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J's Rat rod has inspired me...

Same thing....less welding.

How does the front of the hood fit as it is, when slid forward in the latched position? Maybe cutting and adding to the back would work better. This would put the hood signal locations more forward and the welding in a flatter area.

Just some thoughts wandering around in an empty space.......
 
Does it HAVE to be cut at the nose area? Could it be split across where the scoop would go? Let visible cut/weld area that way... Or maybe even further back?

You would not have to mess with that center crown line as well.
 
Pete and J,
The radiator support doesn't move or is in the same location on Shelby's and Mustangs so adding to the rear would mean a lot of mods to the inner/under structure to move the latch back. I was hoping to only add a section ahead or forward of the latch area. The hood also get narrower as it moves forward so I would have a bigger/longer section to take out if I moved more of the hood forward.
 
"tarafied1" said:
that's sorta what I had in mind (I think). Only instead of grafting in a section between the two original pieces, I would just cut the doner hood longer by however much I need. Isn't that the same thing without more welds? or am I missing something?
Click to expand...

I'd think so, BUT I've never done it. The folks Ive known that heavily modded cars always patched a piece in the middle. I have no idea why, just seen folks that know how to mod sheet metal do it that way.

Sellersrodshop is your best bet - he actually does this type of thing... :lol
 
well the reason I was thinking of just adding/extending the front end is that I'm lazy. The hood latch and radiator support currently would line up, but the nose would be short. If I add to the middle or back then the hood under structure would no longer line up with the radiator support/latch. Also the hood narrows as it gets toward the front so adding to the rear or middle would mean sectioning a longer area to narrow the whole "moved forward" section of hood.
The guy with the blower sent me a picture of his hood underneath. As you can see, by just adding to the end I really don't have to mess with the rest of the hood or under structure. He said his body guy hand made the nose of the hood but I was thinking of cheating, again because I'm lazy and also because I have 3 steel hoods. I also don't have the skilz or tools to fab a nose from scratch.
24e16b511ffa8b18064fd0675efe51da0ea241ca.pjpg
 
you could always screw the latch, and pin it. Since admittedly you like the easiest way, the easiest looks to section it just in front of the hood hinges. Cut it right through the under structure and fill in / grind away to make the taper work. Then forget the latch and pin it.

161_23_08_09_1_29_11.JPG


If you just section the nose, i think you have a lot of fab work to make a suitable understructure to handle force against the nose. Just another thought.
 
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"tarafied1" said:
Pete and J,
The radiator support doesn't move or is in the same location on Shelby's and Mustangs so adding to the rear would mean a lot of mods to the inner/under structure to move the latch back. I was hoping to only add a section ahead or forward of the latch area. The hood also get narrower as it moves forward so I would have a bigger/longer section to take out if I moved more of the hood forward.
Click to expand...

Good point Craig2. I was only thinking sheet metal deep - aka 2D. Not the entire cross section effort.
 
Jake,
Look back at the pics of the car with an E nose and stock hood. The front "as is" will need a lot of work anyway because the stock hood curves down so much more that the Shelby/Eleanor hood. As long as I have to cut and section the nose anyway, why mess with the part of the hood that already fits perfect also? The hood only begins to be different from the ends of the fender forward, along the fenders it is the factory relationship hood to fender. No need to cut anything back there. Plus as I mentioned before the hood is narrower at the front so any part that I move forward I will have to narrow as well, it just doesn't make sense to me to mess with any part of the hood in the back. That's my logic anyway, I'm not trying to disrespect your opinion. You have proven your skills with hood fabrication. I'm just not seeing why I would want to do anything to the part of the hood that already fits perfect. What am I missing?
Now the strength issue shouldn't come into play either IMO because I don't intend to do anything to the under structure which provides the integrity to the hood. I may have to abandon the idea of using a doner hood and just fab something but I think my best bet is to only worry about the the hood from the end of the fenders forward. As they say, no need to re-invent the wheel. I am listening but not convinced. Thanks for the thoughts and input, this shouldn't be so hard but yet it doesn't seam as easy as I thought originally either.
Thanks again J, Pete, Jake, and everyone else. Maybe I should just forget about it...
 
The hardest part is making that first cut... after that is just "fixing" it. Because you have no choice then!

Go for it. It will be a great project. And a rewarding finish.
 
"70_Fastback" said:
The hardest part is making that first cut... after that is just "fixing" it. Because you have no choice then!
Click to expand...

True - after lots of thinking about it and wondering how I was ever going to do it, I finally took the grinder and cut up a my headers - now in the fixin' it stage. Obligatory pics when done.

Grab that grinder Craig II - those hoods are just cluttering up the place now-
 
"apollard" said:
True - after lots of thinking about it and wondering how I was ever going to do it, I finally took the grinder and cut up a my headers - now in the fixin' it stage. Obligatory pics when done.

Grab that grinder Craig II - those hoods are just cluttering up the place now-
Click to expand...

:wstup
 
another reason to do the work on the front & not in the middle is heat warpage from the welding. a curved area has more strength & is less prone to warp when welding, especially a hood where there is not much reinforcement. you cut that sucker in the middle & its wavy as all get out. i'm currently grafting original vents into some flat hoodsides on a 39 chev & keeping the metal in shape while welding the pieces in is a nightmare...
 
"SELLERSRODSHOP" said:
i'm currently grafting original vents into some flat hoodsides on a 39 chev & keeping the metal in shape while welding the pieces in is a nightmare...
Click to expand...

:WOP
 
"SELLERSRODSHOP" said:
another reason to do the work on the front & not in the middle is heat warpage from the welding. a curved area has more strength & is less prone to warp when welding, especially a hood where there is not much reinforcement. you cut that sucker in the middle & its wavy as all get out. i'm currently grafting original vents into some flat hoodsides on a 39 chev & keeping the metal in shape while welding the pieces in is a nightmare...
Click to expand...

So, would TIG reduce the warping? I've always heard that, and I know a couple of guys here that use TIG for body panels - they say it takes longer, but is easier to work, can be hammered, etc. Probably not good for a production shop, but wondering what your view is-

+1 on the pics. Car work porn is always good :ecit
 
tig produces a "prettier" weld & probably does use less heat, but no matter the process, floppy sheetmetal is hard to do anything with & get right.

gratuitous pics:

IMG_2029.jpg


also had to move the tailights from the pan up to the original area:
IMG_2026.jpg


also have to fix the doors so they will close due to poor top chop. the doors weren't cut as deep as the a piilars & they were binding bad:
IMG_2027.jpg
 
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