G-Body Aluminum Hood
March 12th, 2018, 06:33 PM
#1
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: So. Ca.
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G-Body Aluminum Hood
It's been awhile but I remember seeing factory aluminum hoods for sale on ebay. They were for mid 80's cutlass/442 models. Is this a rare item and were they installed only certain models?
March 13th, 2018, 05:33 AM
#4
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No rhyme or reason, some got them, some didn't. I have an aluminum hood on my blue 79 Calais, but a metal one on My 79 Hurst Olds and a metal one on my black/silver 79 Cutlass Supreme Brougham. The Calais and the Brougham were both Framingham cars, the Hurst Olds was a Michigan car. Also, the hood springs were different. If you try to use an alum hood with hood springs from a metal hood car the result the first time you close the hood probably won't be too nice.......
Same thing with the bumper reinforcement bars. Some got alum, some got metal
Same thing with the bumper reinforcement bars. Some got alum, some got metal
March 13th, 2018, 06:59 AM
#5
Old(s) Fart
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern VA
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As noted, Olds experimented with lightweight body parts in the 1980s. Installation was random as these were just test cases for real world experience, though many of the lightweight parts were used on diesel cars to offset the diesel weight. In addition to the hoods, there were also aluminum core supports on G-body cars and fiberglass tailgates on B-body wagons.
March 14th, 2018, 09:56 AM
#7
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Mustang, OK
Posts: 97
That's really ironic. Back in the early 60s, alum body parts were strictly racing parts. Chev, Pont, Ford, Ply, Dodge had "light weight" cars that were specifically directed toward bonafide drag racers. The 1963 Chevy was a 2dr Impala (NOT an SS) with the RPOZ11 pkg, which included EVERYTHING forward of the firewall was alum, including the front/rear bumpers and bumper braces. I ONLY came with a 427 (which was a stroked 409) with 2x4 carbs and a cowl plenum air cleaner, 4sp, 4.11 posi. No heater, no radio HD brakes.
Mopar and Ford cars were basically the same.
Mopar and Ford cars were basically the same.
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