Completely reworking the hood

[shrunken66stroker]

I did a photo chop of what it would look like to have the hood opening smaller and relocated to the top. I've always wanted to weld the cowl ends to the hood to get rid of that body line and this would be one way to make it look good, I think. I made the body lines a little dark so you could tell where they are. Thanks for the pic Dino. What do you guys think?

[Blue666]

The photoshop looks good to me. If you addded a duct underneath you could use a modern air box or make it a ram air effect hood for a carb engine. Also be able to ditch those heavy hinges & springs.

[aerotruk63]

It doesn't look wrong, your very talented.
I do however, like the convenience of the original, for working in the engine compartment. But how much time to you spend working on the engine.

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by aerotruk63

It doesn't look wrong, your very talented.
I do however, like the convenience of the original, for working in the engine compartment. But how much time to you spend working on the engine.

That's one of the things I really like about these trucks. I'd often need a stool to work on my 81, and I'm 5'-11"
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[Slammed50]

It would be cool to make it a one piece front end to get rid of the front seam.
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[61TWUK]

I like the idea... havent seen that before but i do agree with the idea of making the ram air in the front..

[61_FL_Apache]

Originally Posted by 61TWUK

I like the idea... havent seen that before but i do agree with the idea of making the ram air in the front..

The only issue I see is the radiator may be in the way, but love the idea!!

[shrunken66stroker]

Originally Posted by 61_FL_Apache

The only issue I see is the radiator may be in the way, but love the idea!!

For ram air induction you'd have to run a duct over the radiator and support in the front. It would end up looking like the aftermarket vette or camaro cold air intakes.
I figure the mod will take me about 3-4 days to get the way I want, but I haven't decided weather or not to do it yet. I'll keep photochopping for now. Thanks for the input guys.

[gostranger]

awesome idea i think a guy from the west coast who had the yellow and white 63 then painted black did something very similar it is bagged and body dropped i think he split the hood at that main seem i will see if i can find a picture

[suzq044]

Originally Posted by shrunken66stroker

I did a photo chop of what it would look like to have the hood opening smaller and relocated to the top. I've always wanted to weld the cowl ends to the hood to get rid of that body line and this would be one way to make it look good, I think. I made the body lines a little dark so you could tell where they are. Thanks for the pic Dino. What do you guys think?

I like it; but what if you made/left that front section as part of the hood? Essentially having the hood open at the grille opening.
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[shrunken66stroker]

Originally Posted by suzq044

I like it; but what if you made/left that front section as part of the hood? Essentially having the hood open at the grille opening.
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Not a bad idea.

[gimmy 64]

i like the 2nd. one better.

[tommys66]

Originally Posted by shrunken66stroker

Not a bad idea.

the second one for sure

[chevyrestoguy]

Originally Posted by shrunken66stroker

Not a bad idea.

I agree with suzq044. The look is a little cleaner, and a bit less work. Plus, you can still use the factory latch. I really like the idea of welding the sides of the hood and fender together as one unit. It'll serve a few purposes: One, it'll make the body line look consistent all the way down the side of the truck. Two, it will solve the hassle of inner wheel wells. In stock configuration with a large diameter wheel, the tire hangs way outside the top of the fender and it's nearly impossible to make a inner fender and still have the hood open and close. I like my stuff slammed, but I do not like the look of an engine compartment with no inner fenders. It looks unfinished and makes a mess of the engine by all the water and mud slinging off of the tires.

With this hood mod on a truck with a darker color, you'll have folks scratching their heads trying to figure out what's different. Perfect!!

[suzq044]

Keeps the body lines cleaner. Good work, now you just need a 3d printer. Lol.. wouldn't that make Modding easier for photoshoppers like ourselves? Lol
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[aerotruk63]

#1 innovative
#2 cleaner lines
#3 turn signals in the headlight, when you activate the turn signal, the headlight turns off in the new cars. Take advantage of the housing and mount a turn signal light in the same housing. Cabovers had the turn signal lights beside the headlight for years. Block off the existing turn signal openings as well as the air inlets. Medium duty and heavy duty trucks of our era had an opening behind the headlight with air ducts to the carb.

[suzq044]

Originally Posted by aerotruk63

#1 innovative
#2 cleaner lines
#3 turn signals in the headlight, when you activate the turn signal, the headlight turns off in the new cars. Take advantage of the housing and mount a turn signal light in the same housing. Cabovers had the turn signal lights beside the headlight for years. Block off the existing turn signal openings as well as the air inlets. Medium duty and heavy duty trucks of our era had an opening behind the headlight with air ducts to the carb.

I'm pretty sure it's just DRL lights that turn off during signal use, not the actual headlight. A lot of people just use them as driving lights, they're actually high beams at lower power, so they think they're automatic headlights. (at least newer ones are LED-based.. well, in the higher-end market anyways)

[Frizzle Fry]

Weld the cowl extensions and cowl panel to the hood and make it tilt forward. That's my plan on the 61.
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[shrunken66stroker]

It seems like I've been thinking about it for at least a year, Frizzle. It's a monster to try and flip forward. There's no flip kit available like there is for other years, so it would be a fab job. Don't forget gussets on the mounts.

[Scot_Douglas]

Originally Posted by shrunken66stroker

It seems like I've been thinking about it for at least a year, Frizzle. It's a monster to try and flip forward. There's no flip kit available like there is for other years, so it would be a fab job. Don't forget gussets on the mounts.

Flip the setup you have in #2 photoshop.

Look to a saab 900 for inspiration:

[aerotruk63]

Thank You suzq044, I'm not really up on the technology of the new lights. I found out about them cause I stopped a guy in traffic to tell him that his headlight just burned out and he explained how the new system worked. It makes sense to dim the headlight so oncoming traffic can better view your intention to turn without going to a stronger turn signal light.

[fryer1979]

I like how the photoshop concept looks, and it would be cool to see either version actually built. I really like the way molding the sides of the hood to the fenders really seems to clean up the appearance of the truck.

[suzq044]

The flip forward is great; until you actually want to work on the truck, i have heard.

[forestb]

I hate to be the odd man out. Or maybe I don't? But I am not a fan. I think it makes it look too much like an s10 or something out of mini trucking. Not to say there is anything wrong with that. I just think it takes away from the classic body lines and makes it too modern looking.

[awbrown]

I have to say that one of the things i like best about these trucks is I do like the lower fender and I can work on it with out climbing up on it .. so I guess if I were to do something different with my hood I might make it hinge in the middle and fold up on both sides .... ah but that would be work and I am , well you know .....