1938 Ford hood prop

My 39 std Tudor uses 1 spring loaded hinge on the driver's side to hold it up. Talked to an older gent last year that mentioned Ford offering this 39 "solution" to owners of 38s back in the day. What we now call a TSB (Technical Service Bulletin). Still all Ford parts...
 
I have a 38 hood prop that I removed, I would think long and hard about even considering putting one of them back on. They are a disaster whating to happen and the wait won't be long!
 
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This is the Hood Prop on a 1938 Ford Deluxe. Ford mad a mistake when they designed this Prop, as it is only on one side and to shut the Hood, you have to lift to disengage the mechanism. To the untrained operators, some would simple try and pull the Hood closed, resulting in damage to the Hood.
 
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On the similar 1939 Ford Standard models, Ford rectified their mistake. On the 1939 Ford Standard model, to close the Hood, you simply pull down and close it. On this revised mechanism, no damage occurs. Ford should have done this on the 1938 models.
 
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Damaged Hood on 1938 Ford Standard, the result of the operator simply pulling the Hood down to close it, rather than lift it first.
 
FYI: A gust of wind can lift the hood enough to release the '38 style hood prop so be careful.
 
I made a pair of extra prop rods out of painted PVC pipe with chair bumpers on either end for added support when the hoods are open on my '38 Convertible and '39 Pickup. Use the original hood prop as designed plus the extra ones at shows and while doing servicing of the vehicles. I make a point to let people know at shows the shortcomings of the original Ford design, the original hood from my pickup had both the mounting bracket torn off and a nice tear in the sheetmetal. Bought an NOS hood for my pickup(maybe the only one around) from a guy in Northern Illinois and am very careful anytime I open the hood.
 

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The OEM 38 hood prop has to have been one of Ford's worse ideas ever! It is hard to understand how they ever thought it would work without damaging the hood.
 
when you open the hood on a 38, the prop automatically locks, holding the hood open, to get it to close you have to lift hood slightly, this unlocks the prop and hood will close, most people don't know this, and just shoves the hood down, bending the hood, mine two times, I leave the prop off, only using it a national meet, using a stick other times....I made a bushing to go on the bottom bolt
 
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