W30 Hood repair

[rallye350]

hi!

I was wondering if anyone has had any positive experience having their OAI hood repaired? If so, could you please tell me who did the work for you?

The hood on my Rallye 350 needs to be repaired. Metal structure in the front nose area is all rusted out. There is also some damage to one of the fiberglass hood scoops. I thought I would just "make do" with a PartsPlace replacement but after receiving the repop hood today, I'm going to try and see if I can get my original hood repaired.

So, if you have (on know of someone who has) had a W30 hood repaired, please reply here or PM me.

thank you !

ps.. If anyone is considering selling a 70 OAI hood, PM me !!

[jensenracing77]

if your metal frame is rusted real bad, i was told and hoping someone can confirm this. that you can cut the frame from under a standard hood and have it glued to the fiberglass top. i have not looked but i think the frame is the same just have to cut the sides a little because the frame on the OAI is narrower. of course you will have to destroy a good standard hood.

like i said i hope someone can confirm this. i have one of each hood and will look next time i am at my parents house.

[2blu442]

Several years ago I got into this kind of repair, then got sidetracked and onto a different project so it's still in the corner of the garage.

I removed the skin from a standard hood frame. It looks to me like the frame needs to trimmed on the sides an inch or two. Then the most complicated task will be making the dimple for the hood locks. It looks like a person could heat the area and used a press to make it look factory. Mine is rusty on the nose but sound where the hood pins are, so I may cut those dimples out and weld them on the standard frame.

I don't know if I have any pictures of it, but when I separated the air box from the hood I found a cartoon character drawn on the inside of the box! Some aspiring artist was having fun on the assembly line!

[joe_padavano]

The frames from the steel hoods are unfortunately not the same as those under the W-25 hoods. It's not just the width. The stampings are actually different.

[2blu442]

Rats! I had not compared the two frames close enough to pick up on that. I'll have to see if I can cut out and weld enough of the rust with good metal to feel confident it will all hold together at highway speed. John

[rallye350]

my buddy looked at all the spot welds around the bottom of the steel frame on the regular 70 hood I have and said he was not into trying to drill out every one to adapt the front nose section! I can't blame him either! That is why I hope I can get Thorton to sell just a steel frame?! I was told that if I wanted to order a repro from them, would be 6 to 8 weeks! Shite! i want to be on the road in less than 4 weeks !! It's killing me not having my ride the last month! If I don't have it back before the end of June, I won't be responsible for my actions !

cheers!