Aftermarket hoods

[54belair]

I regrettably find myself in a position of considering an aftermarket hood for my .68 project.

I was wondering if anyone has experience with an aftermarket hood (good or bad), who makes the best one, who sells the best one.

Not long ago there were a few old ones available in my area----now that Im looking, the pond is dry!!!

[GobbleStalker]

My buddy used an aftermarket hood and first time he shut it down id made a small crease up by the hinge. He was pissed to say the least. That is the only experience I have heard.

Put a wanted add on the buy and sell I am sure there is someone with a hood out there for you.

Kevin

[70CHEVYBB]

that means it had to have bent the inner brace as well?

[Mr Chevorlet]

54 belair pm me i have a hood if you want to look at it

[bennetth27]

just purchased one from summit racing it came from auto direct in GA nice hood however make sure you check it out good when it comes in. It comes freight and I was at work when it came in and had couple dents in cowl!

[ecgate]

I just had a buddy get one from Classic Parts out of Kansas City. It was a cowl hood for his 71. In my opinion it fit just as well as the original and after it got painted and finished it looked great. Im not a fan of cowl hoods but this fit very well. He also got his fenders and bed from Classic and there was minimal body work that had to be done to the panels before painting them. If that stuff was mine I would have been happy with it and would buy there parts again.

[john]

Here's what gmcpaul says about the 67-68 std and cowl repo hoods.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=587944

[54belair]

john,,

Thank you for posting gmc pauls thread. This is the very fear I had about the aftermarket hood. In spite of the fact that some members seem to find a good one, after looking at Paul's pictures----my search for a hood has just changed directions.

Anyone considering an aftermarket hood should look at the thread posted above. Thanks again john,,,

[ecgate]

What gets me is 40ish years ago they didn't have any issues with producing parts that fit. Now with all this "great technology" that we have somebody cant even make a hood with any consistency. Pretty sad. John that is some good info you found from gmcpauls. I was unaware of the fitment problems with aftermarket 67-68 hoods. Glad I know this now because last I seen they were getting a little under 500 bucks for a repo hood. That's a little pricy for rolling the dice.

[54belair]

Ecgate,

The answer is sort of simple. The dies used currently are not GM dies, they are dies that someone made-probably from an existing hood rather than official engineering drawings. After that-----its just capitalism at its best.
"I get mine and to h### with the rest of the world" And--since there is only one manufacturer-----etc., etc.,,,

[Shyguy]

I bought a cowl hood from LMC and it fit ok after a little massaging.

[54belair]

Explain Massaging please?!

[cleszkie]

Even if the repop hoods fit good, they are still made with a lighter gauge steel than original. That leaves them vulnerable to dings, bends, and creases. Like that guy who said his buddy's got a crease at the hinge when he closed it. Some of that new stuff will dent if you lean on it too much.

[swamp rat]

Look in the parts for sale threads, i just read yesterday a guy has a couple cheap, couldn't hurt to look.. Then try contacting a few venders that also part out trucks, look in craigs list ect.