Dearborn Report for 1/24/99

Topics Include: Hood Clips, Hoods and Hood Handles during the brass era.

Gentlemen,

I am in Dearborn for a few days to consult with the historical architect on the Piquette Plant project. I came in a few days early to help out Terry Hoover at the Research Center, and to look up a few things myself. Today's information is on hood hooks, hood handles, hood supports and the hood itself.

We casually call them hood hooks, but the factory records called them T-1310 hood clip. The single ear design was adopted on 2-7-08 and appears to have remained substantially the same for the entire time period that it was in use. The modified the tolerances for the stem diameter slightly on 9-23-09 and again on 5-9-10, and changed the size of the hole for the cotter pin from a #29 to a 9/64 on 8-3-10, but that is it.

On 6-27-11 the clip was redesign. Galamb wrote "Have made two hooks for clamping Hood instead of one, making one on each side. Also changed distance between the center of ring to end of shank, from 3-3/16 to 3-1/16, also changed section of ring, from .25" diameter to elliptical section .25"c5/32", also note that bottom of Hooks are flat instead of round.

The design was modified two days later on 6-29-11 by Howard who wrote "Changed width of Ring from .25" straight to 3/8" at Top Tapering .25" at bottom, also change width of hooks, from .25" to 5/16", also changed thickness at top of Ring from 5.32" to 1/8".

No other change in the design seems to have occurred for almost five years. Then on 5-18-16 Martin wrote " Changed name from hood clip, and material from drop forging to cast iron head, with steel stem cast in place. This obsoletes the forging.

The next entry on the card reads "specified for repairs only" authorized by Purdie. I believe this is a typo error since the release card shows that the part was used through the end of 1926. Furthermore James Purdie (See Ed Huff, Henry Ford and the Flywheel Magneto) was in the magneto and experimental departments. Hood hooks would have been well outside of his area of resonsibility.

Now things get interesting. On 4-16-17 a T-1310 Exp. Mfg. Design was introduced. This appears to have been the stamped steel style of clip. The note reads "Production at first to be small, and gradually increased until this design of hood clip will replace the present design."

Three months later on 7-26-17 Gregory wrote "Redesigned, showing the stamping design which has been manufactured experimentally, and is now adopted permanently. This part replaces T-7993 and T7596" (the stem and head casting of the previous design).

On 12-4-17 the clip was redesigned again, "bringing the drawings up to date with clips as they are being made."

Essentially, the hooks remained the same until they were discontinued on 12-2-26 and replaced with a new design.

The hood support (hood former) on the brass era cars is T-1334. There are a few noteable changes in this part. On 11-26-09 Howard wrote "We have added flange on hood ledge at point market "A". This takes effect after 15,000 cars." Then on 6-23-10 (the release states 6-23-15 but this is obviously an error) Howard wrote " Removed pocket for steering flange nuts and hood hinges." One more entry of note, on 9-30-12 Howard again wrote "Specified that the countersink for screw heads to be a punching operation." I believe this allows us to distinguish between 10-12 and 13-14 formers by the holes for the wood screws that attach the former to the dash. The earlier holes are countersunk, the later ones are simply punched.

The hood handle (on hood) was T-1314. For some reason the first entry is dated 7-22-11, so we have no information on changes that may have occurred before that. Even then it is confusing. Here is what Galamb wrote: "Changed from Malleable Iron Casting to Pressed Steel #13 BW Ga. FHD wrote Keim under date of Oct. 19 send B/P [Blue Print] revised under date of Oct. 11th. Owing to the fact that length of foot and inside dimension of handle when added together equals only 5-3/8" instead of 5-1/2" as specified for overall length" we have changed length of feet from 1-1/8" to 1-3/16", in order to make dimensions check up.

On 6-11-13 Galamb wrote "Redesigned and changed material from pressed steel … to aluminum casting." A few days later on 6-30-13 the number of rivet holes was changed from 6 to 4.

The pressed steel handle was again adopted on 7-13-15.

On 1-19-17 Galamb again played catch up by writing "Redesigned, bringing the drawing up to date with the handles as they are being made."

The next, and really the last change of interest occurred on 7-20-20. On this date Galamb wrote "Removed two 5/32 holes from each end, for attaching to hood, and added one 23/64" hole in each end, having a flange on the underside, 3/32" high." This indicates a change from riveting from the hood to the handle to punching a hole in the hood then riveting over the above mentioned flange on the handle to attach it to the hood.

Finally, I also looked at the releases for the brass era hood assembly, T-1300.

On 10-12-09 "changed length of last jt. [joint] on side hinge from 2' to .75" on front end and from 2-3/16" to .75" on rear end."

On 8-17-11 "Removed rivets holding leather strips in place, and submitted "V" punch in its place, shown on drawing."

Now the next section is long, but interesting. Apparently they experimented with a steel hood during the summer of 1913. On 6-20-13 Galamb wrote " Have redesigned this hood, changing material from aluminum to CR Steel… Removed hinge flanges and rivets for same, also removed hood gasket retainers, specifying gaskets to be attached to hood by split rivets after hood is enameled. Have also shown the hood handle fastened to hood by six rivets instead of four."

Five weeks later on 7-28-13 Galamb wrote again "Have changed the drawing to show the aluminum design of hood which was specified before the change to DR Steel design … by showing gaskets as made of leather instead of cotton, and held to the hood by retaining strips instead of split rivets. Have also brought drawing up to date with the hoods as they have been and are now being made by dividing the rear joint on the side hinges, making one lug .75" long on the top blanks, and one lug 1-7/16" long on the side blank. Have also changed the hood by dividing the rear joint in the center hinge, making one lug 7/8" long on the top blank left, and one lug 1-7/16" long on the top blank-right. This change was made to keep the rear end of the top blank-left from being bent, and have so notified the Alum. Co. of America." (Alcoa to the rest of you.)

The next change is dated 1-26-14 and is interesting not so much for the change itself, but for Degner's explanation for the reason for the change. "Added dimensions specifying distance between the tops and sides at the ends of side hinges to be 3/64"-1/16". Also added dimension specifying the distance bewteen the outside of metal which is wrapped around the center hinge rod and the bottom of notch in opposite side to be 1/64"-1/32". The first part of change was made because the people who make these hoods are inclined to be careless about providing clearance between the edges of tops and sides of hoods at the ends of side hinges, consequently sometimes the side hinges do not work as freely as they should. The second change was made because when the clearnce in the cener hinge is not sufficient the sharp edges of the metal scrape the paint off the side of the hinge, when opening and shutting."

The hood was redesigned in Oct. 1914 for the 1915 models. On 10-14-14 Galamb wrote "Called for six louvers in each side and specified this hood to be used on 1915 cars." On 10-21-14 he added "added two reinforcements on each side at bottom. Distance between reinforcements to be 17-5/8", and the distance between the front end of hood and the front reinforcement to be 1-9/16". These reinforcements are to be incorporated in the hood at once."

The next change took place on 7-21-15. "Called for head at front end… Changed material from aluminum to full cold rolled open hearth steel. Brought drawing up to date with hoods as they are being made by specifying the pad at rear end to come flush with rear end of hood instead of projecting 1/16". These changes affect only the hood which are being made on the outside at the present time."

Four days late on 7-24-15 Galamb wrote "We have called for a 3/32"x3/64" groove located 1" from front end of hood hinge rod center, and added note specifying the metal in hood panel to be punched into this groove. This change was made to prevent the hood hingle rod from sliding out of the hoods, and is to be incorporated at once in the steel hoods which are being made outside at the present time.

Essentially that is the end of the story for the brass era hood. I might add that the releases change this part's status to "For Repairs Only" on 9-20-16.

Catch up with you later,

Trent