Julian's hood hinges are available...
Julian's hood hinges are available in brushed stainless steel, shown here, for $524.95 and in polished stainless steel for $625. The kit includes stainless Allen-head hardware, stainless shims, gas struts, and instructions. We were told that '67-'68 Mustang-as well as Maverick, Galaxie, and Fairlane-hinges are coming soon.
Hinges on classic Fords often give us fits. Door hinges can be difficult to get just right, but for many of us, we dread the hood hinge. There's something about those darned hinges that just eat awayat even the most patient person. I think I still have a 1/2-inch wrench orbiting the earth from the last frustrating round of hood adjustments on a project car.
It's not just original, worn out hood hinges. Even the reproduction hinges available are frustrating, which leads me to believe it's the original design of the hinge that presents the problem. Too many pivot points, imprecise metal stampings, and simple rivets all stack up to create slop in the hinge, poor fit for the hood, and lousy operation.
The guys at Julian's in St. Charles, Illinois, were thinking the same thing every time they had to adjust a hood hinge or push down on the back of a hood after closing it. After analyzing and dismantling the factory hinges, the guys came up with their own replacement-hinge design that cures the problems associated with the stockers. Julian's reduced the seven pivot points down to four (less slop), cut the hinge parts out of stainless steel (stronger and more precise), and utilized a gas strut instead of the original-style coil spring (more control over hood movement and more options for different hood materials and weights).
When we heard about the hinges, we knew we had to try a set for ourselves to see if they were all they were cracked up to be. You can judge for yourself by reading the rest of the story.
 Our installation victim was...  Our installation victim was a recently painted K-code GT fastback project at Classic Creations of Central Florida. The K-GT fastback was getting some minor restomod touches and we felt the hinges would be a great addition. We removed the hood first by disconnecting the four 1/2-inch mounting bolts. Be sure to put blankets or fender covers around the engine compartment to protect the paint. |  With the hood out of the way,...  With the hood out of the way, it was simple to remove the three 1/2-inch mounting bolts from the inner fenders, per side, to free the crusty old hinges from the fastback. |  It's a good idea while the...  It's a good idea while the hood and old hinges are out of the way to clean the inner fender thread inserts of paint, rust, and debris with a 5/16-18 tap. If any of the thread inserts are loose in the sheetmetal, grab a MIG welder and tack the inserts from the backside to prevent movement. Otherwise, these loose inserts will translate into yet more hinge slop. |
 Due to the flat surface of...  Due to the flat surface of the hood hinge, tubular spacers are utilized between the inner fender and hinge to properly space the hinge out from the fender edge. Install the two bottom bolts and spacers first, then the large spacer, which is used at the top mounting point. The large spacer can be shimmed as needed to align the hinges per the instructions. |  Snug the bolts in the center...  Snug the bolts in the center of their adjustment to start. This will give you the largest range of adjustment in all directions and is a good starting point for your hood-adjustment steps. |  Reinstall the hood (with at...  Reinstall the hood (with at least one helper) and secure the hood to the new hinges with the included stainless Allen-head bolts. |
 Adjust the hood to the forward-most...  Adjust the hood to the forward-most end of the adjustment slot to give you maximum room between the cowl and hood. Adjust the hood in small increments until the fit from the hood to cowl and hood to fenders is where you want it. Notice the gas strut is in place at this time as well. |  The finished installation...  The finished installation looks very clean and the hood actuation is super smooth. Julian's offers different strut pressures for various hood options on the market, so indicate what hood you're using when ordering. |  Notice how much farther the...  Notice how much farther the hood opens with Julian's hinges installed. This allows for more light in the engine bay to show off your engine at shows and/or cruises and gives you more room for detailing and engine servicing. |