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#41
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Just for the record, my original unrestored 70 RA Formula with it's original date coded hood is unbraced, and it's nice and flat, no bows, no cracking. I've owned the car 30 years and never even knew it was a thing until I read about it here a few years ago.
I have another 70 hood I picked up 30 years ago hanging on the wall that is also nice and flat. I always thought I'd hit a dear with mine at some point since I drive it all the time. Honestly I can't even recall seeing a bowed hood in my lifetime. What I see most often are broken rear corners from people standing them up, or broken rear cowl vent ribs. |
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#42
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I was always under the assumption the 70 only had no bracing, and starting in 71 we saw the riveted steel plates on the edges. I suppose very early 71 cars could have a 70 hood?
I have a original 70 uncut hood hanging on the wall. Surprisingly it's not bowed like most are.
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"Those poor souls have made the fatal mistake of surrounding us. Now we can fire in any direction" 1970 Trans Am RAIII 4 speed 1971 Trans Am 5.3 LM7 1977 Trans Am W72 Y82 1987 Grand National |
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#43
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hood bowing
here's what the bowing looks like, this a 71 and i believe it ahs the bracing, i need to check to confirm...you'll see it raised towards the back of the hood, just forward of the hood bracket
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#44
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That is how mine looks on my 72
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#45
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And you guys have braced hoods that are bowed?? That's the opposite of what's supposed to happen according to what I've been reading here.
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#46
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The braced hoods can still bow pretty nasty.
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"Those poor souls have made the fatal mistake of surrounding us. Now we can fire in any direction" 1970 Trans Am RAIII 4 speed 1971 Trans Am 5.3 LM7 1977 Trans Am W72 Y82 1987 Grand National |
#47
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It's been my observation that the braced hoods are more often bowed. It's possible those braces were added for some other reason than preventing bowing.
And for the record, my '70 Formula's original unbraced hood also has perfect flushness to the fenders - no bowing at all.
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keith k 70 Trans Am RA III / T400 / Lucerne Blue / Bright Blue 70 Trans Am RA III / M20 / Lucerne Blue / Sandalwood 70 Formula RA III / M21 / Lucerne Blue / Bright Blue |
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#48
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Interesting idea. I always thought they are too thin to be braces. Maybe they are a safety add on. Perhaps to keep the plastic hood from splitting in two pieces during a crash and coming though the windshield.
I've also wondered why is mostly the passenger side of the hood warps more than the driver side. At least that has been my observation. Maybe the chassis twist flexes the hood in this direction.
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I built it one piece at a time and it cost me more than a dime. |
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#49
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my 71 hood
interesting thing is about 12 inches above the hinge the "brace" appears wavey...appears better in the pass pic than the driv pic...that bracing is VERY thin, no doubt its usefulness to minimize bowing is quite low....imo
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#50
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I became friends with 2 brothers in Santa Rosa area and the younger one had his 73 hood repaired then added Slightly thicker reinforced sides. Another idea would be to pic a more ridged material that doesn't allow hood to.flex as much or will keep it firm. The heat from engine and forces on it from.air flowing through it probably cause it to bow, along with weak hinge area..
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#51
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So, I have a 70 RAIII M21 3.73 car. It has the reinforced hood. It's probably not the original, but where exactly would I find a date code? It's also bent more prominently on the passenger side. This car is a project and I have the phs for those who are curious if it's real.
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#52
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date code
Quote:
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#53
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date code
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#54
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So, this hood has had the inlets opened because there's no ridge or signs of the screens, therefore not a ram air hood? The hood would also be incorrect for my 4/07/70 ship date because of the reinforcements? If all true, being 1 of 189, I'll be looking for the correct hood.
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#55
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correct
Quote:
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#56
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Does anyone have a picture of a Formula hood that was on a relatively decent car - that has broken ?
I've never seen one broken from a hood hinge related incident. I could see maybe a whacked out parts car left sitting with seized hinges getting abused enough to crack maybe . The finger slots at the cowl seem to be prone to damage - and not sure why or how. |
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#57
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Quote:
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keith k 70 Trans Am RA III / T400 / Lucerne Blue / Bright Blue 70 Trans Am RA III / M20 / Lucerne Blue / Sandalwood 70 Formula RA III / M21 / Lucerne Blue / Bright Blue |
#58
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Nope. Over many years of experience with these cars and talking to other owners, I have heard of no issues with the '70 hoods breaking like that, either.
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keith k 70 Trans Am RA III / T400 / Lucerne Blue / Bright Blue 70 Trans Am RA III / M20 / Lucerne Blue / Sandalwood 70 Formula RA III / M21 / Lucerne Blue / Bright Blue |
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#59
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Quote:
He was told this story, and now he's repeating it as though it's gospel. Several of his assertions have no factual basis - they are only conjecture. Quote:
It is absolutely a correct for 1970 part, but it is not a 1970-only part. @ RAIV70TA; I have no doubt that 'nacho has the best of intentions, but please take his assertions with a degree of skepticism. This is not the first time he has created a thread and seemed to argue himself into a corner. I recently sold the original hood to my car (I say original because of the paint layers all matching the rest of my car); My hood needed extensive repair after an accident that I got in it with in 2002 - after which I took it off the road; My hood, was assuredly unbraced - and mine car was built June 1970 (the date you shared was a little unclear; M/D/Y or D/M/Y). In addition to the bracing present (not correct/original for 1970), the edges from the cast in place block off being completely removed from the hood opening (never done that nicely from the factory), it is also painted wrong; Original body paint went to the sides with overspray along the ends of the underside - the rest of the underside should be a satin black like shown by 'SD455DJ' in posts #23 & #26, or 'tdavidl' in post #49. Odds are that for what ever the reason, the hood was changed when it got a repaint. I would love to hear more about your car. Several years ago I went and looked at a red '70 RAIII/4spd Formula for a member here which was being sold a short distance for me... I really should dig out those photos and save them to my hard drive.
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1970 Formula 400 Carousel Red paint on Black standard interior A no-engine, no-transmission, no-wheel option car. Quite likely one of few '70 Muncie three speed Formula 400's left. 1991 Grand Am: 14.4 @ 93.7mph (DA corrected) (retired DD, stock appearing) 2009 Cobalt SS: 13.9 @ 103mph (current DD; makes something north of 300hp & 350ft/lbs) Last edited by unruhjonny; 03-20-2024 at 11:19 AM. |
#60
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hey I like you and apologize if I upset you. I own a real ram air car and it was basically stock. I made the mistake of showing my car to a total stranger and he stole my hood. Now I got 5 hoods. I have learned and read what people say about the non braced hood being 70 only. I have seen them advertised on Facebook and Craigslist and are harder to fi d. Im.not 100% sure but trust what people say that it's a 70 part.. I will run the 73 screened hood thou because it's got all.the hardware. like I said I.dont care if it's correct or not. I never been to a show and wo.der if everyone bashes each other over correct and incorrect parts in person. I did the date code engine parts and that took too. long. I will start restoring soon. And I know my hood is incorrect if I run the brown one. Im.not worrying about it any more. I was more curious of infact the brown one was a real ra3 hood as advertised since all boot retainers look original and screens. once again I apologize if I upset you and I don't have followers lol. Guys like Mike Ransom are very wise and teach me. There experience is proof enough and I listen to there stories of wisdom. Don't get obsessed with 100% correct it's not worth it. My 2 cents.
Last edited by Ramairnacho; 03-20-2024 at 07:03 PM. |
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