CELEBRATING 20 YEARS!

So it took 6 hours of adjusting and the hood shuts but it bows up about half an inch in the middle section. what do i do?

Take out your springs!!!

Are you using the factory springs? If you are that is the reason. You have to use the light springs or none at all.

X3

Dont wont to crack it either

I have a Glasstek .The same thing happened . The springs must be taken off . I spoke with the glasstek people and they said they were working on springs that would have just the right amount of lift without bowing the center for a Monte Carlo .

im with them remove the springs. i also had to throw mine in a vise and twist them in a little so the hood would suck its self down.

thanks guys, ill have to try taking the springs out tomorrow. Besides the bowing in the middle, is there any other problems i may encounter?

If you are not taking them out until tomorrow leave the hood up tonight. The longer the center is bowed the more it will start to "take" to the bow...get those springs out...not a long job, you should be back in the recliner within a half hour from what I remember.

Should take you longer to get your tools out than to get them off. Take a pair of vice grips and clamp onto them and pop them off. Use vice grips so that they cant get away from you.

Just took the springs off, drivers side seems to have improved alot. passenger side still up a little bit. any ideas for the passenger side? thank you for all your help you guys are the best!

You might aught to try setting something on the hood now to bow it back down. But any fiberglass part id going to need a little work to fit perfect.

You can adjust the front and the back a little below the fender to lower the middle .

21.95 low tension hood spring.

http://up22.com/monza75.htm#Parts%20Description%20for

i am going with hood pins to keep the front down. just a idea

After going thru all that with more than one car... I went with a steel hood this time around and am not looking back.

Especially since with FI the scoop is cosmetic for me anyhow.

Check out Summit or Jegs for lightweight hood springs.

Hi folks,

For me the real justification to do this is weight.

1.) My guess is that the OEM steel hood is in the vicinity of 45 lb. Can anyone confirm?

2.) Does anyone have a weight for a fiberglass hood that tends toward the heavier/thicker end of the typical spectrum of fiberglass hoods?

I've heard that the negatives for fiberglass hoods are:

3.) shape tends to have at times unpleasant deviations from OEM, and corrections can be difficult.
4.) fiberglass isn't very tolerant of lots of engine heat - the heat can allegedly deform the hood over time.

Having said all this, I wish GM had made an aluminum hood for our cars as it did for some of the B-bodies of this epoch.

But coming back to fiberglass, can anyone comment on the items I listed? Thx.

Best,
MAP

Well, I have had my fiberglass hood on my Monte since 99'. It is still holding it's shape fine and I didn't have to trim it at all to get a good fit. It went on just like my factory hood did. I think maybe 5 min worth of adjustment and it fit like a glove. I used the low tension springs for a while then took them off for a prop rod. I like the rod alot better. As for the weight mine is so light that a good wind will blow it closed on me with the light weight springs. I can lift my hood off the car and carry it around with ease. I think it weighs maybe 12 lbs.

Hello Map,

The bolt on fiber glass hood has a larger cowl @ 4 inches compared to 2. I believe that's why most buy it or at least that's why I did. The weight of the hood is a bit lighter VS the goodmark steel, my guess is about 15#. But the bolt on fiber glass is heavy compared to the pin on glass race hood with no inner structure( approx 17#). I've had every cowl hood made for a G body and would much prefer the good mark steel one over any fiber glass hood in terms of an quality fitment. But I believe a steel goodmark is still lighter than the factory GM piece.

Thanks 1slow and 406,

It sounds like both of you had good results regarding fit and finish and holding shape with the passage of time. May I ask who made your hoods? And if 45lb for the stock hood is about right, then a weight savings of 28-33lb is very impressive, and especially considering the location on the car.

But I hope others can chime-in here with their data as well...

Thanks,
MAP

i've used a few brands of hoods and glass parts over the years and the best i've seen so far would be from VFN. fit has always been spot on and they have held up nicely. their 4" bolt on runs in at 22 lbs and the pin on is like 13lbs. i shipped a flat steel hood to fla. some time back in was in at a tad over 48lbs.
http://www.vfnfiberglass.com/8188monte.htm
i also got a rear deck lid and front nose from them, very pleased i must say. mike

I got mine from don't shoot me nut UP22 back in 99. I know everyone says that they are junk. But, I didn't know anything about them and wasn't a member here yet. I got it and it wasn't that bad, maybe I got it before they started to cut corners. Even the delivery guy said it looked great for the price. My next hood will be from VFN and will be a 4" and probably get the trunk as well. Mine is mostly for the track anyways, and some cruising.

Hi Folks,

406 - thanks - but I think 11 years is ample time for materials, molds, and processes to change so that a good or bad experience with a particular company's part probably has little relevance in 2010.

Pazzo - VFN: interesting. Was 48lb measured with the hood alone (no packing materials, nor any attached hardware,) or was that the total shipping weight? If so, a 30lb (+/-) weight-savings is a mighty big one in my book. Did the VFN parts really look as good and as wave-free as the original steel?

Also, do VFN and Showcars/Bodyparts sell from the same OEM (their pictures certainly look the same,) or are they different?

Finally - and pardon my ignorance here when it comes to fiberglass - but if I get a flat hood, and later decide I need a hood scoop, is it easy to graft-in afterward? There seem to be many sources of these for the MC hood.

Thanks,
MAP

PS: Pazzo, please answer your PM's my friend LOL - Thx!

Hi Folks,

I just wanted to confirm that 48 lb for an OEM steel MC hood seems right. My notes show 43.5 lb for a bare 1978 Malibu hood, which is about four inches shorter.

Joey, did you ever fix the fitment between your hood and the rest of the car?

Best,
MAP

So far, the driver side is down and looks great. The passanger side is still sticking up about a 1/2 inch. I just ordered the new light weight hood springs so hopefully that will help also. Does anyone know where I can get the nose supports? I looked around but I couldnt find anything.

I ordered these springs http://up22.com/monza75.htm#Parts%20Description%20for but then they called me to let me know they are discontinued. anyone know another good brand?