4" or 3" cowl hood??? can't decide, need input

[yody]

Well its coming time to order my hood for my 1971 formula 454 firebird. Unfortunately i will have to do away with my formula twin scoop hood that i love so much, there is just absolutely no clearance with that hood for any kind of motor, and with the vic jr. on the 454 it won't work, plus the stock fiberglass hood weighs like 100ilbs. I am set on a VFN fiberglass bolt on hood. They offer a 4" cowl hood for $430 plus $130 for shipping. I think on a PT car a 4" cowl looks kinda funny. I thought a 3" would look much more sleek, especially on a second gen. But unfortunatly it would cost $620 plus the $130 shipping. I just don't think i can justify spending $750 on a hood! Do you guys think my car will look funny with a 4" cowl. Another thing is that it is hard to see over the 4" cowl from the interior. What to do!!!

[Steve Chryssos]

I agree with you. The 4" will look out of place--especially since you are running 19's. Furthermore, you may have difficulty seeing around the damn thing when jamming on twisty roads.

Apex? What apex? I didn't see no apex. All I saw wuz hood scoop. :rolleyes5

[c.schulz]

3" for sure.

[Josh]

In the big picture, the extra few bucks for a 3" is well spent.

[73novaguy]

Def 3" If you can afford to go the extra cash. I have a 2 and a half inch on the Nova, but needed room for the 502. I have worked on alot of Mustangs (Late 80's and early 90's) and some of the 4" cowls are just way to huge to see around. Even from a safety standpoint. If you had a young child in your front right fender, you would never see them over the 4". And for sure with 19's, the 4" will look further out of place. My .02, go with the 3"

[Andrew McBride]

3"

Andrew

[TurboLark]

For those prices I'd find another manufacturer first. But, if you are dead set on VFN(very nice, I know) then you need to spend the extra for the 3".
A couple questions though. Do you need the 3" for clearance, or can you find a 2" to do the job? and Why the big price jump for 1" less scoop?

[jonny51]

3"

Andrew

:ssst:

[BEEBE]

Hey Guys, Let me Say HELLO, as I am new to the board as of today.

I would have to agree on the 3" . The 4" just seems friggin out of place.

Here is a picture of my 72 bird with a Cowl hood

[yody]

thanks for the pics, the reason VFN, is because they are the ONLY place i have found that makes any hoods for the firebirds! BEEBE where in the world did you get your hood? and that is a 3"? it looks like a 2 1/4. I have to spend that kind of money because VFN has a mold for the 4", to make a 3" they have to take a flat hood, cut down a 4" cowl and put it all together. I have to agree with you guys, on the 3" as that is what i have always wanted, and yes this is a clearance issue. I am using small block moutns with a bbc wich mounts the motor up a little, victor jr. intake 1/2" spacer(need to tap for vacuum) so clearance is a huge issue

[yody]

BTW nice bird, i was thiking of painting all my chrome body color. i like the black on yours. but at the end i think i will keep it chrome for that classic look. ALso i forgot; Welcome to the board!

[HOT OHC]

I would also go with the smaller Cowl. Checkout http://www.usbody.com/ they have a 3" L-88 hood in 2 versions, HD for $489 and Race Weight for $289.

[Ralph LoGrasso]

Definitely 3".

[TurboLark]

thanks for the pics, the reason VFN, is because they are the ONLY place i have found that makes any hoods for the firebirds! BEEBE where in the world did you get your hood? and that is a 3"? it looks like a 2 1/4. I have to spend that kind of money because VFN has a mold for the 4", to make a 3" they have to take a flat hood, cut down a 4" cowl and put it all together. I have to agree with you guys, on the 3" as that is what i have always wanted, and yes this is a clearance issue. I am using small block moutns with a bbc wich mounts the motor up a little, victor jr. intake 1/2" spacer(need to tap for vacuum) so clearance is a huge issue
I see. Cool. Then i'd say spend the cash for the 3" will look much better.

[Matt@RFR]

Yody, is there some reason you can't drill and tap the plenum of the manifold instead of adding a 1/2" spacer? It's only 1/2", but by the sounds of it it may help.

[yody]

I will if the 3" cowl doesn't fit. THere is no way on earth the flat hood will work. I don't know if any of you are familiar with second gens, but the clearance on a flat hood is so bad performer RPMS barely fit. I am still curious what size and where beebe got his

[TitoJones]

Well, I like the dual scoop flat hood you have, so my suggestion is to pull the engine and subframe, convert it over to a dry sump system and engine plate, and then run the flat hood.

Or a 3" cowl would be ok too.

Tyler

[redsand]

Yody,
Just for the record, change that hood and go to pontiac hell, do not pass go do not collect $500.

Just kidding.

[F70t/a]

What about a custom shaker hood? I dont think thats the style your looking for, but it would work. I know a guy that had a victor with a 750 db, it was a pontiac motor. I'm not sure what he used for an air cleaner though :slap:

[yody]

too late, i am already destined for pontiac hell, i think my fate was sealed when i put in the chevy 454, and then the viper T56, and then the C5 brakes, and then the 19's, and then the newer seats, and then the...........just kidding, I really HATE to get rid of my hood, it really makes the car, however those hoods are just a big joke, they don't have any clearance and it just isn't possible. I think the shaker scoops are ugly and would way rather have a cowl hood. NoW I can't get mad at people for calling my car a camaro anymore! I was thinking of trying to adapt a newer WS6 hood, buy i will save that for later.

[pjtimmer]

I really like your car the way it is, with the 400 hood look. I know there a lot of companies out there who make cutsom hoods of of fiberglass or CF and lot's of people who make their own. Maybe you can find a way to raise the hood style you have right now by using a cheap ass unlimted Up22 pontiac 400 style hood as a base and cut it and fiberglass it the way you really want it...
Would be a nice custom job :worship:
Just a thought, since you're rebuilding your car so perfectly!
my 2 cents
Peter

[Pzary3233]

Yody,

Have you seen the "Dude Scoop" made by a guy in central fla? it's a modified TA scoop that lets you have different engine configs and retain the stock hood but have a T/A Scoop.
www.pontiacdude.cc

I know it's not a cowl hood but it's another option.

[HILROD]

Isn't your current hood fiberglass? Why not bond on a cowl scoop behind the dual scoops? They would kinda hide the cowl.

[yody]

i have seen a cowl blended with the 2 scoops, it looked stupid, way too much going on.

[redsand]

I also tried to mod my hood with the newer ws6. I took some poster board and got the size of the dual scoops of my friends 98 ws6. I then transposed it to my hood. It looked terrible. The problem is the front of the hood is basically a straght line. The scoops look great towards the windshield but as they taper and get smaller it does not fit the shape of the front of the hood. I am in the same boat. I kept my 400 painted it red,baer brakes,different seats, rims, suspension. I probably can't even list my car as a pontiac anymore.......Who cares, I love it.

[yody]

got some pics?

[redsand]

http://www.qtm.net/~itgast/Car2/

Pretty cheesy but it will give you an idea. Have not posted pics of the paint job yet. I will try and get them up.

[Steve Chryssos]

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

Yody,
Car looks great!! For a wise-N-heimer, you do nice work :moon:

It seems to me that any hood scoop would kill the extra low look of your car. It looks as though the body has been pulled down around the wheels. Very cool. Even a 3" cowl will make the front of the car look higher than the back of the car.

-Exactly how much clearance are you looking for?
-Does your oil pan already sit below your crossmember?
A good fabricator should be able to chop your motor mounts and mod your intake. Don't you live near Vince? Maybe if you beg?

Otherwise (or in addition to the above) I would strongly recommend a power bulge added to your sweet Formula hood. Not a scoop--a bulge. It's easy--You cut the top surface to shape and then 'glas in the sides and rear. See atttached.

[yody]

well actually the back is even lower now, i put in some 1" lowering blocks and now there is only about a 3/4" gap between fender lip and top of tire. Also in that pic i mocked up a front fender and there was a big gap, so once the front sheetmetal is on, i might end up cutting the coils even more. I believe i have to have about a 3" cowl due to the air cleaner/carb height. I bought an moroso oil pan that was a 6 quart because the sump didn't hang down much, so now with small block mounts(which raise the motor up some) the oil pan is level with the frame crossmember :) also i have 2" primary headers, i have them tucked up as much as possilbe, in fact they are almost touching the floorboards, and they still are so big they look like they will scrape, so if i lower the motor, down comes the huge headers which is a no-no. I could mill the intake but then i lose a lot of power. Also i don't think the buluge would work, because there is big body line/crease/point running down the middle of the hood. and also i don' tthink a bulge will clear my combo, i do appreciate the idea, even from a mr.knowitall :) I think the 3" cowl is the way to go here, the one positive thing about it is that the front of these cars is soooooo long and it is lower than the rear deck, so the cowl kinda evens things out a little, makes the front look even with the rear, and kinda breaks up the front profile some so it doesnt' look like an aircraft carrier in the front!

[Steve Chryssos]

I think the 3" cowl is the way to go here, the one positive thing about it is that the front of these cars is soooooo long and it is lower than the rear deck, so the cowl kinda evens things out a little, makes the front look even with the rear, and kinda breaks up the front profile some so it doesnt' look like an aircraft carrier in the front!

I agree. It's just such a shame to lose the Formula hood. But it is what it is.

[yody]

i know, depressing aint it, I wonder what kinda hood chip foose would design? any other ideas? i like the bulge idea, but i just don't think it would give me the clearance, i have also seen the transam scoops blended in wiht the formula and that looks bad too.

[c.schulz]

Tell ya what, send me the car and Ill model one out of clay for ya.Cast the hood and make one out of carbon fiber.Vacuum bagged of course.How much did you want to spend??
Chris

[Gonzostyle]

Yody,
This would take a lot of work (and hopefully makes sense), but why not use the existing hood and make the snorkels larger and extend further back. ie slice them down the side and increase the height as they go back creating a bulge. You could match the radius of the fender or of the roof line.....

Just a thought.

-Jeremie

[MuscleRodz]

I know its camaro but what about grafting a new 98-02 SS scoop to a flat glass hood. Painted the right color I think it would disappear and not take away from the front of the car like the cowl hood will. Where is our photoshop guys?

Mike

[Bill Howell]

In this case smaller (or shorter) is definitely better

[a73formula]

On my 73 formula I built a 3 1/2" cowl into the an extra formula hood that I had and then cut a hole underneath and built a gto style ram air pan. I like the look alot and now it functions as a cowl and ram air, it wasn't to hard to do either just takes a lot of time sanding.

[yody]

here is a pic of the VFN 4" cowl hood;
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2004/10/7076firebird4topJPG-1.jpg

here is a pic of a formula hood;
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2004/10/70formulahoodJPG-1.jpg

[F70t/a]

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2004/10/garrity70ta-1.jpg

[yody]

ooh, thats ugly, definetly 3"

[BEEBE]

Cody, Finally found the hood info . My hood is indeed a 2 1/4 " cowl . It was bought from Unlimited products . Good luck with the project.

Here is a link to their firebird page

http://www.up22.com/firebird67.htm#FB-128

.