Is this Backdate part available out there?

[SpyderMike]

I am in the midst of backdating my 1985:

so this is how a backdate project starts...

and I was fitting the new sheetmetal fenders and front bumper. It all went well. I am now staring at the car and pondering the hood/lid solution. I know there are fiberglass parts out there, but I am sticking with metal. I know there are people who will weld onto my hood the extension, but I found that solution doesn't pencil out. I will not be grafting a new front end on the car (I am looking for as much a bolt on solution as possible).



So I wonder, is there anyone who has developed a piece that bolts to the front end to mimic the shape of the long hood overhang? Please don't give up on me yet. It seems that this part could easily be installed and adjusted for a real tight lid front lip match to minimize the seam line.

Someone has had to do this, right? Looking for pictures if they are out there please.

[dwelle]

gotta find a way to extend that hood. unfortunately there is no easy way to do it.

there has to be someone in so cal that can make it happen for reasonable $$. did you ever connect with dave to see if he was doing more of them?

not sure you'll be happy otherwise...

[SpyderMike]

I did reach out to Dave, no reply yet. I like what Uwon did to his hood...grafting the latchplate area to the longhood. It looks really clean:

[Dpmulvan]

Buy a used hood and do some trials, sketch something up and have at it. You can get by with an angle grinder, cutoff wheels, harbor freight English wheel and a mig.

[SpyderMike]

TRE makes those metal conversion parts. AASE has them as well. They are welded onto your existing fenders. I think they want about $600 per pair.

TRE's website looks like a work in progress...

Here is AASE's:

https://www.**************/products/e8j-a73-210t-105626

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by SpyderMike

...
https://www.**************/products/e8j-a73-210t-105626

Competition filter is working

[SpyderMike]

Of course...my bad. Pelican doesn't have such an item to my knowledge. Go to that website and search backdate and the parts come up. Or insert that website's name in the link.

[Sebscst]

So if you just want something to fill in that void it would have to be custom. I backdated my sc with a tre longhood but did not backdate the slam panel. This left the same void you have but under my hood . I went to my local hardware store and bought some galvanized expanded metal and fab this up with just some tin snips.

[Sebscst]

You could do something similar and use your horn grill mounts as the attachment points. A metal shop should be able to fab this up if you make a template.

[dwelle]

uwon's fix is very elegant. i briefly considered that route.

but by the time you buy a long hood and put the hours in to get it all right, have you really saved any money over the other options available? if you had a long hood laying around, i get it. otherwise it seems cost prohibitive.

all said, i think you'll still be in the ballpark of what marc zurlinden sells his hoods for, at least that is the conclusion i arrived at for my car...

[Flojo]

this helps?

Originally Posted by metalracer

Yes, pics are on their way later this week but in the meantime, here is a pic of the first hood we did, detailing one approach to the hood release.

Yes, these will be available as an outright purchase but an additional "core" fee will be charged when we cannot receive a good donor hood in exchange; typical core/exchange type of a program.

[Joe Bob]

What price on the hood above?

[SpyderMike]

I was quoted $2200 ($2800 without core). Add to that the value of your hood/lid, sales tax, shipping both ways, and painting; it is pricey. That prompts me to consider other options.

[dwelle]

$2200 with a core exchange...

[Joe Bob]

I have two short hoods, will be taking hem to my local guy to have the short hoods modified to a long hood. I will add an extension on to the latch as I now have to warp it a bit to get my hand into release it.

I will take pics and provide contact for the guy as he seems receptive to duplication the effort for others.

BTW, the FG glass longhood will be available for sale.....it has the latch location in the SC location.

[SpyderMike]

JB,
Do you have a price for his work? Why two? How much do you want for your fiberglass one?

Sebscst, I forgot to mention that I like your approach. Seems like some fiberglass whiz could make a solid panel like your mesh, but follow the top curve and put a horizontal and vertical flats on it to make a close piece. It could easily bolt in from the trunk using existing holes. The top seam could be made to fit very tightly to the hood/lid it seems.

I do have more pictures of Marc Z's work during construction - it is a very nicely done modification for sure.

It is just that my brain wonders if there isn't another way.

[Joe Bob]

I will post it when I get it.....

[will hung]

Just thinking out loud, I read on here once that you could simply get a steel long hood, and mount it with no hood latch and then use rubber tie downs like the ones used on factory lightweight 911's or hood pins that lock to hold the hood down.

[Cook&Dunning]

I wonder if Restoration Design or other could fabricate the leading edge piece of hood to make short hood in to a long hood? I seem to recall someone did ask them a few years ago, but at the time they felt there were enough long hoods out there and there wasn't a market. Maybe there is a market now?

[Elombard]

YOu can buy that piece to convert a short to long from Fenn Lane. I installed it on my car.