Quick question on Front hood springs and struts

[markeaton]

Gents-

Restoring my 73 standard beetle. I noticed that my front hood opens and closes not as smooth as I'd like. Looking at it, the springs are somewhat out of shape and generally worn.

While I'd like to keep it original with the springs, no suppliers that I use has them.

I've been seeing that people use "struts". Kind of like those internal gas pressurized ones.

Does anyone have experience with struts and if they work good? Or if you know where new (or gently used) springs can be found? I did find one on eBay, but wanted to hear from others.

As always, thanks for your input.
Mark

[TDCTDI]

Meh, the original springs work great but they do tend to have a bow or twist to them. One of the problems with the hydraulic struts is that they were never made specifically for a Beetle which means that they are not likely to be exactly the same compressed or extended length. If too short, the hood won't open as far as it would in stock form, if too long, the hood won't quite close completely, or if it does, you'll end up bending something to do so.

The other problem is that even if the compressed & extended lengths are correct, the strut is likely to be designed for a much heavier application, this would cause a lot of stress on fairly thin sheet metal mounting points. I have seen many cars that received these "upgrades" in the '90s (Primarily water cooled examples.) & the mounting points have fatigued & ripped out of the body.
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Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[beetlenut]

Contact Flyboat https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=220552 He made a set for converting your hood springs over to struts. I have them on my car and like them over the stiff springs. No more bowed hood.
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scrapyards are for quitters
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[markeaton]

Well, truth be told, I really need to probably pull out the springs and see if they can be "resurrected" so to speak.

If I can't get corrected, maybe flyboat might be worth a call.

Thank you

[AlmostHeavenWV_VW]

[markeaton]

Thanks for that info.