LUVTruck.com

WOW!!! WhAT A GREAT SITE. I am a Newbie here.
My brother just gave my 17 y.o. son an 1980 Luve in VERy nice condition.
no major rust,complete interior ( of course without a desent dash cap).
We put in a new battery and drove it home 50 miles with a hitch.
He planes on restoring this one. (Is he alredy addicted?)
We are already seeking a second one for , What else? a small block swap.
So, here is my first of I'm sure many questions........
What holds the hood sheet metal to the hood frame?
One has seperated from the other.
There seems to be a type of tar/ glue. I see no weld marks.
Thank you in advance for your answer
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That tar is it pretty much. The frame is supposed to keep tension against the hood skin, but all it takes is one bozo to stand on the hood and the frame is bent. Getting it pushed back up into place it pretty much impossible. I put a few strips of wood between the sagging frame and the hood on one of my trucks and it did help some. There really isn't a lot else you can do except try to tweak it back into place. I've tried shoving and pushing on mine, but never had much success.

Thanks again for your promt reply.
Do you know what type of tar it is?
It looks so very fimiliar to some 70's 80's GM product.

it might be the same stuff but you have to remeber these trucks arent realy GM, there an Isuzu product so some things might be diferent. On both my LUVs (78 and 80) they have seperating hoods too. Its just something i have lived whith realy, might be able to weld em up a bit though.

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1980 LUV 4x4, going under re-construction...

yes it is safe to weld hood and frame together, with a WIRE FEED welder,(stick welder will burn thru to outside and ruin paint) I have lived an learned on both counts (LOL)

you can place the frame on six blocks and slightly bend the frame to push up against the hood,it takes some paitence but is possible.just be gentle and take your time. it takes two people to do too.

after that try to find some goo like what was used stock. or if u can find someone willing to take a chance do what lil' blue said and have it tack welded. just make sure you take it to someone that u trust.

by the way.....how far are you from plymoth in.?

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Also, I forgot to mention that if you would rather put that "goo" on it, that is easy to find......go to your nearest parts house and ask for a "window installation kit" That is a roll (15 ft) of rubbery goo, that is the cheaters way (MY way) for installing windshields, there will be MORE than enough there to fix that hood, and I guarantee it wont come undone again. But I agree on welding if you go that route......find someone you really TRUST!!

Plymouth is within an hours drive.

im lost now...I know where DeSoto (TEXAS) is but i have no clue where plymouth is