Need ideas on how to finish underside of hood and trunk.

chuckbrandt · #1 (**permalink**) 10-01-2003, 04:11 AM

Hey Folks,
I'm trying to decide how best to finish the underside of my hood and trunk (on an ERA). I'm going for an original look. Also would an aluminum hoodscoop look more authentic? Anybody have a picture of the underside the hood of an original car with a hoodscoop?

Thanks, Chuck

Bob Putnam · #2 (**permalink**) 10-01-2003, 05:08 AM

CSX 3057:

Tongue Pirate · #3 (**permalink**) 10-01-2003, 08:10 AM

That's a good question for us do it yourselfer guys. I was going to start sanding mine out & see how it goes. I've seen some guys put an aluminum coating on the underside of the hood but I'm not trying to get that fancy. I just plan to put paint on it.

chuckbrandt · #4 (**permalink**) 10-01-2003, 08:15 AM

I remember seeing someone who slit the fiberglass on the back edge and slid an aluminum sheet in there, the rivets for the hood scoop held it in place. Unfortunately I made a _mental_ note and not a more permanent one on where I saw that!

Chuck

rdorman · #5 (**permalink**) 10-01-2003, 08:20 AM

The original hood scoops where glass. The hood was aluminum.
Rick

ST · #6 (**permalink**) 10-01-2003, 09:09 AM

I lined the underside of the hood and trunk with aluminum.
http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/s...t=1&thecat=500
First make a template out of cardboard and then transfer it to aluminum. It takes a little time but worth it.

Tongue Pirate · #7 (**permalink**) 10-01-2003, 10:04 AM

ST, That does look nice!

Lloyd GT40 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-01-2003, 10:17 AM

Ron Randall does some really interesting things with paint. It simulates various metal finishes. Very impressive. I've seen an ERA with aluminum finish on the back of the hood very nice. If your interested talk to Peter B. At ERA.

LLoyd

chuckbrandt · #9 (**permalink**) 10-01-2003, 11:06 AM

It looks simply amazing, I really like the p-38 model he did. Wow! But maybe a little too "trick" for what I'm after. If I could get it that smooth I'd be perfectly happy with it painted. Leaving the underside of the scoop rough for originality. I honestly thought the scoop was aluminum, thanks Rick for setting me straight.

Chuck

CobERA · #10 (**permalink**) 10-01-2003, 11:52 AM

Chuck,

Ron Randall finished the underside of the hood on my ERA. Below is a picture.

chuckbrandt · #11 (**permalink**) 10-01-2003, 07:23 PM

Thanks Rick for the great picture. It looks great.

Chuck

cobrajeff · #12 (**permalink**) 10-16-2003, 10:40 AM

I sliced the inner and outer skins of my hood apart at the rear, and installed a thin sheet of aluminium between them. I ended up using a thinner sheet than I started with, the first one was too stiff, and wanted to take the natural "bow' out of the hood shape.

I also added aluminium to the back-sides of my front inner fenders, and inside the oil cooler scoop.

Another thing I did, to confuse those people with "busy fingers" at car shows, was to sand the underside of the front and rear wheel openings smooth. When someone reaches up there, they will not feel any 'glass cloth - only a smooth surface like painted aluminium. We also added a slight rolled lip to the bottom side (call me fanatical) of the fender flares to simulate how an aluminium fender is rolled over a wire frame.

I also glassed-in a 3/4" steel tube behind the dash where the "grab bar" goes on the passenger side, so I could through-bolt it into metal. Didn't want anybody to rip that baby off the dash while they are hangin' on for dear life....

regards,

Jeff

Metal-morphous · #13 (**permalink**) 10-30-2003, 02:50 PM

Hi Chuck, the aluminum process we do at Metal-Morphous, Inc. is real aluminum, I can plate just about any surface with 8-10 mils of real metals like aluminum, brass, bronze, nickel-silver copper and stainless steel. We plated Ricks's hood AFTER it was painted and if you look close you can see its seamless, the scoop is just polished out. It can be polished, steelwooled and polished back out again. We can create some great effects with differant finishing techniques. If you would like more info just give me a call at my shop. the # is 203 294-1314

Rick, thanks posting some great pictures of my work, your cobra looks awesome
Ron Randall