Hood strut.

[monkeyracing]

I installed a gas strut on the hood tonight, and the little bugger works like a charm. I believe it's one I pulled off of a mid 90's 323 hatch.

It has the ball stud at one end, and the other has a plate hinge. The hinge is from an Escort or Tracer. I had to do this for the lower profile.

I'll try to post a pic or two by the weekend.

[stefan]

please do! i wanna do something like this too

[fastivaca]

Here's my setup:

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forum/album_pic.php?pic_id=56

I bought aftermarket struts originally intended for a early VW Rabbit.

[monkeyracing]

Y'know, funny thing happened today. I was loading groceries in the back of my Matrix, and I looked at the gas struts that hold up the hatch...they're absolutely perfect for the job. It's only funny because of all the searching around I had to do to find ones that fit.

BTW Ian, the struts you got from concept1 are actually for a second generation rabbit/golf. 82 and up, or so. The early models used a flat bladed end that mounted into welded brackets.