[Al]

I am building a 49 Willys sedan delivery and want to make a tilt front end. Any ideas on hinges, latches, etc?

[johnnymopar]

I don't know about the hinges, but i always thought it would be cool to use power-trunk latches for the hood.

JB

[F-1 Rodder]

I'm into the Ford thing and haven't paid a lot of attention to other Marques that use front tilts. But, front tilts are real common on 54 to 56 Ford F100 and Dennis Carpenter Enterprises sells a kit for them. You can find the company on the web. You could get some product literature from them and copy the basic geometry and techniques. I am sure I could figure one out from a picture and use somthing like suspension bushings as fulcrum points. I would guess that the callenge is in finding a strong point down low below the grill opening to which you could attach the fulcrum for the body and to an adjacent frame attachment point. Another thought is a forward tilt hood. For these you can use Saab or BMW fulcrums and latches. I have seen some of these done well.

[30 desoto]

Summit Racing Products lists hinges for tilting your front I think they are about $100. Bud

[Centerline]

I designed an electrically operated all steel tilt front end for my pro-street 41 Chevy coupe. You can see pics and a drawing of the design on my web site below.

The hinges are 3/4" rod ends and the system is held closed by the 12-volt linear actuator from Ball's Rod & Custom, which operates the mechanism. Works like a champ and really impresses people when you just flip a switch on the dash and the front end opens.

[F-1Rodder]

Use mercruiser power pistons and their electric pump to raise and lower it. The pumps are a dime a dozen from old worn out I/O drives. They are made from Stainless.