After getting tired of having to keep a broomstick or other lame hood prop loose in the car to hold up my carbon hood, I came up with this idea. Feel free to make one yourself!
Parts required:
1 - steel golf shaft, preferably an old 3 wood, or similar
2 - misc hardware: Metric hex bolt, nuts, washers, small hinge, small bolts, L-bracket, heavy gauge screws.
I cut the ends off the shaft, then flattened the handle end in a vice, drilled 2 holes, and bolted the hinge onto the shaft. This then was bolted onto the washer, and slipped over the hex bolt. The 2 nuts on the hex bolt are tightened together, like a lock nut, leaving enough play for the washer to rotate and act as the 2nd hinge.
For the L-bracket that I bolted to the hood frame, I opted to use a larger thicker one, and cut it down to size, because the smaller ones were bending under load. The hollow steel golf shaft is great because the upper screw fits inside and does not budge if you accidentally bump the shaft while working. The extreme angle of it also leaves much more open room to work on the engine bay.
The photos are pretty self-explanatory. On my MK3, the shaft stores away against the fender, and is held tightly in place by the front hood cushion bolt and igniter. It is solid, does not rattle at all, weighs much less than a broomstick, and the chrome adds a little bling. :biglaugh:
Parts required:
1 - steel golf shaft, preferably an old 3 wood, or similar
2 - misc hardware: Metric hex bolt, nuts, washers, small hinge, small bolts, L-bracket, heavy gauge screws.
I cut the ends off the shaft, then flattened the handle end in a vice, drilled 2 holes, and bolted the hinge onto the shaft. This then was bolted onto the washer, and slipped over the hex bolt. The 2 nuts on the hex bolt are tightened together, like a lock nut, leaving enough play for the washer to rotate and act as the 2nd hinge.
For the L-bracket that I bolted to the hood frame, I opted to use a larger thicker one, and cut it down to size, because the smaller ones were bending under load. The hollow steel golf shaft is great because the upper screw fits inside and does not budge if you accidentally bump the shaft while working. The extreme angle of it also leaves much more open room to work on the engine bay.
The photos are pretty self-explanatory. On my MK3, the shaft stores away against the fender, and is held tightly in place by the front hood cushion bolt and igniter. It is solid, does not rattle at all, weighs much less than a broomstick, and the chrome adds a little bling. :biglaugh: