Phoenix8990

I have a 69 Cutlass S with a lot of hood rust and am looking to replace it before I have the car painted. I located a hood from a 70 Cutlass but can't quite tell in the pictures if they are different. The 70 has a trim strip down the center it appears. And looks flatter across the center. I just can't quite tell and hate to drive 1 1/2 hours to find out. Anyone sure about this?

Steve

joe_padavano

1970 hoods can be made to fit a 69, but the latch mechanism is completely different. You would need to change out the latch on the core support. Note that the "double hump" and the flat hoods were offered in both 1969 and 1970. The flat hoods were used on F-85s, Supremes, four doors, and wagons.

twilightblue28A

Joe,

Also the flat hoods came with vents or ventless depending on whether or not the cars were air contained or non air conditioned cars.

joe_padavano

I'm afraid you are thinking of the 1972 model year. For 1968, 1969, 1970, and 1971 there were only two P/Ns for the metal hoods each year.

1968 P/N 398409 is the flat hood
1968 P/N 398496 is the domed hood with the chrome louvers

1969 P/N 401758 is the flat hood
1969 P/N 401759 is the double hump hood

1970 P/N 404555 is the flat hood
1970 P/N 404556 is the double hump hood

1971 P/N 407257 is the hood without chrome louvers
1971 P/N 407256 is the hood with chrome louvers

twilightblue28A

Joe,

I have the 1970 flat hood (not the W-25) with vents. I used the flat hood in order to drop my car to race in a different class. It was not considered a W30 because I put the flat hood on the car.

twilightblue28A

This is the 1970 442 hood with the vents.
The stripes were

This is the front of the hood, twilightblue. The hood has no rust or corrosion. I had it in my loft for close to 49 years.
added.I know that it is dirty. I didn't wipe the dust off in advance of the photograph.

twilightblue28A

joe_padavano

The blue hood in your photos is the "double hump" hood used on the Cutlass S and 442 models for 1969 and 1970. it is not "flat". For 1970 that is P/N 404556 that I listed above. This gold car has the same double hump hood. Note the chrome grills at the base of the windshield.




The flat hood used on the Supremes, F-85s, four doors and wagons (P/N 404555) looks like the photo below. Note that it has punched vents at the base of the windshield, not the chrome ones. Note also that this flat hood does not have the dip in the center the way yours does.

Phoenix8990

Thanks for all the info. I have the double hump with vents in the back. My car is in the body shop and their stripping it. I should know today if they think I should reuse the hood or not. At least I know the differences.

Steve

twilightblue28A

Joe,
I learned that a 442 hood is different from the Cutlass. I also thought that you were referring to a double hump hood as a way to distinguish the double hump from the W-25, which also has double humps.

I'm clear. My car was delivered with the W30 option. This gave me the W25 hood from the factory. When I raced, I removed the W25 hood to drop down one NHRA class and installed my "double hump" hood to lower my NHRA Class. Although the double hump hood is flat compared to W25 hood, the double hump is not as flat, and without humps as the truly flat hood.
I understand. Thanks for your photograph.
FYI: I was running the same E.T's and MPH with the double hump and without the air cleaner, as I did with my factory W25 hood.
I think much was marketing. The car was always a W30 regardless of the hood.
You rarely see '70 442's today with the double hump hood. Most have the W25 hood and W30 badges. In fact, isee more W30's today than I did almost fifty (50) years ago.

joe_padavano

Well, I made sure to say that I was specifically talking about metal hoods in Post #4.

And the 2dr Cutlass S got exactly the same hood as the 442. The only difference was that the 442 hood was pierced for the Oldsmobile script at the front left and the Cutlass S hood was not. The sheet metal panel was otherwise identical. The parts book only listed the panel without the holes for the script. You needed to drill them to use it on a 442. Also note that while the F-85 2dr cars got the flat hood, in 1969 if you ordered an F-85 W-31, you got the double hump hood and the paint stripes. This is documented in the assembly manual. And yes, a certain bright green 1969 W-31 has a flat hood. Draw your own conclusions.