1. Adding the new spoiler to the back of the Impala made the alignment of the decklid much more critical, and the team at Old Anvil Speed Shop decided to upgrade the stock hinges.

By Ron Covell Photography by Taylor Kempkes

e have previously examined this remarkable 1962 Chevy Impala and now we’ll concentrate on the exceptionally clean installation of aftermarket hinges for the hood and decklid. Old Anvil Speed Shop is handling the build, which continues to evolve with their innovative building style.

A decision was made to use black anodized billet aluminum hinges from Eddie Motorsports. These hinges were designed as a bolt-on item for a stock 1962 Chevrolet, but the extensive modifications made to this car required some creative adjustments. The wide wheels and tires required widening the rear wheelwells, which prevents the decklid hinges from mounting in their original location. Moving the hinges 2-1/2 inches inboard solved the problem but it required making new mounts. Great care was taken to ensure that the geometry of the installation was accurate to prevent binding of the hinges.

Simple brackets were created to mount the hinge pivot pin, which was welded to the underside of the package tray. The mounts on the decklid proved to be a bit more challenging to fabricate due to the complex contours of the inner structure, but the task was successfully completed by carefully adding new metal and ensuring the new mounting surface for the hinge was perfectly aligned with the original.

Modifications were also needed for the front hinges. The main change involved opting for a long, slender gas spring that fits snugly against the hood’s inner structure. The larger-diameter, shorter spring originally supplied with the hinges would have interfered with the bigger wheels and tires on the car, so a smaller spring was selected to keep everything as tidy as possible underhood. One of the hinge links was remade in a straight configuration since the original curved link was primarily used to accommodate the larger gas spring.

The last photo showcases how clean the finished installation looks. We believe you’ll agree that it’s extremely low profile and neat!

3. The wider wheeltubs installed in this car prevented the hinges from being positioned in the stock location, so careful measurements were taken and new hinges were positioned about 2-1/2 inches farther inboard.

4. The hinge arm was clamped temporarily into place to ensure there was sufficient room to open fully.

6. The bracket proved to be just the right size and a relief is being sketched here, which will remove unnecessary material.

8. The assembly is checked for fit again before being tack-welded into place.

10. The decklid must be modified to accommodate the new hinges’ location. A piece of 1/8-inch steel is fitted into place to fill one of the indentations in the inner structure.

12. Threaded inserts are welded to the inside of this bracket.

14. Here’s the completed new mount for the hinge.

16. Gas springs like this exert considerable force, and after evaluating the strength needed for the mount a new plan was devised.

17. A substantial piece of 3/16-inch steel plate was used to reinforce the mount for the gas spring, and a threaded standoff was added to accept the stud for the ball joint. Silicon bronze filler rod was used to minimize any distortion on the wheelwell.

19. The front hinges are being tested here for fit and clearance.

22. A new upper mount was created, too, which is attached to the inner hood structure.