Who makes good repro's? Roodlieb? Brookville Roadster? Do any of them have the folded over edges, like the originals? I'm trying to decide if I'm going to buy new ones ( hood tops only ) or repair my originals ( rough, and ripped pretty bad in the front/ hinge area)
Rootlieb, Brookville gets their hoods from Rootlieb. Rootlieb makes several hood side panels, plain, and assorted louvers, in recent years they have started making a 25 louver hood that is identical to the original one. They have been making a 25 louver for years but they are narrow louvers and all are identical in size. The new hood has wide louvers and the first and last louver remain unpunched, just like the original. The 1st and second louvers are shorter than the rest, again like the original. This hood is more expensive but in my eye it looks the best and cools the best.HRP
Thanks. That is good info. Specially where Brookville gets their hoods from. But I wont be using the hood sides ( the car will have one of 2 engines, one with a McCulloch blower sticking out the side, the other with quad IDF Webers) What I'm concerned with is if the tops are exactly like the original Henry ones. Edit. I've talked to a sales person at B R. They will sell me the tops only, but he couldn't tell me if they were edged like the originals.
I know the Rootlieb single piece top has no return on the edges and is made of heavier material. Not what you wanted to know but it might provide some insight into the repops? I have a two piece top too with the returned edges. I got it used , in primer. It had hinge area damage, now repaired, but I've always been curious as to whether its original or not. Chris
I think @justabeater37 recently got one? Maybe he can chime in. I know he waited about 6 Months for his to show up so that should also factor into which direction you go as well
My hood was custom made for the car I'm building is why I am guessing it took forever. It is a nice hood and both the top and the sides have the return folded over.
My 15 yr old rootlieb has the returns/folds and so does my 4 yr old one. Neither one are the fancy original look ones with the two shorter front louvers.
I've used dozens of Rootlieb hoods over the years both stock and custom stretched. I've used several of the Gennie Henry 25 louvered hoods and the fit is excellent. They've made me hoods that have been stretched as much as 5 inches for the last lakester project. Be prepared to wait.
I stopped by Rootleib last Friday before the Turlock swap. I gave them the lay out for a 32 hood with their dry lakes louvers. They were nice to deal with. The hood will be done in about a week.