Well,

I just got back from searching about 4 junkyards looking for a hood for my bonne. I desperately need to find a hood because without it, I can't open up the hood to do any maintenance, and I can't replace the front grill so right now I'm down to only one light. I'm getting tired of it, I'm tired of having less visibility, and I'm tired of giving cops even a remote chance of giving me a problem. It looks ghetto.

Some of the places basically stated that cars of that vintage are being trashed and they're only keeping new ones. One of the places had a 92 hood. I'm not quite certain which Buick hoods are compatible with mine, but I know some are from what I heard. My last option is to go to the local speed shop, and the guy can custom order one... $200... I don't have that kind of change for a hood, so that'* out of the question right now.

What do you guys recommend?

buick regal is my bet. my dad says the century is the brother of the bonneville because the rear end is the sameish, but i say the regal. whats wrong with your hood?

Err.. hood? You can't pop the hood? What the hell? You must have the most fucked up front end ever, to have a hood that won't open [unless it'* a linkage problem for the hood pop]. And if you cannot get it off, how are you going to replace it?


-justin

Are both cars' hoods compatible, or is that just how you feel? I will consult my Haynes manual to hope that it tells me what will work with it...

A few months ago I was in an accident where I rear ended another car. His car was 100% ok, where as my whole front end was damaged. The hood is bent back in a little bit, and the grill was basically destroyed so I only have one light. I can't open the hood with 4 people pulling up on it. It feels like it'* stuck on the second latch. When we get the hood replacement, we'll try other more creative means of opening the hood, such as crowbars and other objects. We didn't want to go all out in opening the hood, because there is a good chance that the hood will not open back up again.

If our simple means of opening it don't work, I'm also a fire fighter, I have plenty of tools at my disposal that I would be able to get it open. :P

I really really doubt that the hood from a Buick Century or Regal will fit your car. If it does, it will look stupid. Those cars aren't even H-bodies, as is your Bonneville.

What you're looking for is a hood from any bonneville from '87 to '91. The '92 would be the newer, rounded style, and while it may bolt up, it certainly wouldn't fit with your fenders, grille, etc.

If any Buick hood is compatible, it would be that of a Lesabre, or Park Avenue, but I know for a fact that a few of those old buicks had hoods which had the hinges on the front, and would not work at all.

The most likely fit (after the Bonneville, of course) would be a hood from an Oldsmobile 88 of the same era. It would still never fit your headlights and grille properly though, and I wouldn't recommend anything other than an actual '87-'91 Bonneville hood. Unless you just buy the whole front end of the donor car, which would give you a real 'kustom' car when you're all done with it. Nothing else like it on the street.


Buick Regal, indeed!

Wow, I could swear that someone had told me previously that the hoods of the old Buicks and Bonnevilles are interchangable... boy were they wrong! Thanks for the correction, that would have been a costly mistake to make.

Now, if only I can find a hood for a Bonneville!

I know we've got a few in my local yard, but I doubt you'd be willing to drive this far.

This may not be your favorite option, but until you are able to find a new hood, what about taking a sledge hammer to the current one. Hit down on the crease to allow the front of the hood to get closer to its original position. This will at least let you get the hood open, and let you see a little easier. Just make sure you don't get carried away and hit anything important underneath. I got to do some of this emergency repair to a friends mercedes, he didn't have time to sit around and wait for insurance to fix it, so in the mean time, I got to make it driveable again. Nothing like taking a sledge hammer to a mercedes to relieve some tension.

A part of me is quite curious what the shipping charges are... I'm desperate. No way I can drive that far, however I do have friends that live in MI... how close are you to the Upper Peninsula? :P

Actually, we have considered that option, however there are a few things we're worried about. 1) We haven't investigated as extensive yet as to determine why the hood won't open. We don't know if the latch is bent out of whack, or what have you. 2) Not quite sure how we would take a sledge hammer to fix the damage... we need to bend it out, not in, so I am trying to think of how we can basically accomplish the same goal. :/ It'* definately drivable, I"ve been driving like that for the past few months... however I am stuck with one light, and can't do any engine maintenance, so let'* pray my car holds out as good as I hope it does.

Well, I'm a good 4 hours south of da' UP. Jenison is just west of Grand Rapids, which in turn is an hour west of Lansing.

The sledge idea isn't a bad one, if you know how the secondary release works. You might look into that!