Hood Smoothing - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

50Bow-tied GMC · 10-28-2008, 06:33 PM

Any ideas on the best way to smooth out the center strip on a 48-53 hood?

**mr48chev** · 10-29-2008, 12:28 AM

It would have to be welded along the seam first but it will be a pain to keep it from cracking out sometime down the road if you drive it a lot.

I've seen a few of them done and to me it looks like a lot of blank space if it is flat. I have also seen a couple of then that had the hood "peaked" and that looks pretty nice but I don't know how they go about it.

mobileortho · 10-29-2008, 11:49 AM

I looked into it over the summer. The guy I spoke with said that it actually has to be reinforced underneath to keep it from cracking. He was going to charge me $400 to do it.

mylow53 · 10-29-2008, 12:26 PM

we reinforced the top adding a ridge using some round stock. the filler smoothing wasn't easy but i like the look
GT

drummin89 · 10-29-2008, 12:49 PM

^that is really cool, I like the look of that. It gives it a modern GM truck look.

I'm planning on smoothing the hood on my 52 as well. I did not think about having to reinforce the underneath, I will have to look at how to do that.

mobileortho · 10-29-2008, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mylow53

we reinforced the top adding a ridge using some round stock. the filler smoothing wasn't easy but i like the look
GT

That's a good looking hood. Love the color!!

drummin89 · 10-29-2008, 06:10 PM

would you also be able to use a piece of angle iron (like this ^) and roll it so it matches the contour of the hood and weld it in?

I still think this is more than I would like to try, the metal seems thin on these hoods and looks like if you don't fully know what you are doing, you would be burning through easily. I just need to practice my welding skills and get gas from my welder before I try welding on my hood.

Houston54 · 10-29-2008, 10:44 PM

I tried to smooth one of the hoods I have by tacking the seam about every 4 inches and then tacking in a strip of metal to fill the void. Once these were ground flat I used filler to finish it off. It gave the hood a very sanitary look which I did not really care for after awhile. Before I went to paint I noticed the were small cracks showing in the filler evidently from the stresses of opening and closing the hood.

The round bar approach is similar and gives you a neat look. If you attempt either method be VERY careful when welding toward the back of the hood as any heat build up WILL cause warping which is a chore to resolve correctly.

The angle iron method I would not attempt.

I went with the stock center molding on my final hood but am splicing in the side louvers from a 1936 Chevy coupe.

10-28-2008, 06:33 PM	#1
50Bow-tied GMC Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Greenville, OH Posts: 27	Hood Smoothing Any ideas on the best way to smooth out the center strip on a 48-53 hood?

10-29-2008, 12:28 AM	#2
mr48chev Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toppenish, WA Posts: 15,711	Re: Hood Smoothing It would have to be welded along the seam first but it will be a pain to keep it from cracking out sometime down the road if you drive it a lot. I've seen a few of them done and to me it looks like a lot of blank space if it is flat. I have also seen a couple of then that had the hood "peaked" and that looks pretty nice but I don't know how they go about it.

10-29-2008, 11:49 AM	#3
mobileortho Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Hampton, VA Posts: 904	Re: Hood Smoothing I looked into it over the summer. The guy I spoke with said that it actually has to be reinforced underneath to keep it from cracking. He was going to charge me $400 to do it. __________________ Robert C. 1950 3600 3600 re-do, shortening it up If it's true what they say, "You learn from your mistakes," I'm a Genius in the making.

10-29-2008, 12:26 PM	#4
mylow53 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: thousand oaks, California Posts: 732	Re: Hood Smoothing we reinforced the top adding a ridge using some round stock. the filler smoothing wasn't easy but i like the look GT Attached Images __________________ Greg 1953 chevy 1/2 ton 5 window, chevy 350 330 horse 700r tranz, lowering spindels mustang 2 frount. ford 9", airbags on 4 corners . purchased in 1983 for $325 while in high school http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=215079&page=5

10-29-2008, 12:49 PM	#5
drummin89 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Wapwallopen Pa Posts: 412	Re: Hood Smoothing ^that is really cool, I like the look of that. It gives it a modern GM truck look. I'm planning on smoothing the hood on my 52 as well. I did not think about having to reinforce the underneath, I will have to look at how to do that. __________________ Chris 52 Chevy 3600 (3/4 ton) 5 window pickup -54 235 Inline 6 w/ Fuel Injection Conversion -Clifford 2/4bbl Aluminum Intake and Headers -1/2 ton front axle swap w/ 5lug disc brake kit -CPP Power Steering Kit Various pictures of my 52 Chevy 3600

10-29-2008, 06:10 PM	#7
drummin89 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Wapwallopen Pa Posts: 412	Re: Hood Smoothing would you also be able to use a piece of angle iron (like this ^) and roll it so it matches the contour of the hood and weld it in? I still think this is more than I would like to try, the metal seems thin on these hoods and looks like if you don't fully know what you are doing, you would be burning through easily. I just need to practice my welding skills and get gas from my welder before I try welding on my hood. __________________ Chris 52 Chevy 3600 (3/4 ton) 5 window pickup -54 235 Inline 6 w/ Fuel Injection Conversion -Clifford 2/4bbl Aluminum Intake and Headers -1/2 ton front axle swap w/ 5lug disc brake kit -CPP Power Steering Kit Various pictures of my 52 Chevy 3600 Last edited by drummin89; 10-29-2008 at 06:12 PM.

10-29-2008, 10:44 PM	#8
Houston54 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: location Posts: 527	Re: Hood Smoothing I tried to smooth one of the hoods I have by tacking the seam about every 4 inches and then tacking in a strip of metal to fill the void. Once these were ground flat I used filler to finish it off. It gave the hood a very sanitary look which I did not really care for after awhile. Before I went to paint I noticed the were small cracks showing in the filler evidently from the stresses of opening and closing the hood. The round bar approach is similar and gives you a neat look. If you attempt either method be VERY careful when welding toward the back of the hood as any heat build up WILL cause warping which is a chore to resolve correctly. The angle iron method I would not attempt. I went with the stock center molding on my final hood but am splicing in the side louvers from a 1936 Chevy coupe.



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