What's a good size strut to replace springs on hood hinges?

[Uber Affe]

I have a 1303 and want to replace the springs w/ one of those strut do-hickeys...any one done this mod? I've seen the stuff for sale but too far from me and too expensive...unless someone knows where I can get them in the states for a fair price?...otherwise ... where do I get the piece for the mod?

[Kafer_Mike]

I got mine at www.aircooled.net for about $30. They took less than :30 to install...

[redhot]

could you measure them expanded and contracted?

would be very helpful.

[Uber Affe]

Aircooled only has them for 1302 and standard beetles...not 1303's...

So...guess I'll just shop around for parts and fab something up....

[Steve C]

Hi

I bought some for my car but found they were to long, got the compressed & extended lenghts mixed up, I had a go at fitting them anyway on a junker Im wrecking and I found that with the strut mounted near the factory mount on the hinge and a new bracket mounted near the suspension strut top they were almost to hard to shut the hood with, I then played around with different mounting locations which worked OK. I reckon the air cooled net ones could be made to work, they will be to short so maybe you might need to make a new base bracket.

The secret I found is that the strut needs to pushing the hood shut in the last few degrees of movement of the hood.

Im new to 1303s and I cant beleive how much the hood sways around on the hinges, Im going to look into a way of fixing this.

Steve

[Uber Affe]

I had so much trouble with my hinges popping off and bending (lil bastards)
that I almost considered just using pins. I ended up buying new hinges (used ones) and I don't even have all the retaining clips for the mounts yet. i just had the car painted and the damage repair that the bad hinge created. I'll be damned if I let that happen again now.
As you can see the damage was pretty bad and looks much better now.


http://www.geocities.com/vzif/restor...estobugnew.htm
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http://www.geocities.com/vzif/restor.../restobug2.htm
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I may just remove the springs completely just to avoid the slipping pressure problem. Just dunno what to do really..maybe custom fab something?

[Steve C]

Hi

I can see the damage to your car, your new paint job looks great so you wouldnt want that to happen again. The earlier bugs dont have any problems and they are held on with a shoulder bolt. Ive been thinking about trying to run a thread were the hinge pivot is and actually hold the hing on with a lock nut.

Steve

[Uber Affe]

Anything would be a better solution.
I've actually considered just making a bolt together one-piece unit that connects the two pirces in the center with some kind of bar so the don't wiggle
and add some tension to the whole thing.
Like with r nuts and a thread rod???
Can you picture it?

[Steve C]

Hi

I think the fault in the design is the clips that attach the hinge dont offer any support. Ive also posted a similar thread on Superbeetlesonly.com

Steve