installing a chevy hd hood on a gmc

[airbrusher]

hey guys can anyone point me in the right direction here? my son would like to install a chev hd hood off of a 02 on to a same year gmc 2500hd we realize it will bolt on ok but how does one go about making the lines fit the headlights? we assume there is a fairly large amount of cutting and fitting involved! i know its being done as we have both seen them. thanks to all for the help!!

[454stepside]

it would be easier to find a chevy hd hood or to switch your grille and lights over to a gmc and your fenders and core support are different also

[GCncsuHD]

Originally Posted by 454stepside

it would be easier to find a chevy hd hood or to switch your grille and lights over to a gmc and your fenders and core support are different also

I think you missed what he is wanting to do...

He has a GMC. He wants a Chevy style HD hood since GMC never had the HD hood.


You are correct, the hood bolts right on and lines up at the grille, but must be cut to fit the headlights. You can easily bolt it on, line it up, and mark your lines to cut. Many guys leave an extra 1/2" of material to "roll" to make a finished edge and provide rigidity to the area you cut, the same way the hoods are done on the edges from the factory. Other guys take a piece of 1/8" rod and weld it on to the edge to provide a "beaded" edge for rigidity. It's up to you, although the beaded edge is easier for a less experienced guy to do.

Also, very few people notice this, but at the corners where the hood meets the fenders, the GMC is nice and round, while the Chevy has a slight point. This can be fixed with a little grinding though.

It's a pretty simple process actually if you have any body work experience.

Keep in mind one little thing though. It bugs some people, but not others. The GMC hood is smooth in the center to where it meets the grille, while the Chevy hood comes to a slight point in the middle with a body line going all the way down the center of the hood. It can look odd where it meets the grille on a 99-02 GMC with the rounded grille. Swapping to a 03-06 GMC grille with the straight edges actually makes it less noticeable in my opinion. And the 03 grille is a direct swap onto the 99-02 front end, gives it a nice little update. But..looking at it from the side the Chevy hood does stop about 3/4" short of the edge of the GMC grille.

[454stepside]

that i did lol sorry about that

[airbrusher]

great thanks to both of you for the reply i guess time will tell whether we decide to tackle it sounds like a winter project, Blessings!!!