Its been in the back of my mind to fit a stock hood to my A for some time, Probably not to run full time, but just to change it up every now and then. I picked up a couple of hoods and sides along the way, I knew it would be a chore to fit because my grill shell is forward about 1", and the car is on a 32 frame. Basically a stock hood is 1" or so too short. No big deal I thought, I'll just move the shell back, but after tearing the nose and radiator off the car, the grill shell is already as far back as the radiator will allow, and the radiator just clears the belt driven fan on the 327, which has a short pump with the thinnest fan spacer on the pulley. Even without those problems, the lower edge of the shell is almost touching the front crossmember anyway. It's a gennie 32 grill shell that was really nice, so I'd rather not cut it back...so the only option I see is lengthening the hood. I know you can order custom length hoods but I like the center hinge and side panels of a 30-31 stock hood. My question is where to add the metal. The obvious place seems to be the front, but then there is the body line to contend with in the hood,...I know it will be tough to hide a seam on the inside of the hood too.. My rough idea is to...cut maybe 2" off the front off the good hood, and the needed 3" off my spare junk hood and sides and weld it to the good hood. That way I'd be able to extend the body line or reveal that runs along the hood. Is there a better way? What about adding metal to the back instead?
I did a deuce (for someone else) that needed 3/4" and the metal guy added it at the front. That way the extension can be made to perfectly fit the gap. He added a strip on the backside as well so it looked like a folded edge. No one has ever noticed or asked about the 'longer' hood.
A full hood on a Roadster is a must in my book, looks like a Dry Lakes race car instantly. Like that commercial cowl and V'd windsheild too! Bob
Have not done this myself, but proportionally, I think it would look better to add it at the rear. Here's a thought, if proportions don't look right, could you punch an extra louvre to make it look right?
I would think that adding 1/2" at each end would be the best solution. Not as easy as one weld on piece, but much better proportionally, and a small 1/2" strip with a rolled edge would be easier to blend into the whole hood.
That's a sweet looking roadster - gonna look even sweeter once you figure out the hood... It would look the most "normal" if you did a half inch on both sides. If you wanted to save some work and only do one end, adding material to the back would look more natural than adding it to the front I think... Just due to how the louvers look (the closed edge of the first one vs the open edge of the last one). Just off my eye the front flat part of the side of the hood (between the first louver and the front of the hood) looks longer than the flat section of the hood at the back... Which I think is an optical allusion due to the louvers. Other question though - how's the A hood fit against the deuce shell? Maybe that's a reason to work around the front section? Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Thanks for all the input so far, HRP, Stock hood is 30 1/2. Adding to both ends makes sense, but man, that will be a ton of work. and slow, careful welding to keep from warping. I like the idea of adding the strip on the underside too. I've decided its got to have a hood at this point, the more I look at it just sitting in place, the more I like it. I did wonder about how a 32 hood would fit, but seems the bodyline would be in the wrong place? My ultimate hood would have the stock A top with 32 Chevy hood sides...good luck finding those though!
I was faced with the same promlem. After about a years worth of fussing I finaly fit the grill shell and radiator so it would work well and I could dervice everything as needed. I made some patterns and sent them to rootlib. They did a great job and I was able to keep the same center rin. Thanks Walter
I was thinking a '32 hood top might be the answer but you would only gain 1/2" so it still would be too short. HRP
I'd avoid doing what's easiest, unless it's also what looks best! Taking the route of least work often leads to something less desirable too. Your car is good looking and you don't want the hood to be a detraction from it's good looks.
I added an inch to my hood for mechanical fan clearance and nobody has ever asked about it or even noticed it.
I'd add it to the front since there is less to weld. You could probably do this with strips of fresh steel so you wouldn't need to ruin another hood, but your idea of cutting a little extra from a donor hood would actually be the easiest. It would have the hinge folds already built.
As others have said talk to Rootlieb. They made special tops for my '34 so I could cut them up to fit my application.
Thanks Ryan...and yea, the hood pretty much has to happen now... ..I think this is the route to go...the old "parts" hood looks like a washboard on the top, so it won't bother me to cut it up, the side panels will need t******* up too, it's going to be a bunch of work, but worth it...
Obviously as you add length to the front of the hood it will get narrower up there. But just an inch longer shouldn't make it more than an 1/8 to 1/4" narrower. Just unbend the arch in the top a little and check before you cut/weld the side panels.
Thanks, I'll have to extend the center hinge rod also, I see why lots of folks do go Rootleib, but a stock hood is $490, likely more for a custom length. Well worth it no doubt, but I think I can pull this off....Someone should invent a hood stretcher....
If it was me, I would add the length through the louvers ..... by adding one extra Cut the original hood a couple of louvers back from the front. Cut the spare hood one extra louvre back. Weld the two long bits together and you should have a hood about an inch longer, with one extra louvre You will also only need to do one short weld above and below the louvres, not a full height weld in front or behind them. For slightly more welding, cut the hood in the middle and add just one louvre. Two welds top and bottome will mean a bit more distortion, but still easier than front or rear
No bodyman here (wish I was) & this is just a thought but would it be easier to add to the back edge grille shell with a 1" filler ?
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