Guys I'm looking to install an OAI hood (aftermarket) on my 1970 Cutlass Supreme, will this just bolt on? or is there something different on the 442 that I should be aware of? e.g.. rad core support?


Thanks

 

The only thing you really need to worry about besides fitting it to the car (aftermarket hoods are notorious for not fitting properly) are the hood springs. The ones for the steel hood are too strong for even the OAI hood with the steel frame.

 

And yet page 128 of section 11 of the assembly manual calls out the exact same 403900 spring for all A-bodies, regardless of hood.

But, yes, if the OP chooses an all fiberglass aftermarket hood, he will need lighter springs.

 

I was unaware of that. Everything I have ever seen has said they were lighter in tension.

 

I've had an all fiberglass repop OAI on my car for 15 years w/ OE springs & no problem. I originally tried the light springs, after lubing my hinges they would not hold the hood up. It is my guess that those lightweight springs might work on a lightweight (pin on) hood if it had some provision to accept hinges.

Just to confuse the issue somewhat- I am aware of a guy w/ late model Mustang that put a rather high quality aftermarket all fiberglass hood on his car. It came w/ a gas charged spring kit. After about 2 years it warped the bejesus out of the hood from the tension when closed combined w/ heat on sunny days.

May be apples to oranges but the theme is something to be considered.

 

Lightweight hood springs for sale cheap - used once.

 

^^^lol!

 

Thanks guys for the information, didn't want to purchase something without all the facts.


Cheers

 

see what the hood manufacturer says...OEM and aftermarket are 2 diff animals...

metal frame or not...see what the guys making the hood say...

 

That's one of those rumors that just one die. Like headers on a Supreme. Or solid main web 403s. Rumor probably started by Mondello.

I don't have the numbers, but the OAI hood weighs pretty much the same as a steel hood. Think about it: they have similar (same?) frames, there's two layers of fiberglass in some areas where the other has only one layer of steel, and the fiberglass is thicker than steel.