Hoods: New versus Old, Your Thoughts?

"M.T. Blake" (autohabit) 07/11/2018 at 10:56 • Filed to: Project Car, Camaro, Chevrolet, hood, your thoughts

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The more I look at my old stock hood, the more I think it looked better. Sleeker profile, traditional look, and simple. The new two inch cowl is excellent but it feels too expected and overly common. I dunno.. what do you think?

Stock OEM Old Hood

New 2” Cowl

The new hood solved all the clearance issues I had with the air cleaner. The air cleaner always struck the underside of the hood and even though some ‘crush’ is okay, it wasn’t ideal. The new hood allows me to put a taller intake on that should free up a few more horsies. I just think the stock lines look better. It had a more vintage hot rod appearance. No trans am racing Camaro ever had a cowl that I’ve seen...

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 11:03

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I think your best option is a Trans Am shaker hood, TBH. If it can be made to fit.

It has a rib, but you can take that down to a point at the front edge.

Or just cut the hole using one of these as a pattern and use the shaker.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 11:03

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stock looks better imo

course i just dont like those bulked up hoods

at least yours is functional.. that makes it okiday

TheRealBicycleBuck > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 11:06

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There’s no school like old school. I like the old one better.

sn4cktimes > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 07/11/2018 at 11:06

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Was also  going to suggest a shaker hood. Maintains the original lines for more of the hood. 

Urambo Tauro > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 11:14

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I like the old one too, but hey if you need the extra room, you gotta do what you gotta do.

Chariotoflove > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 11:23

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I think I want your car.

I like stock better, but function wins over fashion. 

kanadanmajava1 > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 11:25

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I think that kind of cowl induction hood suit s more to the 1st generation Camaros. B ut it seems that at least one T r a n s A m r a c e r did use such. I c o u l d n ’ t v e r i f y i f t h a t ’ s a p e r i o d c o r r e c t a p p a r a n c e o f t h e c a r b u t a t l e a s t s o m e o n e h a s m a d e a v i r t u a l v e r s i o n o f i t f o r F o r z a 5 .

WilliamsSW > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 11:28

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What others are saying - I like the stock look better, but the 2 inches isn’t excessive, and if it helps you get more ponies, I would go for it!!

And it looks awesome either way - love that color combo!

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 11:35

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The answer is always L88

lone_liberal > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 11:54

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I’ve had this exact argument with myself. The cowl solves the clearance issue and looks good from some angles, but I think it looks a little awkward from others and it’s become kinda cliche. My air filter doesn’t hit since I got a low profile (yet large circumference) one but it would be nice not to be limited in intake manifold choices. 

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 11:55

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You don’t need a hood!

AfromanGTO > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 11:57

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The small cowl hood looks the best with the duck bill spoiler and chin spoiler.

Cash Rewards > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 12:12

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Its not the hood, it's that the hood and the stripes don't work together. A single stripe starting at the cowl would make it work.

My bird IS the word > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 07/11/2018 at 12:14

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Damn. that does look good.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 12:16

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Mmmm slipt bumper Camaro.... I’m sorry what were you saying? 

KnowsAboutCars > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 12:19

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I prefer the stock one. I’m not a fan of the cowl hood look in most cases anyway.

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > My bird IS the word 07/11/2018 at 12:28

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It’s how I’d do a second gen Camaro. I still think the L88 is the greatest hood design of all time by a good margin.

BTW, that’s a Baldwin Motion Camaro if you’re wanting to look for more pictures/info.

M.T. Blake > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 07/11/2018 at 15:20

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Those are really cool but I can’t wrap my purist mind around a TA hood on a Camaro. A Baldwin Motion hood?

M.T. Blake > Chariotoflove 07/11/2018 at 15:21

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Everything can be your for the right price. 

M.T. Blake > kanadanmajava1 07/11/2018 at 15:22

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Whoa. I knew one of you could find one!!!

M.T. Blake > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 07/11/2018 at 15:23

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I almost pulled the trigger. It’s so unique and I had never seen one in person... I couldn’t do it without seeing it. :(

M.T. Blake > lone_liberal 07/11/2018 at 15:25

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Glad to hear it’s a hard sell after all. I ended up finding an article listing all popular intake manifolds with heights. I went with cliche and figured a taller intake with the cowl would be cooler. I regret it now. 

M.T. Blake > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 07/11/2018 at 15:26

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The automotive equivalent of walking around with your fly open. 

M.T. Blake > AfromanGTO 07/11/2018 at 15:27

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Yes. I wouldn’t change anything else to accommodate the cowl  hood.

M.T. Blake > Cash Rewards 07/11/2018 at 15:28

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That’s a good observation. I was wondering same thing. It wouldn’t be as pronounced if it was one color. 

M.T. Blake > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 07/11/2018 at 15:29

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I had just revealed the next stock to have a meteoric rise like Amazon. 

Chariotoflove > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 15:29

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Unless the right price is tree fiddy, probably not.  Most of my surplus is going to my kid’s college tuition fund.

M.T. Blake > Chariotoflove 07/11/2018 at 15:31

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Tree fiddy... plus two zeroes. 

Die-Trying > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 15:32

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i vote for the no hood, hinges up, look......

a big engine helps the look too......

lone_liberal > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 15:33

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Maybe I’ll go Gumball Rally!

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 15:42

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I’ve seen a few, one of which had the center section cut away with a Weiand  8-71 sticking out of it. I’ve just always loved the L88 hood. Both of your hoods look good and your car is the right color :)

M.T. Blake > Die-Trying 07/11/2018 at 15:43

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It has a Bill Mitchell Hardcore aluminum lite engine. Sadly I’m done fettling with the engine and no more money will be sprayed onto it like I’m trying to put out a 3 alarm fire. 

M.T. Blake > lone_liberal 07/11/2018 at 15:44

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If you do the Gumball you have more money than sense. 

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 15:46

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Too bulky, IMO. There’s always this ... or not:

Then there’s a ‘78 Z28 hood, if it would fit. Don’t know what the changes in the fascia entail.

lone_liberal > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 15:50

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Yeah, I might be able to afford the hood from the movie but I wasn’t born with a trust fund so I’d never be able to enter the race. 

M.T. Blake > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 07/11/2018 at 16:16

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Thanks! It’s been a labor of love. I’ve literally bled on it at times to get things finished. Now that it’s done and I’ve got tens of thousands invested it’s hard to keep... especially since I CANT FIT IT IN MY GARAGE. 

M.T. Blake > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 07/11/2018 at 16:17

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Top one is delicious. Bottom is meh, more for the rubber bumper cars. 

M.T. Blake > lone_liberal 07/11/2018 at 16:18

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We are in the same boat. I’ll buy you a chair and we’ll watch from the sideline. 

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 16:46

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I dunno, though - it might look quite nice on an early-model. It’s the cheapest option, certainly.

Cash Rewards > M.T. Blake 07/11/2018 at 20:36

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Thanks. I'm really just agreeing with what Bman posted

crowmolly > M.T. Blake 07/12/2018 at 13:29

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Is your cowl steel or fiberglass?

M.T. Blake > crowmolly 07/12/2018 at 13:59

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Steel. No fiber anywhere. All OEM panels. Lead filler and some bondo. 

crowmolly > M.T. Blake 07/12/2018 at 14:04

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That hood ins’t OEM. Ha.

I’d stick with the cowl. Looks are one thing. Correcting an issue to modernize the car is another.

M.T. Blake > crowmolly 07/12/2018 at 14:06

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Sorry, thought you were talking about the cowl below the windshield. Yes, obviously. The rest of the car is OEM.