oletrux

I've asked this question in the Vista Cruiser section with no response, so maybe one of you will be able to answer it.........if I'm out of line or totally off-topic, I apologize.
How are the Glasstec OAI hoods? Functional air box built in? Sturdy? Other recommendations?
Thanks.

2blu442

I added the brand your inquiring about to your title. Hope this helps!

oletrux

Thank you.

oletrux

Well, no dice here either. Maybe I should shower.

70Post

I've had experience with 2 Glasstech hoods. Each is now many years old and both are still on the cars they were installed on.

Overall - not that great in terms of fit but from the outside I guess they are a lower cost way to achieve "the look" of an OAI hood. Yes, the air box is functional and will mate up to a flapper top/foam seal setup.

THE BAD:

>Bad fit/match along the sides that parallel the fender openings.....not as much of a gap problem as an height match problem

>Terrible fit at the back on top of the cowl - the underside glass structure hits on the top of the firewall which prevents it from sitting down correctly along the back. This is with NO cowl seal in place - so it's not the cowl seal causing interference. We tried shaving down one underside but gave up. Hood sits high in the back

>Back edge of hood is terrible....WAY TOO THICK to even think of getting the factory stainless trim strip installed. The lip would need to be thinned down quite a bit

>Underside - can't run a hood lock so you'll be relying on the chrome "hood pins" which doesn't lend confidence to hood retention (although neither car has ever had the hood come loose at the front). The square hole area on the hood underside is just fiberglass.....so it would crack and break if you tried to use the factory hood lock. I guess you could fashion and attach some sort of steel plate to catch the hood lock but haven't tried that.

>Also on the underside - one of the cars I mention still has the "wire rod" hood "spring" on top of the core support. This is what makes the hood "pop up" when you pull the hood lock handle. On this car the fiberglass is severely pushed up/distorted from being pressed down against this spring.....probably something the guy could have solved with another steel plate installed to spread out the load.

>On one the the cars there is an odd looking "ridge" in the fiberglass hood surface, running front to back along the outside of the D side scoop. Can't tell if the thing is cracking along there or just distorting with time.

>There are other "defects" with the hood but I can't recall all of them right now. I do remember having to pop rivet the underside glass around the air box/scoop area as that was coming unglued and separating on one of the hoods.

>I also want to say that on one hood one scoop seemed to be sagging down a bit along the opening.

I will be seeing one of the cars this weekend that is running this hood....I'll look it over again and see if I missed anything.

For a bit more money there is steel/glass hood sold by The Parts Place (in Illinois).....don't have any first hand experience with that hood but might be worth considering.

Greg Rogers

I agree with Patton. My hood was installed by a body shop after I hit a deer and the insurance paid for the Glasstec hood. So I don't know how much hassle it was to get the rear trim on as the body shop did it. It has been on there for prolly 20 years and still looks good but the rear fit is bad and as Patton said you cant use the rubber seal in the rear or the hood will be even higher up. I too only use the hood pin latches, which still scares me.... I saw a car at a show where the guy attached the front part of a steel bottom layer from a stock steel hood to the glasstec to use the original style latch. I am going to try that someday, maybe... as I still have the bent old hood that was damaged with the Bambi encounter. Overall I am happy with it. I do think they look especially great on a wagon!

oletrux

Thanks guys. I appreciate the first-hand knowledge.

stevengerard

One of my Cutlass' has had this hood on for at least 20 years as well. From 10 feet away it looks fine 20 feet it looks great. Comments above are right on. I would just add that my two original hoods on my W30s do not fit perfectly either so for the price of a glasstesk you are getting an awesome look for cheap.