I built a hood for my '28.

Nice job! A hood just happened to be one of the next chores I tackle.

 

I LOVE the tapered rows of louvers on the hood top! I always admired them on cars like Talbots and Delahayes, but have never seen them on a hot rod. Looks great!

 

Thats awesome. I love how they widen as they go back and how the outer rows follow the angle of the hood. Nice work.
Paul

 

I agree, this car has the kinda vibe. Looking good as always Alex.

 

I've always liked your Roadster... and now even more-so! Very nice work on the hood. The louver design/execution is killer. I wish you lived closer -- I'd pay you to build a very similar hood for my roadster.



Malcolm

 

That hood takes the car to the next level. Fantastic man.

 

Goddam, I love that car. It just keeps getting better.

 

Thanks guys...


Malcolm.

If you want, you could send me templates.

And I could send you oversized panels back with the louvers in them.

Basically like mine are in these pics.





You'd have to bend, roll and trim them yourself.

And weld the hinges on.


Here are pics of panels I louvered for a fabricator here in town, to his template.
And he made them fit the car.

 

Thanks for sharing the saw-horse set-up - and the pics of your 'work-mates'! Very cool.

Couple questions if I may - What did you use to shine the metal? And is the Pullmax at your home shop or work?

 

They are little discs that go on my diegrinder.

I think 3M sells them to clean gaskets off mating surfaces.



( pic off the internet)

 

I hadn't even thought about that option - thanks for mentioning it!
I'll send you a PM within the next couple weeks to see if you'd be willing / have time to do just the hood sides in aluminum.

 

If you want it done in aluminum we'll have to do some research in grades of the aluminum.

The sheets that are available here locally have a tendency to rip at the end of the slit, where the corner of the louver starts.

 

Last bit of work done.

I took the surface rust off the grilleshell.

Put on a new filler cap, surround and emblem.

Did a bit more adjusting and tweaking to the hood.

Opened up the gaps and made them more even.

Re routed the wires for the headlights through the grille shell, with new conduit.

And shined up the hood and the rest of the car.

 

Hey Alex, Try some 3003 aluminum at about .063 thickness. It's a bit harder to find than the more common 5052 or 6061, but tons softer. I too have problems with louver edges wanting to tear at the corners when an aluminum is too hard.

 

Alex, your car really looks the part. Love it, especially the top.

Don

 

Thanks.

I'll have to try that.

I'm not sure what the grade is of the aluminum I normally get, but its not 3003.

I'll have to see if I can get it here in Tucson.

Last time I checked, it had to be ordered out of Phoenix...

( Its the grade I'll need to repair the Zagato )

 

Thank you Don.

 

If you have a hard time getting it down there give me a yell, I jnow a guy or two. Maybe we can relay it down to ya.

 

great work! looking to make my own hood when i get that far on my RPU and wondered what the best way was to round it, looks like i dont have to worry about that anymore. what gauge metal did you use?

 

Pretty sure its 20Ga

 

Alex the hood looks very nice, thanks for sharing all of the details with us.