Question 1. what to use to reatatch the outer skin to the ribbing? had a engine mount bolt missing when i got the car and the AC compressor had been hitting the hood for a long time. 2. I have some small stress cracks in the pinch weld type thing (or mabe it would be called the seam) around the edges of the hood in places can those be welded without f'ing up the paint? I want to replace the gas shocks on it and want to be shure the extra force wont buckle a fatigued hood, also when i am driving the hood lifts just enough to where i cant see the edge of the fender on one side and dips down about 1/8 below the edge of the other fender. also the hood is not tight when it is shut i can push it down an extra 1/8 to 1/4 inch further down is that normal or what can i do to adjust it?

 

ok.. to reattach the hood
the best thing to do would be to braze the two ribs to the skin... and brazing it will be as stong as you will need it.... 30,000psi tensile strngth is a bit for a hood.. you can fill the cracks in the seam the same way. should work without problems.. the hood soming up i thinhk has to do with the gas shocks.. mine lifts a little bit, but the shocks are not completely shot yet.. although i am going to replace them. I get the same problem on my sunfire (it has no gas shocks and just uses one of those hood bar things to keep the hood up)

But Brazing would be your best best for a solid connection.. and since it is about 1/4 to 1/2 as hot when doing you may be able to save the paint. I am making a steal custom hood scoop for mine (a CIA hood to clear my carb setup) and I will be razing the thing to the hood once it is done, since it will make a nicer bead compared to welding it.