Allan R

Thought I'd start a new thread on this. Seems like most of us would love to get our hands on a steel lined fibreglass W-25 hood c/w wire mesh below the air box for our 71 or 72 Cutlass. And pricing is definitely a factor. Problem has been that unless you have an OEM hood, only Thornton's was producing them, and in very limited quantity. I don't want the glass/glass hood either for 558.00 as I've heard there are issues with fitment and you need new lightweight springs and mesh screen (extra costs), + you can't install a T44 hood lock with it.

I asked a question in another thread about this and was informed that Parts Place now has a 71/72 Steel liner/Glass OAI Hood listed in their catalogue, and sure nuff it's there! Says to call for a price. Sent them an email instead, cause I like to have records of some things. Anyway, I asked what the price is, and if it's a pre-order (they seem to do a lot of that). Here's the email reply I got back:

SO, HERE"S WHAT I'M SUGGESTING THAT ALL OF YOU WHO WANT THE STEEL / GLASS HOOD DO (BTW, I'm not "shouting" - although I know that caps tend to suggest that on a pc)

If you want to check out the part: it's BP1153T in their online catalogue

Start sending the PP emails requesting the same thing I did. How much and when can I get it? If there's enough demand from the community they may ramp up production or development sooner than later. Tell them to put you on a waiting list. I personally think they're holding off on market entry because they only recently released their latest glass/glass hood and want to get some cost recovery. IMO it's worth a shot, especially if they can mass produce and get us parts at more affordable prices. What do you think?

Gary's 2 442-S

Allan
The Parts Place has been saying "Call for Pricing" at least the last couple of years. They always give reassurrance whenever you call and ask about the hood that they plan on getting them in and don't have a time frame when they would be in. I gave up inquiring about the hood from them and ordered my hood from Thornton's,which still took me a year to get. Maybe if the PP knew that there is a lot of people wanting to purchase one of those hoods, they just might get someone to reproduce them.

Allan R

That's exactly the reason I started this thread. Even if you've got an OAI hood (OEM or otherwise) start calling or emailing the PP to let them know the demand is there. I'm hoping we can force their hand in the development and distribution of steel/glass hoods. If they can produce and sell for 1000.00 or even close, I'm going to have one of the first ones out.

Look at this the same way you would to petition for change in your city, state, country......it needs to have voices to be heard; the more the better. Corporate America will respond if there's demand and money to be made.

w-30dreamin

I'll send an email or 2,I need a hood yesterday

dc2x4drvr

I saw th PP ramair hood at the OCA Bowling Green Nat's, and all I can say is you get what you pay for...

Allan R

I can appreciate what you're saying and why. PP does sell several OAI hoods. The latest one (glasstech) uses glass upper and glass bottom frame to simulate the metal liner, but needs special light weight springs. Those are the hoods I don't want. Fibreglass needs to be bonded to something rigid if it's going to keep it's shape, which is why I want to see their steel/glass hood moved into production. They have the 70 steel / glass hood and I have heard mostly good things about them, some minor fitment issues on the first ones, but that seems to have been resolved.

If the hood you saw as glass/glass it sold for aroud 558. 00 from PP, Tamraz or Year One. They all say in their promo not to expect the surfaces to be even - a common disclaimer when you're working only with fibreglass. For that kind of money, i would expect to get a pretty decent part, so if you saw one that looked like a wet dog, yes I would be leary too. Not everyone can cough up 2300.00 + for a Thornton or OEM hood. Even with one of those hoods, there's going to be a little unevenness on the hood that a good bodyman could make perfect with the right amount of time spent. But even factory OAI hoods weren't 100% smooth, which is why I'm not worried about perfection.

Right now my toy car budget is shot for awhile so if I can get the ball rolling for an economical but good steel/glass hood, all the help in the world is appreciated. By the time I have some more play money, maybe PP will have rethought its strategy and moved the steel / glass hood forward. In the meantime, my steel hood was born on my car and looks like it just came out of the factory.

At least the effort to produce OAI hoods appears to have been noticed by the industry, but not to the full potential. Maybe they figure at this time that most of us just want it to reduce weight on the car. They don't realize there's a huge market just waiting for the right hood to come along - IMHO. For what it's worth, please send them an email to further the cause. Thx!

dc2x4drvr

The hood I looked at was the glass/metal version.

Allan R

Really? They say they haven't even started production yet. The new glasstech hood looks remarkably like a glass/steel hood until you get within 2 feet of it. You can't tell the difference from the top. The giveaway is the underside where the normal hood latch is; there's no cutout for the latch because there's no metal structure to hold it. I'd be very interested if you have pictures or can remember who had this hood.

Just so everyone can see the point of this post, I'm attaching 2 pics: The OEM or Thornton hood (glass over steel) and the glasstech (glass over glass).

Glasstech (a very good looking top)
glasstechtop.jpg?t=1265493984

Thornton and OEM Top (identical look, only with finishing touches)

442_Hood.jpg?t=1265494041


Glasstech - bottom (notice lack of screening, no hood latch opening and collapsed center frame. Lack of detail in cowl area. A lot of effort would have gone into trying to re-create the steel liner look)

glasstechbottom.jpg?t=1265494252

Thornton & OEM Steel liner - note mesh screening, hood latch opening and steel liner perforations, consistent elevations for steel frame liner, and cowl area details

442_Under_Hood.jpg?t=1265494320

dc2x4drvr

The hood I looked at was at the PP space, and I know the difference between a metal or fiberglass liner...BTW, PP was selling the metal/glass version until they ran out of inventory...

Allan R

Ok, no offense intended. The only one that I knew they were producing as a steel/glass hood was for the 1970.

Allan R

I've been bugging PP for a while now about these glass/steel hoods. Rather than just phone them, I've been keeping a "e-trail" with emails. It turns out that PP did have some glass/steel hoods produced, but ran out. I encourage any and all of you who are looking for a steel/glass hood for your 71/72 Cutlass to call in or email them. The more direct interest they see or hear, the more likely they can put this back into the production mix.

Here's some interesting reading for all of you. Keep on phoning or emailing them cause it looks like this is starting to have some effect. Here's the last 2 emails to and from PP (remember you have to go from the bottom to the top to get the sequence right on email history):


Hello,
I understand. I will talk to my manager on this today. I wish they would hurry up and get them available. I get calls several times a week myself.
Have a nice weekend.
Thanks

The Parts Place
630-365-1800


----- Original Message -----
From: "The Parts Place, Inc." <sales@thepartsplaceinc.com>
To: "Allan R"
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 8:56 AM
Subject: RE: The Parts Place, Inc. Contact Form = Sales Inquiry


Hello,
Sorry those are still not available and I am unaware of anybody having them. The only ones we have are the 70 steel framed hoods. The reason we have them listed with Call is because they used to be available and we did not think it would be this long before they became available again.
Thanks

The Parts Place
630-365-1800
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "The Parts Place, Inc." <sales@thepartsplaceinc.com>
> To: "Allan R"
> Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 8:30 AM
> Subject: RE: The Parts Place, Inc. Contact Form = Sales Inquiry
>
>
Hello Al,
Unfortunately we still have no date on when those will be available. I wish I could tell you something but I have not heard anything for quite some time on those. I assume they will be close to the same price at the 1970 hoods for $729 but I am not positive. We are not taking preorders on them yet.
Sorry

Thanks
The Parts Place
630-365-1800