JayK47

Has anybody removed the engine with the hood on? The hood on my 74 seems pretty heavy. I am surprised how heavy it is considering it is mostly fiberglass. I have seen some videos of C3 hood removal and their hoods were light enough that they were able to easily pick it up without help. I would definitely need help removing mine and I would need to find someplace to store it for a while. Since removing the engine is typically done from the side on these C3s, it looks possible to remove the engine while keeping the hood in place. If someone has done it, I would love to here how it went and if you have any tips. Thanks in advance.

any4xx

I’ve never seen, nor ever heard of it being done. And honestly, I couldn’t imagine it. The hood isn’t that heavy. I’d be more afraid of breaking it by trying to maneuver an engine on a hoist around it than I would be of damaging it by removing it.

nyciti

c3 hood is not heavy at all. But to answer your question yes I have. As with all C3s just pull the engine from the side. Disconnect the hood prop, use a long piece of wood to keep open as far as possible.

Honestly you making it harder, if you have a friend just pull the hood. I did it that way cause I have no patience and no one was around.

76-Vetteman

I've actually pulled my small block hood off several times by myself. I don't recall it being that heavy.

But to pull the motor you really need the hood off. Otherwise, you will find it being a huge obstacle.

gleninsandiego

I have done it on a 69, which has a shorter hood.
Come in from the side.
I have not installed one with the hood on, however.
We pulled the body off later

JayK47

My hood seems pretty heavy. Looking at videos of hood removal, the C3s in the video do not have near as much going on as my 74 with the cowl hood and vent mechanism. It is noticeably heavy when opening it. I would definitely need a helper. Like nyciti, I lack patience. Are you simply using the long piece of wood to prop it open?

doorgunner

I think the shape of the hood is what makes it feel heavy...there is no place where the center of gravity "is on your side".

Jarhead 74 Vette

I pulled my hood by myself using a scrap piece of insulation board laid across the fenders with all hood bolts out except for one in each hinge and partially closed the hood while removing those last 2 bolts.
BTW: don’t forget to mark the hinge location onto the hood for easy alignment once it’s time to reinstall the hood.
I ended up pulling the engine from the front with a larger size hoist as my work area wouldn’t allow side access with the engine lift.
It is definitely easiest to pull from the side, though, thus the most popular method.

ebbnflow

if you can't handle hood, a motor pull will gut you.
mark the hinges as said, eat your Wheaties, pull hood.

ddawson

My BBC came out on my 69 with the hood on.

Rescue Rogers

leaving the hood on is asking for grief and trouble. before you remove it take a silver sharpie and mark the front hinges on the frame and the hood. That way re-alignment is as easy as getting it in the spot that is marked. Just get a friend or neighbor to help tieh removal. I use a gantry i built and wrap strapes around it aot get it off by myself. Get a bicycle wall hanger and pad it then put the hood on it nose down. It will self center then I use ratchet straps and hook them inot th epin holes and secure them to the wall or ceiling....

7T1vette

Drill a 1/8" hole thru each of the hood hinges (thru the hinge and mating fiberglass surface; use a drill stop to prevent going deeper that necessary before loosening the retaining bolts. Then when installing the hood, you can line up the exact location of those hinges by inserting the shank end of a 1/8" drill bit or 1/8" drill rod. Works like a charm.

Heus

Pulled the stock engine on my 78 and dropped in a crate engine without removing the hood. It was easy. Removing the hood would have been a waste of time for me.

fake

This is what America is made of short cutting a job that any youngester could do.Strap it with some nylon straps and a pulley or even a come along and go boy!

Jebbysan

For the 5 minutes it takes to remove and install the hood with a helper......I would never pull an engine out of one with it on.
Hell, the last time I pulled and installed it myself in 15 minutes....lots of towels and blankets make this possible. The hood weighs maybe 40 lbs. I grab from the front and lift straight up and over.
One big reason I always remove the hood from anything I work on is the first shake down run......if there is any issues while driving, they become apparent right away.

Jebby

DC3

I've done it. I replaced the engine and transmission in my '73 by myself last year. Removed the drivers side tire and went in from the side. My Harbor Freight hoist worked well. I got the engine part way up and got nervous about how close it was going to get to the top inside of the hood. So, I used a rope to hold the hood in the most forward position I could get it and that gave me the extra clearance I needed. The only minor issue I had was that I was using heavy duty moving blankets to protect the paint and I neglected to extend the blanket far enough over the side of the car. The ram of the engine hoist rubbed a small spot in the paint at the bottom of the wheel well.

I used an engine leveler in conjunction with the hoist. There was a lot of distance between the top of the engine and the top of the boom on the hoist. If I had to do it again, finding a way to shorten that distance would have made it a little easier. As would actually having some help.

DC

TimAT

I cant count the number of times I've pulled my BBC without removing the hood. Pull the fan and the bellhousing and it comes out. 4 hours tops. taking frequent beer breaks.

C3 Stroker

JUST PULL THE HOOD. You're considering the job of pulling the engine (a much more involved job), and trying to cut a corner here? Don't make it hard on yourself, or have to worry about smacking the hood with the engine in the process. It's slightly awkward but not that heavy. Use a sling and your engine puller to remove it first if you have to. You'll be glad you did in the long run.

Gale Banks 80'

There used to be a guy at the big Corvette shows that sold Chrome Hood Latch's that had a Receiver and a Latch. You could pull a release lever and just lift it off with no Tools. Fabricating all the parts for my Turbo set up and numerous test runs I have probably had the Hood off a hundred times in the 40 years I have owned it. Aftermarket Hood so 1/2 the weight. One minute off, one minute back on.

Mark G

Depending on your age, height, strength, you should probably engage a trusting neighbor or friend to help you remove it ...the first time. Tape some cardboard around the front edge and along the top surround (where it's near the hood) so you don't scuff or chip the paint. Have a place on the floor near the wall, or sawhorses, whatever to set it when you get it off. If you lean it against the wall, don't use the corners, they could get damaged. I put mine nose-down on some carpet or foam. But tape it or secure it to the wall so some kid or dog doesn't come over and tip it away onto the floor! Some guys run a cable or chain across the back latches and hand from a hook or lag bolt high up on the garage wall. There are lots of safe ways to store a hood.

I've personally never had problems re-aligning the hood. People seem to make a big deal out of it, but for me, it's never been an issue other than a few tries to get it right. Markings get you 'close' but then you still need to fine-tune it from there. Hinges, they can be slightly twisted (from where they were before). Drilling holes is just going to upset your orginality. You might get it re-aligned better than it is now. I see corvette hoods at car shows and so many of them are poorly aligned anyway.

Or, if you don't want to mess with it, leave the hood on. You know your capabilities, shop, equipment best.

Sounds like a nice upcoming project!