[Murf]

Anybody have a pic of the underside of a fiberglass hood with air tubes? Is there any bracing under there or is it like most aftermarket fiberglass hoods? I have one without the tubes now and am trying to figure out how to make a functional one. I don't want to buy a new one without knowing what it's like. I have e-mailed some companies but have had no responses.

Thanks, Murf

[Murf]

Anybody have a pic of the underside of a fiberglass hood with air tubes? Is there any bracing under there or is it like most aftermarket fiberglass hoods? I have one without the tubes now and am trying to figure out how to make a functional one. I don't want to buy a new one without knowing what it's like. I have e-mailed some companies but have had no responses.

Thanks, Murf

[steveK]

Here ya go. It does not have the heat flapper installed yet but it gives you a close idea. The other glass hoods have the frame under them where the tubes run under but I have heard they do not fit well so I stayed with no frame and glassed in underhood supports to fix the tubes and pan in place. I works like a champ as my TA came sans hood. Still looking for a steel hood.

[ponjohn]

SteveK- who makes your hood?

John
69 Judge(currently parting out)

67 Firebird

[steveK]

I got the hood from Performance Years. I retro fitted the rest of the stuff in. Fit is pretty good and the finish looks stock.

[ponjohn]

Steve- I looked in the PY catalog and do not see the hood listed, any ideas?

John
69 Judge(currently parting out)

67 Firebird

[Murf]

ponjohn, Thanks for the pic! Murf

[einstein]

Now that the 400 hood is readily available (meaning the frame stamping is done), I wonder if the TA hood skin might get done. Even at $1,000 apiece, that's about 20% the price that good originals are bringing. And while the genuine TA market might be quite limited, there seems to be no shortage of guys who like to make TA clones.

Glenn Uettwiller http://home.earthlink.net/~birdman8/index.html

In religion and politics, people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second hand, and without examination. -- Mark Twain

[steveK]

Glenn, I have asked several companies if the TA hood would be done in steel and only one was entertaining the idea. They would of course, have it done overseas, but the quality has to be good for it to sell. I am sure at 1K, there is no problem coming up with customers. Many racers put the glass ones on for looks and function. There was a glass and steel framed TA hood on Ebay that just went for 1.3K. It was about as close as you can get to a steel one as it latched and was functional. I don't know who the vender is but was a good copy.

[burch]

Just out of curiosity, how much is an original steel Firebird 400 hood worth (assuming good condition)?

[einstein]

Steve, I saw a one-off glass-skin/steel-frame TA hood in Carlisle about 15 years ago. Larry Lorenz had it (I have not heard of him in quite a few years). He then wanted about $600 for it and I almost bought it.

I could not tell you guys who made them, or if they are still available. Certainly, the best alternative to $5K for a good used one.

Glenn Uettwiller http://home.earthlink.net/~birdman8/index.html

In religion and politics, people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second hand, and without examination. -- Mark Twain

[steveK]

Thanks Glenn, I had the sad story at Carlisle 2 years ago I saw a large flatbed trailer just pulling in with hoods on it and covered up. I figured I'd wait until the vendor sets up and I'll go back to look for a TA hood. Needless to say, I did not get back there in time as Bill from Bill's Birds said "Steve a 69 TA stell hood went by with a new owner...cost was $150" Bill said." I snoozed on that one needless to say and still hurts. There is a company called Camaro & Firebird Specialties in Aurora N.Y. that has a steel frame and glass TA hood for $600. I was told that they are ok but sit a bit high because of the glass. That may be my final alternative. I still have a few leads out there working though. TA Nats pushed me into the slightly modified division because of the glass hood. I placed 4th out of 167 cars. I am still waiting verification on that from the NFTAC on that but 2 friends verified it for me. I could not stay late Sunday for the judging @ 5PM. 12 hours of pulling a car trailer is a lot on ya.

[ponjohn]

www.camaros.com

John
69 Judge(currently parting out)

67 Firebird

[RamAirJohn]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by steveK:
Glenn, I have asked several companies if the TA hood would be done in steel and only one was entertaining the idea. They would of course, have it done overseas, but the quality has to be good for it to sell.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Isn't just about everything made in SE Asia now?
I'm sure China, Taiwan, etc. are capable of producing quality parts however, someone in the process is cutting corners to increase their profit margin... Could it be the greedy American Supplier who accepts sub-standard parts not made to spec or perhaps the dimensional tolerances are +/- 2" ?? This still amazes me. If you go through the trouble of making a Die for a part, is it that much more expensive to make sure it matches the designs (based on the original part drawing or master-reference of course). I mean, it's not like there is a significant cost increase to plug-in the correct numbers -vs- 'close-enough' numbers. Personally, I think many of these American companies have very poor engineering people (if they even have them). Either that, or they have little to do with the actual project and simply trust that Taiwan will take care of everything.

Do it right the first time or don't do it at all.

RamAirJohn
Eph. 4:32
Semper Fi
http://members.aol.com:/ramair68/gen1home.html

[steveK]

I spoke to GoodMark Industries and they have no intention of reproducing it because of tooling costs. Someone ought to!!

[dave bolduc]

bought mine out of florida, fit is great. cut hood latch assembly out of original hood and had it glassed in. fit is fantastic.
ill post pic when i can

[ponjohn]

Dave-please do- very interested.

John
67 Firebird

"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." -Roger Caras

[Bob25]

I'm interested in a glass T/A hood for my 1969 car, but courious, if it works with the factory hindges, and if it will latch? Or is it a pin down only?

Thanks,

Bob

[steveK]

Bob, to answer your question, most glass hoods use the stock hinges but you cannot use the stock hood springs or latch. The stock springs because the hood to sit up too high as well as stress cracks from opening and closing it. You need the lighter hood springs for this. You also cannot put the RA tubes and pans in most of them unless you do what I did in the earlier post. You also do not have the latch mechanism as it is a molded glass frame so that cannot work in keeping the hood down, so you use hood pins which were a dealer option on the 69 Bird and TA. There is one company called Camaro & Firebird specialties Aurora N.Y. who has glass over steel frame TA hoods. Cost is approx 600 + S&H, but I not sure of the fit on these. They have the stock latch and you can put RA pans and tubes on this one.

Steve Karew

[Bob25]

Just spoke with Camaro & Firebird specialties in Aurora N.Y. Very nice people, have the hood, works with original hinges and springs, as well as the latch. $695.00 + trucking. I think this is a go, thanks for the info,

Bob