-
Hello there guest and Welcome to The #1 Classic Mustang forum!
To gain full access you must Register. Registration is free and it takes only a few moments to complete.
Already a member? Login here then!
Fiberglass Hood Question
- Thread starter rsalway
- Start date
66gt350
Active Member
I've been running several different fiberglass hoods for the past 10 years (keep changing my mind on the look of the car), and have had no problems with fiberglass frame in the hood. I don't think that it would be worth the time and effort it would take to cut off the glass frame and glass in the metal one.
Just my opinion.
-rob
Just my opinion.
-rob
daveSanborn
Active Member
Yeah, I've got one of the steel framed FG hoods on my car. I can't imagine the amount of work involved in attempting to bond/mold a FG skin onto a steel frame. I'll have to look, but as I remember the FG is molded onto/around the steel frame.
I gave a full FG AF/X style teardrop hood to one of my local Mustang buddies. He had it painted to match his car and it works/looks great.
If it's a good deal, take the full FG hood and run with it. It should be fine.
I gave a full FG AF/X style teardrop hood to one of my local Mustang buddies. He had it painted to match his car and it works/looks great.
If it's a good deal, take the full FG hood and run with it. It should be fine.
Thanks for that input. I didn't realize the amount of work that it would take, but it eases my mind that the full fiberglass ones work alright. I know there will be work involved in getting the full fiberglass one to fit properly, but I think it will give me the look I want and save me a lot of money.
66gt350
Active Member
You don't have to loose your hood springs. Just get a set of the lighter shelby springs, that's what I've done. Don't do what I did when using a prop rod. I was using a prop rod and it slipped and poked a hole in the frame. Now I have a hole to fill and repaint. :cry
Fast68back
Guest
What scoop are you planning on? My Fiberglass scoop was bonded to my stock hood. It fits great since its been on the car since new and there are a LOT fewer hours in it than in a fiberglass hood to get it to fit right.
I know Jake (lethal289) and Mike (garner67) have some kick arse fab work on their scoops/hoods as well.
I know Jake (lethal289) and Mike (garner67) have some kick arse fab work on their scoops/hoods as well.
Last edited by a moderator:
"66gt350" said:
I used the lighter springs on my car with the full glass hood and it bowed like there was no tomorrow :barf. A bunch of us were hanging around this summer and someone looked at my hood and asked if I had springs. We took them off and closed the hood and the bow in the hood relaxed almost immediately while sitting in the summer sun.
If I had to do it again, I would definitely go with the steel frame. Sorry to be the negative voice but I figured I'd speak up. :cry
Thanks for all of the replies.
Fast68back:
I am going with the same style hood that you have. I thought about doing what you have done, but my hood is one with turn signal lights. I have heard people advise against it too because of the rate the two shrink and expand. I remember seeing the way you did it on VFM and IIRC you pop riveted your's on and then molded it? Seems like that would help a lot with that issue.
09Frank65:
I would like to get one with the steel frame, but the money I will be saving could buy quite a few other parts.
Fast68back:
I am going with the same style hood that you have. I thought about doing what you have done, but my hood is one with turn signal lights. I have heard people advise against it too because of the rate the two shrink and expand. I remember seeing the way you did it on VFM and IIRC you pop riveted your's on and then molded it? Seems like that would help a lot with that issue.
09Frank65:
I would like to get one with the steel frame, but the money I will be saving could buy quite a few other parts.
Sounds like the decision has already been made, but I've seen too many warped FG hoods and heard all these stories about light springs or no springs, etc. So I decided to spring (pun - get it? spring?... :craz) for the one with the steel shell. It's got some kind of injection molded skin bonded to a stock steel lower shell (factory hoods are two pieces). It was very straight and high quality. I have put some pics in one of my galleries called Fiberglass Hood.
I am using the stock hinges and springs without issue. The hood seems to weigh about the same as a steel hood, but it may be a little lighter.
It required a little mud work on the scoop and one edge has a little dip in it that you kinda have to look for to see. Aside from that, it's VERY straight and true. The biggest issue I had with it was the mounting of the front molding. That took alot of work. I had to cut on the hood some and tweak the molding quite a bit to get it on there. I can post more pics of that if anyone's interested.
I see that Rick's scoop turned out well, but I never liked the idea of bond-on scoops. I can't see how you can blend the edges out enough to not tell that it's a bond-on scoop. You somehow have to hide that 3/16" thick flange... I can't imagine that it's less work to add a scoop to a stock hood than to "clean up" a FG hood, though. Cheaper? Maybe. Less work? Doubt it.
Rick's scoop stops short of the rear of the hood. I sorta like that. My hood is made with the scoop trailing out all the way to the edge. It looks cleaner, but the rear edge of the hood is higher than the cowl by about a quarter inch. I don't like this! I can see the back edge of the hood all the time. The hood lines up perfectly with the cowl at the corners, but very gradually comes up toward the middle. I'm sure Rick's doesn't do that.
Overall, I'm quite pleased with the hood. I think it's the highest quality FG hood out there. I'm just putting this out there for anyone else who is considering one.
I am using the stock hinges and springs without issue. The hood seems to weigh about the same as a steel hood, but it may be a little lighter.
It required a little mud work on the scoop and one edge has a little dip in it that you kinda have to look for to see. Aside from that, it's VERY straight and true. The biggest issue I had with it was the mounting of the front molding. That took alot of work. I had to cut on the hood some and tweak the molding quite a bit to get it on there. I can post more pics of that if anyone's interested.
I see that Rick's scoop turned out well, but I never liked the idea of bond-on scoops. I can't see how you can blend the edges out enough to not tell that it's a bond-on scoop. You somehow have to hide that 3/16" thick flange... I can't imagine that it's less work to add a scoop to a stock hood than to "clean up" a FG hood, though. Cheaper? Maybe. Less work? Doubt it.
Rick's scoop stops short of the rear of the hood. I sorta like that. My hood is made with the scoop trailing out all the way to the edge. It looks cleaner, but the rear edge of the hood is higher than the cowl by about a quarter inch. I don't like this! I can see the back edge of the hood all the time. The hood lines up perfectly with the cowl at the corners, but very gradually comes up toward the middle. I'm sure Rick's doesn't do that.
Overall, I'm quite pleased with the hood. I think it's the highest quality FG hood out there. I'm just putting this out there for anyone else who is considering one.
Thanks for that input. I haven't made any decisions yet. I still like the idea that Rick had, if I only had a flat hood. The company makes the bond on scoops too. This would eliminate some problems, but may bring up different ones. I will have to go to look at them to see how they look before making any decisions (if it is too good to believe...).