81, J10, Hood Blew Up, Pulled Brace Loose, How To Repair?

This thing sat almost a year with an exploded ballencer. Finally got around to repair, and working out all other bugs! Last night after VC gasket install, test drive, hood wasn't latched all way,(my dumb ***), blew up bout 45mph. Got it shut and home and quit. Today hood repair attempt, got it lined back up to close and latch, but the rear side hinge to hinge brace has came unglued?
Is their a fix? Its a beat up farm/fishing truck, but I like to keep it mechanically sound. I thought bout drilling through hood and brace and using rivets or bolts. Don't care how it looks, as long as it works. Or is their a correct way to repair?

 

I would beat the brace back up where the x brace bolts on .try to get it close to where it should be and if you don't care through bolt it back together.if it were me I would get it close enough to stich weld the edge back down, a cold wet rag on the skin to help protect the paint. it appears that it also bent the 90 degree skin to brace interface, that edge could use a little tuning. did the spot welds on the rear edge come undone?

 

Spot welds stayed. I shop hammered it back close enough to get c-clamp vise grips on, and finish line up. It now has 3 through bolts.
And burn paint, what paint,lol

 

love the truck

 

Good 'nuff. Cool truck!

 

Thanks, I've enjoyed it almost 20 years.
It's got a hot 360, decamed engine, that came out of my 72 matador when I replaced it with a 401. It'll squeal those 32s leaving a stop. I've had 2800lbs of gravel in bed, pulled countless cars out of snow, and just like a Timex, it keeps on ticking, love my jeeps, both of them!

 

Every FSJ up here is back in the earth.

 

I thought it’d be slick product if a company made repro bodies that mount to 2nd gen Dodge chassis. Seems like the frames survive but the body goes to hell on em.

 

Are you on Facebook ?

 

Me?

 

70cj5134f

 

Yes, Edward Davis, whitesburg tn.

 

Try the WTB forums on the Wagoneer sites, www.ifsja.org and www.fsjnetwork.com A new hood should be easy to find, since they don't rust like the lower panels.