yess... got a great deal today

[blue81elcamino]

i bought a fiberglass cowl hood from my grampas friend for $50 bucks.His friend had it on a el camino and it came up and hit the windshield and broke the part where it bolts on to the hinges. So.. i am going to take it to my dads shop and fix it then primer it and put it on. then i will start saving up for a paint job. im not sure what inch the hood is i just jumped on the deal. the hood is like $469 bucks in the newest opg book. and it is a bolt on no clips or nuthin but i may put clips on the front for it dont blow up on me.

[TyBo]

Most of the time a with a fiberglass hood from what I've heard you want to pin the front. (even if it's a steel reinforced version) Simply to prevent what happened to your gramp's friend. So I'd do it.

Sounds like a sweet deal I'm jealous

[Maddening]

Pin it in front or it could happen again. It flexes more than stock putting stresses on the front latch, and what happened already can be the end result. Even better, pin it at all four corners and ditch the hinges, a lift off hood would be cool.

[Snaggle To0th]

damn man....you are forever are getting GREAT deals on el camino parts!!! IM JEALOUS!!!! lol

-Anduh

[Mullet]

Thats really cool about the cheap hood but nothing beats how I got my cowl hood.

My dad took my caballero down to maxi to get a tune up. When the mechanic took the car out for a test drive the hood came up and bent. their insurance covered 600 dollars to get the hood replaced, installed, and painted. So I took my 600 dollars down to good old honest charley's and picked up a cowl hood then took it to get it installed. And that is how I got a free cowl hood and 110 bucks in cash. Good times, good times.

[blue81elcamino]

thanks for all the comments you guys i will clip atleast the front down and i may just ditch the hinges and make it all clips i was thinkin bout that we will see when i get it fixed

[ElCafreak]

Yes DO pin the front. I put the locks on mine. And my stupidity cost me. I went to drive it to a friends house one day and didn't lock it down. Needless to say, it flew up, smashed my windshield and landed in the street.
I know DUH :stupid:
Make sure you have the safety latch on it too, just in case. I put mine on too late.
I was able to fix it, but it looks like crap with all the scratches still on the hood.

[HemiTCoupe]

I ran a lift off hood on my '72 Vega for 3 years, pins in each corner. pain in the butt if you need to get under it. I can lift the Vega hood on and off the pins myself, I don't think I would like to lift a El Camino hood everytime myself.
I lost (broke) all 4 pin lock clips, running against a '70 442 at about 150 mpr. The hood missed the 442's roof by a only a foot. (He told me, I didn't see it go. I was 5 car lengths ahead) I thought I blew my motor, and looked down and saw my motor???? It only had a 283 with 3-2's, V-gate, Chrysler 8 3/4 posi read end
I found the hood and it had NO damage. New pin lock clips and it was all fixed.
My Mustang's hood is pined in the front, and I would not run a glass hood with out them.

Pat

[blue81elcamino]

i came home today and the hood was in the back of my truck ] it looks bad to the bone and i will be putting pins in the front for a fact

[mnunn]

My 70 has a fiberglass aftermarket cowl hood with locking pins in the front. (It was like that when I bought it.).

Until reading this thread, I wouldn't have imagined it would/could depart for "higher altitudes" so easily.

I have had the car up to about 80 MPH so far and the hood seems fine (fairly stable) at that speed. But next time I go over that I'll certainly have it locked down.

Thanks for saving me some $ and for saving me from a big serving of humble pie.

[ElCafreak]

If you don't have it pinned or locked(in my case), it will go airborn at less than 30 mph. TRUST ME!!! LOL
PLEASE do yourself a favor and bolt on the safety latch. You know, the hook that you have to push up after you pull the regular hood latch. It could save you alot of time, money and humility.
When my hood flew off E.V.E.R.Y! #&%^& neighbor was out on the front sidewalk or yard to witness it!!! YIKES :stupid: <-that's my favorite emoticon now. LMAO
Learn from my stupidity.

[blue81elcamino]

hey also do any of you guyz have a picture of the front clipped i cant really picture what it looks like on a 5th gen el camino

[ElCafreak]

Click on my link below and find a pic. I tried to put a single view in this post but the pic comes out too small.
I'll try to take a closer view today.
What you have to do is locate the bumpers on the top of the radiater core support and remove them. It's tough, but it can be done.
Then locate your pins in those holes and drill out the hood to put in the collar and screws. Take your time.

A tip: Put on your hood, minus the springs on the hinges. It will break or crack you fiberglass hood if you keep the springs on. Line it up where it will go. Put a piece of gum or some chaulk on top of the bumpers or stops and that will mark your hood where you need to drill the holes for your pins. Then replace the bumpers(rubber stops) with the pins and check the lineup again to make sure. Or replace the bumpers/stops with your pins and THEN do the gum/chaulk thing to make sure you drill the holes right the first time.
Let us know how it goes.

[blue81elcamino]

ok i will do that

[ElCafreak]

Well, check back and see if there are any better suggestions. I'm sure there are others and even better ways to install them. If anybody has a better or easier way they will share it with us. I feel like such a dumbass when people have FAR simpler methods. But hey, admitting it is half the battle right?! LOL
I'm trying to remember what kind of fastner they use to keep the bumper/stops on, but I DO remember that it was tough getting them off. There will be a pretty big hole there, so you will PROBABLY have to get some pretty big washers to fit them in right.
Just make sure you install your hood and align it before you do any cutting. That should probably be the first thing you do, now that I think of it. Keep the bumper/stops in and fit your hood to where it lines up perfectly. Then you can fit the pins and it will all line up great.
Just TAKE YOUR TIME!
It'll look great!
There are alot of pins and locking systems out there. Get the best one you can afford. You will drive more confidently and NOT have to worry about it.
The other choice you'll have to make is whether to use a pulling pin style or a flush mount locking style. I have the locking style myself. I like the flushness of it. LOL It's up to you.
Have fun and TAKE YOUR TIME.!!!
Have I said to take your time yet? he he he
later