Is there hope for this hood?
 

This is a reproduction hood that I bought from Snyder's back in the mid '80's. You can see it is not shaped quite right. Has anyone had any experience getting one of these to fit? I'm wondering what's involved. Any suggestions?

Re: Is there hope for this hood?
 

An experienced person with an English Wheel would be able to shape it right. Not sure how much it might stretch and move the beltline though. It would need repainted after the work. Rod

Re: Is there hope for this hood?
 

What does the front of the hood look like around the radiator shell? It may not be the hoods fault it looks like that. To me it looks like the cowl section of your body needs to be raised up to compensate for frame sag. Even if your doors close really nicely that doesn't mean your frame is strait, it just means someone took enough time to shim the body, and the body only. Not the body with the hood on. There was a Tudor here in the dfw and the guy was real particular on how he wanted the car to look. The car restorer only shimmed the body so the doors would close, not the entire car as a whole. He brought us the car right after he got it back from the "restorer", and yes the frame was sagging after being told from the "restorer" that the frame was straitened. It may have been straiten than when it started, but it was not strait. So since the car was all together, and with the mans permission and with him standing there, we chained the car to the floor and jacked up on the frame rails until we got the hood fit perfect. I'm not saying this is what you need to do, but this is what we did in his case because of how bad the sag was. Yours maybe able to be fixed with shims under the cowl.

Re: Is there hope for this hood?
 

This is probably a dumb question/response but why couldn't the removed hood be taken off and placed on a 4", or whatever size, PVC pipe and "coaxed to tighter radius?

Re: Is there hope for this hood?
 

I believe that there is some frame sag to take care of, but that the sag is the cause of a different issue: the large gap between the bottom of the hood and the cowl. Looking at this thing from every angle I feel like this big gap at the top is not frame sag but from too large a radius on the hood bend. And Ross, my fear about trying to bend it over a piece of pipe would be ending up with a kink in the hood instead of a smooth radius. I wonder, though.

Re: Is there hope for this hood?
 

I spent a few hours with a metal former to make up a custom dogleg for a modern car. You wouldn't believe how many times he went to the anvil or whatever suited his purpose and with his gloved hands did some amazing forming. I would just dis assemble the hood and take each top panel and slowly work that hood to a tighter radius.

I hope that more experience metal formers will jump in here.

Re: Is there hope for this hood?
 

gilitos: If you've ever followed any real street rod builds that's how they usually do it, over an oxy/acty tank. High end shops use "bucks",etc. First place for you to probably start is with frame sag, shims,etc. JMO
Paul in CT

Re: Is there hope for this hood?
 

Ross and Paul, your advice rings true. I am about to begin a partial dismantle to tackle the frame sag and some paint issues and I'm going to give it a try. Thanks.

Re: Is there hope for this hood?
 

You can bend that hood fairly easy and if you use a tank, or something with a slightly smaller radius than the cowl (as it will spring back a bit) you'll be fine. It probably won't break the paint either. However as you stated if you have a gap at the lower hood you need to fix your frame sag first before you go muscling the hood around.

Re: Is there hope for this hood?
 

I've seen quite a few hoods like that.They got that way from being thrown flat on the barn floor,then walked on over the years.I just roll them over a piece of well casing until they fit.The hardest part is the on/off on/off until they fit.The only guy I know with an english wheel said it is not a job for the wheel,as it is too localized.You have to support it the whole length when you bend it.It really is one of the easiest fixes you will ever do,that produces good results.

Re: Is there hope for this hood?
 

Re: Is there hope for this hood?
 

Bill, that is exactly what I was thinking.....
It also looks like the hood has been opened and thrown over the top thus exaggerating the mis- fit even more...maybe not but never open the hood past vertical and be sure to use a prop rod or support rod that most everyone has added to their car.....

Re: Is there hope for this hood?
 

Re: Is there hope for this hood?
 

Re: Is there hope for this hood?
 

Repro hoods are flat at each end and through the louvers. Put a ruler on the louvers and it will lay flat.

Original hoods are curved to match the rad shell and cowl. The differential curve flows though the louvers. Put a ruler on the louvers and it will rock evenly end to end.

You can put a slight bend at each end of the repro, but trying to make the bend go through the louvers will not end well. The louvers are lifted off the main flat level and need to be stretched or they will pull down. Simple outer radius needs to go a longer distance.

Something to keep in mind.

For your problem follow Marco's advice.