November 4, 2013
I'm actually doing this backwards from what many of you would do. Like I said if you have the stock core support and can mount the pins where the hood bumpers were, you'd install those first, and let that dictate where the holes need to be in the hood for the grommets. But I'm doing it the other way around because I had a little leeway on the placement of the pins, so I installed the grommets first then made brackets underneath to hold the pins where they needed to be in order to match the grommet placement.
Anyhow, again this may be 101 for most on here but I thought I'd take some photos and show the steps for anyone who's never tackled a simple fabrication project. Some of these tips may be useful for other projects where a bracket or tab is needed, not just specifically for hood pins. Again my disclaimer: I'm not the best mechanic or fabricator, many on here can do a much nicer job. Especially when we get to the welding---let's face it my welds suck. But anyhow for anyone interested, here are the steps I usually take for a simple fabrication job like this.
The first thing I usually do is make a cardboard template. I like to use manila file folders because they're stiff enough to hold their shape but thin enough to easily cut. I took some very raw measurements underneath where the hood pin needed to mount, drew it out on the folder and cut it out. I left everything a little too long so I could do some further trimming later.
Using cardboard you can bend it the same as you intend to bend the final sheet metal piece.
Up under the hood, I placed the hood pin through the hole in the cardboard bracket to see how everything fits up. Looks like the flanges are a little long and need some trimming...
Using a Sharpie you can mark it right in place.
A little more trimming with the scissors and we're just about close enough.
Once the cardboard template is how we want it, trace it on to the sheet metal. In this case I'm using 1/8" plate.
I like to use a pneumatic cut-off tool. An electric 4" angle grinder with cut-off blade works as well. If you have access to a metal bandsaw that's a great tool for cutting out brackets like this.
I don't have a brake at the house for making nice bends, so I use the cut-off tool to score the sheetmetal on the inside of the bend.
Before bending the flanges I drilled out the hole for the pin. Its easier to clamp the piece down for drilling while its still flat.
Continues...
. anyhow I only had a day to bang it out so I made a very simple pre-runner style bumper very similar to the one I built for the front a while back. The tow points are strong but I thing the ends need more bracing so Ill just try not to back them into a rock until I can finish it up 
