I am still looking into the interchangeability thing to see what is possible. If I find something that works, I will post an update here.
     
  16. idahoskylark

    idahoskylark idahoskylark

    Not sure what this hinge fits. The one on the right fits my 72 Skylark passenger side the left one is a passenger but mounts to fender different Maybe a 68-69???
    You can have the left one if it will work for you I can't use it
    Got it by mistake when looking for a driver side that I needed
     

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  17. 69GS430/TKX

    69GS430/TKX Silver Level contributor


    Thanks, Charlie, it might be a good one to use in my testing. I will send you a PM.
     
  18. mbryson

    mbryson Owner of Ornery grandma Buick

    I need to head to my favorite junkyard likely this upcoming Sat. that may have some 68 or 69 hinges. (They do not have 70-72 units but have 4-5 68-69 Skylarks). I’m not very good with year differences between 68 and 69 except for the fender “vents” being different. On a partially disassembled car this may not be reliable. How would I tell the difference between 69 and 68?
     
  19. Brad Conley

    Brad Conley RIP Staff Member

    68 has round rear side marker lights, 69 square. That's a start.
     
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  20. mbryson

    mbryson Owner of Ornery grandma Buick


    That’s right! (Thanks for the reminder)
     

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