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I am in the middle of a major cooling system overhaul on my '39 Six, and while I had the front-end clip off and the rad out, I thought I would try and do something with the 'Angel & the doughnut' hood ornament as it was somewhat loose. In getting it apart, I figured out that it slid back and up, with the back tail of the base having one attachment screw and washer and the front with a 'tab' under the base to which a spring was attached. I got the spring unhooked from the base and the ornament free. Turns out the base and the Goddess were loose and a large screw underneath tightened that up just fine, but my problem now is I can't, for the life of me figure out where the other end of the spring anchors to hold the unit down and forward while it is in place. Right below the hole are the moving arms for the shutter mechanism and I can't see it attaching to them?? Can anybody offer an assist?? Not sure if the spring business is the correct original attachment method or if somebody has just jury rigged it that way as a stop gap fix, but sure could use some help. I did go from one end of my shop manual to the other and could not find any guidance or illustrations. Thanks to anyone who responds!!!

To remove the entire ornament, you take off the hood center stainless strip. Once removed, the ornament is slid back toward the windshield about 1/2" and then lifts right off and no need to remove the strings first. The ornament itself comes apart by the removal of a single bolt that runs up through it with the head acting as the nut.

UPDATE: Reading the issue more carefully, I see that you have the front end apart so not sure why the trouble. It should just slide back a little, then lift off very easily. As for the springs, there was a stack of flat curved ones, then a cotter pin to keep them in place so, if that's when yours has, it is correct.

Thanks Don for the reply!!! After reading it a couple of times, I think I see my problem... The forward base does not have the 'stack of flat curved springs with the cotter pin to keep them in place'. Could you elaborate on that a bit?? All that was attached to mine was a single coil spring hooked through what I think you're describing as the cotter pin hole and going down into the grill cavity. I had to pull the ornament back as you describe and then lift it up and unhook the spring from the base with a pair of needlenose and then it was free. The spring immediately fell out and down onto the floor, so I couldn't see where it was anchored, but I now suspect it was incorrectly hooked to the shutter arm mechanism. I think, from what you detail, it shouldn't be attached to anything, just held in place with spring tension and locked from sliding back by the hood chrome strip. Obviously the guy before me did a major jury rig. Are the springs something I can find, or can I adapt some 'other purpose' springs??

Just wanted to update the progress on reattaching my hood ornament... a friend with some machining smarts helped me and we took a piece of 1/2" steel rod stock and made a fork in the end of it that fit over the tab on the bottom of the ornament's base plate. We riveted that on, through the hole in the tab and then slid a fender washer over it, then what would best be described as a brake spring over the bar stock, then another fender washer, and then fully compressed the spring and put a cotter pin through the rod stock to retain it. We put a slight roll in the forward face of the first washer (like a ski tip) so it would feed properly when pushed into the slot on the car cowling, and pushed it on. The spring load on the fender washer is significant and the size of it gives a lot of area for it to grab, and the Goddess of Speed is now firmly and securely back on the car. Not sure what the original method of attachment looked like, but this is sure a good alternate fix.

The original springs were rectangular and looking at them from the one edge, there was a curvature to them. They had a slot that fit over the tab on the base that when stacked together, provided enough friction to keep the base in place. They were the same on the several available ornaments for 1939 and also the same for 1940, and possibly used for 1938 too so should not be too difficult to find. In fact, here's an eBay photo that shows it fairly clearly.

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Here is another photo of a bail ornament which reminded me that there was a flat steel plate on top (or bottom as installed) of the stack of springs.

This particular ornament was listed as 1936 to 1940 but, of course, each year was different and the earlier ones were quite short and did not use the springs. This one appears to be 1940 which was the longest of that style.

These two photos from two different ornaments show the springs in either orientation and I don't recall which is correct as it was 50 years ago that I last worked on one! I believe the top one is correct but I'm not sure although the bottom photo shows the springs and plate very clearly.

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You went to a lot of trouble Don, thanks a lot!! That 3rd picture shows it really well with the little piece of plate steel going under the slot in the cowl and the curved springs providing the holding pressure above. There was nothing on mine - like I said, just a little compressed coil spring, hooked through the cotter pin hole and stretching down and hooking to the arms of the shutter control mechanism. No wonder it was loose!!
My fix renders the spring moment on the bottom side of the slot in the cowl instead of the top, but it sure seems to work well!! Thanks again for the help, Don.

It was no problem as I wanted to know for my own sake to see if I had remembered correctly! No trouble at all and was quite easy so now the answer is there if anyone else needs it.