[bikerlaw]

When I first got my El Camino, the thought of changing the body was nothing I was interested in doing. But this little truck is really growing on me. I have a couple things that take precedence right now......like getting rid of the 4.10 gear, and the front suspension for instance. But once all the mechanical details have been addressed, I "may" want to tackle some body upgrades.

Hood scoops seem to be a VERY popular upgrade, and I have been thinking about one for my truck. My first thought was a Trans Am Style Shaker, but I've done that in the past and wanted something more traditional. I have narrowed it down to the ever popular 2 or 2 1/2 inch Cowl Hood, or adding a factory Choo Choo Customs Hood Bulge. Ultimately, the decision rests with me, but I thought I would start a poll to hear what others would do, or have done to their own trucks. So please feel free to cast a vote for your choiuce of the Cowl vs The Choo Choo bulge. I am interested in the poll results.
Thanks!

 

[87next2last1]

don't like the choo choo , it just looks to much of a fake scoop

 

[87next2last1]

just like the look of the real cowl

 

[Old Bear]

Adding a Choo Choo style hood ornament is like adding a padded bra. All ornamental.

 

[bikerlaw]

I agree with the "Fake Scoop" assessment. Often times some of these body kits look like more of an afterthought, than something that flows nicely with the body lines. I think the Choo Choo Scoop is less so, but yeah, one can NEVER go wrong with the tried and true Cowl hood. That's two votes for the cowl hood!

 

[kat0069]

Let me cast my vote, again. I will say though that I initially purchased a fiberglass W-30 style hood but did not like the fit in the slightest, so ended up with a Goodmark steel hood that can be functional. I am still working on the functional part.

 

[R/T]

Here is my "PADDED BRA" ha ha
Seriously, I like both but mine will stay as is.

 

[bikerlaw]

Let me cast my vote, again. I will say though that I initially purchased a fiberglass W-30 style hood but did not like the fit in the slightest, so ended up with a Goodmark steel hood that can be functional.

Wait.....hold on a second........LOL
After reading your reply, I just google 80's Oldsmobile and found a bunch of these pictures. The 83/84 Hurst Old's Cutlass 442 W/30 thingy's certianly did come with a fake hood scoop, and it looks pretty much like the El Camino scoop. Is it the same hood scoop???? It sure looks the same. It also looks a LOT "different" on the Old's, than it ever looked on the Choo Choo's El Camino's (IMHO). I think my brain is really digging the scoop on the Hurst car, more than the Choo Choo because the Old's car is not saddled with all the body work and side exhaust that accompanies the El Camino, much as my El Camino doesn't have any of that stuff. Hummm, this shed's new light on the subject. It definitely doesn't sway me to run out and by the scoop, but it makes me think, for sure....I would certianly be worried about fitment though. But....I'm a former body/painter, and can fix most issues, but I absolutely don't want to install an ill fitting part!!!
Thanks for the continued input everybody!

 

[bikerlaw]

Here is my "PADDED BRA" ha ha
Seriously, I like both but mine will stay as is.

And then you post this gorgeous El Camino and change everything!!! AGAIN!

 

[E-Man]

There are a few things to consider here. I’d say let your budget be the deciding factor. The Cowl hood looks much better IMO. But the Choo Choo scoop is cheaper. If you go with the Choo Choo scoop, you get to keep your original GM hood and can easily paint the scoop yourself. I would assume the newer cowl hoods are made from that thin sheet metal most reproduction companies use these days, and you’ll have to have it professionally painted to match (I know you said you can do it yourself). Truth be told, neither will boost performance. I’ve never heard anyone claim performance gains from a cowl hood alone.

 

[E-Man]

Here is my "PADDED BRA" ha ha
Seriously, I like both but mine will stay as is.

R/T that’s a beautiful Choo Choo. And I know a thing or two about Choo Choos😂

 

[bikerlaw]

If you go with the Choo Choo scoop, you get to keep your original GM hood and can easily paint the scoop yourself. I would assume the newer cowl hoods are made from that thin sheet metal most reproduction companies use these days, and you’ll have to have it professionally painted to match (I know you said you can do it yourself).

Okay, here's the problem.....
Yes, I'm a painter and can certianly paint a hood or a scoop. But, and here's the but....
The REAL reason I'm procrastinating here, is the trucks paint. It's paint job was one of the biggest factors I used in choosing to buy this particular truck. But the paint is gonna be a problem. First, it's not the stock color. It's a blue that I DO NOT have the color code too. I tired my best, but I just can't tell if the painter used a 2 stage color/clear or a three stage base/color/clear paint. It's also got a lot of metallic, that's a biotch to match. Now, that being said, none of those factors would even slow me down in my attempt to match the paint. I'm fairly confident I can work with it, and tint it enough, that even a new hood would likely only require me to blend onto the top of the fenders for a good match. The problem is the previous painter ALSO DUMPPED MULTIPLE COATS OF PEARL OVER THE ENTIRE PAINT JOB!!! Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE IT. It looks great and is beyond stunning in the sunlight, but once you add a heavy pearl into the mix, it takes matching the paint to a whole new level. I just don't think I could match that paint in a way that would make me happy, if I chose to color match an entire hood.

One of the big plusses to a new hood, is I can paint it ralley black, and keep my stock hood in storage....for now. Half the El Camino's I see on the road with cowl hoods, leave them this way. The smaller scoops GOT TO BE painted. And to be honest, I would just let a shop deal with painting the smaller scoop, since an exact match would be less critical "to me" than would a hood. So the bottom line is....how I will deal with the paint on either part, will play a huge roll in which part I pick. which is pretty much the real reason I chose to bring this to the forum for input. Cause it's gonna be a tough call for me when I finally get to that point. At this point if I chose the hood, I would shoot it Rally (Semi-Gloss) black, and if I chose the Scoop, I'd pay a shop to color match it........Phew. That helped a TON, just talking (typing) it out!

 

[R/T]

I am sure that whatever you do will look great. Post some pictures when you get a chance.

 

[Fnlowrider]

I bought my Caballero as a wreck with a straight frame and replaced the front clip. Talk about a nightmare trying to match the paint computers and all. of course it wasn't a factory color that would be too easy. It's not a perfect match but damn close. After I was done I developed a tiny crack in the paint dead center of the hood I realized that the new wing nut I put on the breather cover touched the underside of the hood due to Edelbrock intake manifold maybe that's why the previous owner had a little nut on there so much for my brilliant little upgrade. That was all I needed to go for the choo-choo Hood relief which I have always liked even though it isn't functional.

 

[bikerlaw]

Hey, regardless of the reason, the El Camino looks fantastic!

 

[5spdCab]

Keep in mind that each of the pics you included for us to decide from contain varying elements besides the scoops. For instance, the two Choo Choo's have their Choo Choo header/grill, while the cowl hood Elkie has a stock looking header/grill. The Olds with the small Choo Choo-like scoop looks 10X better than the actual Choo Choo Elky because of the Olds header/grill panel. To compare apples to apples, you need a pic of a stock header/grill equipped Elky with the Choo Choo scoop, to compare with the red cowl pic, such as a few more pics of fnlowrider's Elk from several angles to compare with.

 

[bikerlaw]

Keep in mind that each of the pics you included for us to decide from contain varying elements besides the scoops.

You are absolutely correct. Total failure on my part. Just snatching random internet pics, and expecting fair evaluations, is not fair. This may be tougher than originally anticipated.....
Let me see what I can dig up!

 

[Karadjgne]

Ghost stripes will cure a lot of paint woes. Then even If the center is a little off, it's not as visible as the stripe becomes the line of demarcation instead of the blend. That way, either cowl or scoop added becomes far less of a match up nightmare.

 

[kat0069]

Wait.....hold on a second........LOL
After reading your reply, I just google 80's Oldsmobile and found a bunch of these pictures. The 83/84 Hurst Old's Cutlass 442 W/30 thingy's certianly did come with a fake hood scoop, and it looks pretty much like the El Camino scoop. Is it the same hood scoop????
Thanks for the continued input everybody!

This type of W-30 hood scoop, not the "wart" they put on the G Bodies. A company in Florida makes the hood specifically for G Bodies. It could have been made to fit but it was WAY more work than I wanted to put into the endeavor.

 

[bikerlaw]

This type of W-30 hood scoop, not the "wart" they put on the G Bodies. A company in Florida makes the hood specifically for G Bodies. It could have been made to fit but it was WAY more work than I wanted to put into the endeavor.

The "wart".....OMG, that's hysterical! And not too far from the truth, haha.
I think a W-30 like the hood you posted is way more than I would add. Even with the fore-mentioned racing stripes.

I grew up in Deerfield Illinois, and a fellow Hot Rodder named Dennis grafted a set of those W30 scoops from, I think, a 70 442 on to his 66-67 black 442. That car looked bad-a$$!!! But for my El Camino, I'm still leaning towards the Wart or more traditional Cowl.