Would you cut an aluminum hood?

[rebelgtp]

Alright here is the deal I have my '80 Cutlass I'm working on and it has a factory aluminum hood that it came with. The car is getting rebuilt and is getting a fairly extensive face lift and body work is going to the more extreme side of things. One thing I was wanting to do (and may have to because of clearance issue) is add a cowl of scoop to the hood.

Now once I found out I had an aluminum hood this made getting a steel cowl and welding in impossible. This is also fairly rare (not hugely but enough) so it kind of makes me think twice about cutting into the hood.

So would you guys cut into an aluminum hood to modify it and keep the nice weight savings up front? Or would you spare the hood and find a steel or fiberglass one?

[Twentyover]

Maybe a third option- is there a metal shop nearby that could hammer the cowl shape into the aluminum?

[b-man]

Keep your aluminum hood intact.

Replace it with a fiberglass hood if weight savings are important.

If your engine combo really doesn't require any added height to the hood for clearance, consider using the original aluminum hood as-is.

[JRouche]

Wow, never knew they came with aluminum hoods. I wouldnt cut into it. And I wouldnt look to replace it. An aluminum hood is a good thing.

I would almost suggest cutting it and using a mechanical fastening method. If you HAD to have the scoop. But not knowing how and where the skin of the hood is braced I cant say really. If there is alot of bracing very close to the area that you want to put the scoop then it may be workable. But if there is too much distance from the bracing then I think the skin wont have alot of support and you may get some rippling of the panel.

I think its cool that you have an aluminum hood, from the factory. That dude has to be light.. Id keep it intact if it were mine. JR

[JJEH]

Or would you spare the hood and find a steel or fiberglass one?

Yes Sir :)

[BigBlockOlds]

Cut it. The '79-'80 hoods are fairly common compared to the '81-'88's.

These things weigh maybe 10-15lbs. I don't think there's an aftermarket fibgerglass bolt-on hood that weighs that little.

[85GPLEf41]

If you cut it and regret it i know where there is one..:)

[rebelgtp]

Wow, never knew they came with aluminum hoods. I wouldnt cut into it. And I wouldnt look to replace it. An aluminum hood is a good thing.



Yeah most people have no idea that there were aluminum parts made by the factory for these cars. I was actually one of them until I got this car, they seem to be more common on diesel cars though its still not a guarantee.

If I remember right the aluminum parts available were hoods, core support, rear drums and bumper supports. There might be others but I have no clue what they are.

[monteboy84]

Nothing is sacred, cut that $#!t.

[BigBlockOlds]

I've heard trunklids as well but I don't think those are very common at all. There's also no ryhme or reason to which cars got what. It was a total crap shoot.

[86Cutlass383SR]

Make your aluminum hood even tricker. Find someome who can make you an aluminum cowl scoop and mig/tig it to your hood.

[Jim Nilsen]

You can just bond what ever you want to it. Fiberglass and aluminum have close enough expansion and contraction rates that Fusor or other adhesives will work just fine. Getting one /a cowl piece made of aluminum may also be easier than you think, they are making aluminum cowl hoods for Camaros now and there has to be a damaged one coming from somewhere soon enough. Find out who is making them may also find you a setup piece that didn't make the quality control guy happy.

Cut It !!!!

[ironhide]

panel bonder and aluminum work great together !!! Just bond it before you cut the hood . Might be a pain ,but it will come out much nicer . Just make sure if you go this route to grind/prep the area and spread the bonder on it right then . Don't wait a few hours, days . Aluminum starts corroding amiditly .

[The Stickman]

I would consider keeping the Aluminum hood and not cutting it. They are a huge weight savings. Find a way to keep everything under the hood.

[JMarsa]

Yeah most people have no idea that there were aluminum parts made by the factory for these cars. I was actually one of them until I got this car, they seem to be more common on diesel cars though its still not a guarantee.

If I remember right the aluminum parts available were hoods, core support, rear drums and bumper supports. There might be others but I have no clue what they are.

So if you had 1 of everything the factory made, what so you think the final weight of the car would be with a traditional small block?

--JMarsa

[BigBlockOlds]

http://tech.oldsgmail.com/body_al.php

Using all of the available aluminum parts, you'd save around 88lbs over a car without.

[JMarsa]

Interesting, thanks for the link.

--JMarsa

[jon72vega]

Don't cut it.
Find another one.

[Dstoltenberg]

I got the perfect idea, i'll take that aluminum one off your hands, and you can have my steel one for free!!:twothumbs:twothumbs:look:

[rebelgtp]

I got the perfect idea, i'll take that aluminum one off your hands, and you can have my steel one for free!!:twothumbs:twothumbs:look:

Hmmm I think I have gotten that offer before. I went and checked the '81 diesel at the yard for an aluminum hood but it was a steel one.

[helzbelz888]

i wouldnt touch it ideally... but if you MUST cut it... going off the mechanical fastener thing and because my background is in aviation i would cut it and use countersunk rivets to fasten a cowl hood on... button heads would be interesting too.. give it a nice aerospace theme lol