Thread: hood and hinges

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I'm thinking of putting a hood on my coupe,(top only) where is the best place to get a hood , hinges, and latch. Figured you guys would know where I might be able to get a good deal . I guess fiberglass would be the cheapest and its a glass car anyway.

Let me bump this back to the top. There are guys on here that live and breath these cars they can tell you where and how

A lot depends on who made the body, and whether it's set up according to original specs. I don't like fiberglass hoods myself - even though my current project has one. The finish on the inside is usually crap.

I had a Rootlieb metal hod on my A-bone, and it was great. A top piece from Rootlieb will cost about $250. Hinges aren't cheap - but they're not too hard to fabricate. I made the hinges for my A-bone using some square tubing and some flat stock for hinges. I'll see if I can dig up a photo somewhere.

If you can, spring for the Rootlieb hood top.

Metal hoods are a lot more user-frendly.

Non-louvered hoods aren't too costly.

Looks like you're doing a 32; stock hood length tops on the Deuces is 32" measured down the middle front to rear.

If your car has a different length requirement, be aware that Rootlieb will make a custom length hood.
I got one for my 31 on 32 rails roadster about four years ago and the cost was $50. extra.

There are a lot of subtleties in hood cut and shape front and rear.
Nice part about the Rootlieb hood is that it did account for the proper grille shell height and the front and rear of the hood fits both cowl line and grille shell line like it should.
IE: cowl and grille shell lines are straight when viewed transversely, the hood - once it's set at the right height - front and rear parallels these lines exactly.

I think maybe I'll go with a Rootlieb hood, I definatley want the hood to line up with the body lines. Now I just have to decide on what type of hinge setup to go with.

Rocky

Here is how I did mine. I used 3/4" SS tubing with a .083 wall. Inside I put a solid bar with a notch in it with a spring in the end pushing forward. tapped the end of it, it goes threw the fire wall to a knob under my dash. Then on the hood this "J" hook to catch inside the slotted bar in the tube. On the other side I just made a regular looking hinge. I Incorporated my hood prop into this also. I hope you can make it out in the photo's. I looked at the hood mechanisms out there and thought they where all to big and bulky I didn't want to see all that crap hanging out there and also I wanted it look good if I decided to run with no hood at all.

Here is what it looks like opened and closed. There is two of those J hook, one toward the front and one in the rear. It is very solid when closed. The hood prop folks up into the hood to another ball so it is self contained when closed.

Ken, that's about the nicest set up I've seen yet. Where did you get the peices for the hinge that mount on the hood ?

Rocky

Originally Posted by Rocky72

Ken, that's about the nicest set up I've seen yet. Where did you get the peices for the hinge that mount on the hood ?

Rocky

We made everything at work. If you decide to copy this I have an extra set of just the hinges you can have. you would still have to make the other pieces. It really is a simple and strong set up.

What do want for the hinges ?

Originally Posted by Rocky72

What do want for the hinges ?

Nothing, I will give them to you. I always make two sets of everything that has difficult set ups in case I screw up.

Cool, I'll send you a pm with my name and address .

Rocky

I would highly recomend that you have a custom metal hood made. They don't cost that much additional and you will be happy with the fit when it's made to your body. The problem is getting the hood to fit across the cowl top and also fitting the body revel lines. Because of the variations in after market bodies, "custom fitted" is the only way to go in my opinion. I bought a Hagen hood, but I sure Rootlieb is good also. They will send you instructions on how to make a paper pattern for your car, you return the patern and they build the hood. Dan Fink, and Hagen also make hinge kits.

Originally Posted by John Palmer

I would highly recomend that you have a custom metal hood made. They don't cost that much additional and you will be happy with the fit when it's made to your body. The problem is getting the hood to fit across the cowl top and also fitting the body revel lines. Because of the variations in after market bodies, "custom fitted" is the only way to go in my opinion. I bought a Hagen hood, but I sure Rootlieb is good also. They will send you instructions on how to make a paper pattern for your car, you return the patern and they build the hood. Dan Fink, and Hagen also make hinge kits.

He is right, all this stuff is available from the same people that has been building it for years. But when you get done your car will look just like everyone else's. Why not just go out and buy a finished car. This sport was built on innovation, I really hate to see that stop. Just my opinion.
Ken

Yeah, I'm going to get the hood custom made to fit, I've got to much time and money in my coupe to take any short cuts now. I like my cars to be done the right way.

Rocky