Who Makes the Best Hoods?

[johnd]

I am coming to the realazation that since I am going to switch my engine from a basically stock engine to a 400 hp sallee chev engine I will have to get a taller hood for clearence issues...I am thinking I will just go with the high rise hood but I may go with the l-88 hood, What I was wondering if who makes the best hoods? I am planning on buying it within the next month or two before my car goes in for paint. So let me know what you know ...

Thanks,
John Dykstra

 

[Robin7TFour]

john i have a hi-rise from eckler's. i can say the quality is very good. it's very study and has the appropriate fastner holes underneath.
i would recommend that hood



robin

 

[jon79flavette]

john, don't rule out keeping the factory hood, and puting a scoop on it if you know a good glass guy, I don't think you can beat the GM hoods, I am running a 750 d.p. hi-rise super victor, and large 13" oval cleaner with my 'mini" l-88 glassed in scoop.

 

[paintdaddy]

I buy quite a bit of fiberglass and the two main manufacturers are Vanacors and ecklers.The Ecklers glass is more expensive but is alot better quality and the vanacors glass is usually cheaper but usually doesnt fit or is rough around the edges.

 

[Robin7TFour]

paintdaddy, do you run a body shop?


robin

 

[jon79flavette]

hood scoop

mini l-88

 

[johnd]

jon79flavette: I think I have asked you before but what is that color....custom??

I might just look into that I go to college for autobody but I am still relatively new to the whole game I may talk to my teacher about glassing in a l88 scoop.

Thanks.
John D.

 

[paintdaddy]

paintdaddy, do you run a body shop?

I run a small restoration shop during the day and paint commercial aircraft at night.

 

[corvetjerryd]

Hey Johnd
I just put an L-88 hood on my 73 and I got mine from vanacors.
They have a 10% off sale going on right now so I saved about $200 on the total price as compared to ecklers and others. BUT.... I have noticed it don't fit just perfect.... the finish is good and they got it here fast, BUT....It don't fit like my stock hood. But I still like the looks of it.....

 

[SHADY80]

new hood

I just bought a new hood for the vette,(i got the LT-1 big block hood);from VANACORS, and it was "dead nuts" ;it fits like a glove,no rough edges no waves,and it painted (black) perfect;and the people there were extra helpful,Would buy there again in a heartbeat;and best of all,it was at least 150.oo cheaper than Ecklers. JUST MY 2CENTS,glad to HELP.

 

[Robin7TFour]

John ,did you get my email with the hood pictures?

robin :CRASH

 

[vett79]

Anybody seen or tried this hood on ebay? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2439740348&category=33646&sspagename=rvi:1:1

 

[corvetjerryd]

Oh yea the Lady from Vanacors was very helpfull,she even arranged shipping with a local trucking company so it would be more conveinent for me. The only part that I thought could have been better was the way the hood turned down on the corners back by the windshield and it doesn't match with the backedges of the front fenders.But I think I can work with it.
vanacorvette.com/
Here is a pic. of it, I'm in the process of a repaint so excuse the way the car looks ,but this should give you an Idea.

 

[Macgyver]

Im wanting to do the L-88 hood as well when I do the paint in the near future. I was surfing around and ran into this site
http://www.showcars-bodyparts.com/corvette.html

Dont know anything about them except what I see on the page. maybe someone has had experience w/them. But that price 295pn/395blt!! Now that seems like a deal to me! They might be junk for all I know though. whats the diff between a bolt on and a pin on, the way they secure on, bolt or pin. What s the advantage to either?

 

[paintdaddy]

Those parts all come from vanacors.If you look at the vanacor website,youll notice alot of the same pictures.The products arent horribly bad ,they just need to be massaged to fit right and look good.

 

[dbettner]

I put a hise rise Edelbrock intake with one inch spacer and dual feed Holly 750 double pumper with a 3 inch K&N air filter .
I used a Ecklers high rise hood that fit great with minor hinge and latch adjustments.
With this hood I still have 1 1/2 inches of clearance at the front of the air cleaner and even more at the rear.

 

[Mike Carter]

I think GM makes the best hoods, unless you really go wild, also you have to make a consideration of long or short, me, I think it's cool when my wiper door opens. 2 cents.

Mike

 

[johnd]

ok I am going to be really stupid here a second gm as in general motors? makes hoods for our cars? I only know the the two manufactures for our vettes and gm isn't in that one...

Thanks,
John Dykstra

 

[Mike Carter]

John,

I think the original hoods were best, lot of big block hoods still out there, plus a good number of standard hoods that can be modified.

Mike

 

[johnd]

oh got ya I wasn't quite thinking there