A 17 should work, you may just have to mount the top a half inch forward. Honestly, I wouldn't worry about reinforcing it. The hood is pretty strong and you're not putting that much leverage on it. Its own weight is going to make up right at 40 lbs of the pressure.

The spring would probably be stiff about 1/3 - 1/2 of the way down. Just like a Silverado hood, if you've ever opened and closed one.

 

great thanks! Im going to do this tomorrow sometime after eating some Tex-Mex Steak French Fries!

 

If I ate that, there would be no tomorrow.

 

oh my! I just found out at the boat and tackle shop they actually sell electric gas props! haha switch goes on dash! now THAT would be COOL! except its 300 bucks lol

 

That does look good. It pulls all the black around the windshield, side windows and front grill area together.

 

Damn, that is one seriously tasty looking Texas Style artery clogging conglomeration!!!!

 

Haha yup lol

now i want to darken tint my windows but not sure what %

 

I had 15% for a long time. Loved it. Illegal, but totally worth. Be sure to do the strip across the top of the windshield too. Mine was probably 5" at the edges and helps a ton with the sun.

 

I'm in Texas and passed a roadside check with 35 percent driver and passenger front, and 15 percent everywhere else. EBay precut. 30 bucks. Awesome. I think this was the seller.

Then I drove in Mexico for five minutes and was forced to peel it off the door windows under threat of a pistola

 

Just wanted to say thanks for sharing this idea. I did my own a few weeks ago, and thought I'd post links to the exact parts I used, in case anyone is looking for a benchmark. I ended up using longer struts, and mounted the lower points in the cowl area, since it was my preference to keep the struts out of the way as much as possible by having them closer to the hood when open.

Anyway, total investment for me was $15.

Stud mounts(wedge nicely between outer and inner fender for lower mount): 10mm Ball Stud Bracket for Gas Prop Strut Pack of 4 | eBay

Lift struts(I bought an open-box set for $5 from Warehouse Deals - I'm sure you can find a similar deal on this or a slightly different set if you're patient):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X7FF7J4

Note the struts are longer than OP described, for reasons explained above. One strut was barely strong enough to hold the hood up with insulation in place, but using both was perfect, as I had planned/hoped.

Installation was 100% eyeballed, this is a super easy mod.