TCracingCA

Been a long time since I have seen one! I thought they were pretty cool back in the day, if you have a good looking engine! I found an old advertisement for them!

MaineDoc

I never saw one on a Corvette but I remember them on Fords, maybe the 54, as well as on early 50's Oldsmobile. I think this was a stunt to show off the new OHV engine to the public.

wmf62

Bill

gbvette62

There was a company called Sho-Um, that was making clear Plexiglas hoods for all kinds of cars, but their website's shut down, so I guess they are too?

Besides the 50 Olds and 54 Ford clear hoods, Chevrolet made a run of clear hoods for the Corvair around 60-61. The purpose was to show off the Corvair's unique flat 6, at new car shows, dealerships and the travelling displays that Chevy ran in the early 60's. Chevrolet must have made a ton of them, because I've seen quite a few over the years. Here's a 64 Corvair 500, with a clear hood installed on it.

provette67

Years ago I saw one on a car at the old Cypress Garden Winter Regional. I have never seen another one. But that one looked really cool

cv67

There are companies that can mold them out of polycarbonate for you if thats what youre looking for.

TCracingCA

But they would mold them with a color tint! So if you had a green Corvette, you could get a green see through hood, blue, red, etc.. The one I kind of liked was a smoke tint 65/66 big block one!

sub006

Sounds like just what that C1 with '65 Riviera hidden headlights could use to add bling!

I vote for purple tint!

ChattanoogaJSB

The corvair hood is cool!

As for me...I can't imagine having a clean enough engine compartment to WANT anyone to see through it!

TCracingCA

We were going to say something to you about that!! Like an intervention!!!!

Cruzmeisters

I have one on my '50 OLDS "88"...gets a LOT of attention in spite of being a 4-door sedan. "Scooter" did a 2-page article - with pictures - about it in issue #910 of Auto Round-Up magazine (magazine features vehicles and parts "for sale"/"wanted" plus articles by a few automotive writers).

Cruz

JohnZ

GM had three made as part of the 1975 Cosworth-Vega marketing program; I think only one has survived.

gbvette62

I had forgotten all about the Cosworth Vega hoods. I remember seeing one at the new car show in New York City, around 1975.

Back in 74, when Chevrolet announced the Cosworth Vega, I ordered one. After waiting many months for it to come in, I got a call from the dealer, saying that Chevrolet wasn't going to be building any. From what I recall, Chevrolet had a hard time getting the engine through the Federal emission process, and by the time they did get it approved, GM was already into the 74 build out period. I ended up buying a new Trans-Am instead.

Around the end of 74, the dealer called and said that they'd gotten word that the Cosworth was going to be built, and I could have the first one they got. When it came in, I did go look at it and drive it. As Vegas go, it was a neat little car, but the Federal emission process had robbed it of about 30 percent of the horsepower that they originally had anticipated for it. I passed on the Cosworth, and kept the Trans-Am instead. I still have all of the dealer paperwork, promo material, and order forms, for "my" Cosworth.

That's for the memories John.

JohnZ

Very cool story! I was Chevrolet's Launch Manager for the Cosworth-Vega, and I still remember sitting in Cal Wade's office (Cosworth engine designer/release engineer) when the call came in from the Proving Grounds to tell Cal that the 50,000-mile federal emission certification durability Cosworth had just burned an exhaust valve at 48,900 miles. That delayed the program a year, and was probably the lowest point in Cal's life.

TCracingCA

Sometimes I remember something and then I am slow to find the source or fact! Luckily I dug this back out fairly quickly! Here is one of our SoCal Slalom Racers from the 1960s that wore one of these!!!!



My notes are that the company was called Efficiency Engineering out of the Valley (Tarzana, CA) who also did low profile air cleaners! These plastic hoods came in clear or where offered tinted! The one pictured was their smoke tint! I want one!!!!!

Mike Terry

I would pretty much bet that the place that made all the windows for the 54 Motorama Car would be able to make your see thru hood for you as long as you have a mold for them to use or maybe even give them the original hood and they could make a complete see thru hood from it using it as a pattern or a mold. Let me know if you are interested and I will get you there contact info.Pm me would be the best or e-mail me at mikes54vet@aol.com They are in Martinsville, Indiana

1955 copper

Gm had 5 tinted ones made for Corvette ,I may have the only one left of the five.

DansYellow66

Very cool - you do come up with a few gems now and then.

TCracingCA

Thanks!

I have one of the best plexiglass race car making outfits out here in Los Alamitos and doing a one off would be way more than I want to pay! Sad fact! I am nearing the end of my collection/acquisition of GM Bowtie Racing parts for my build (Gen 1 800hp capable Aluminum block), going it with all New Stock Bowtie stuff, like new vintage 140 cam, new 6 inch shotpeened profiled bowtie 7/16 bolt rods, virgin never used Phase 6 Max Ported aluminum heads, new everything! A hood like this would set off this level of engine very nicely. Was hoping someone still made these kind of things. I had two other outfits say they could also, but they were even more expensive. I will ride out the thread to see if anyone knows someone in production, because prototyping parts is too much for my wallet, with all of my big other plans. When I get closer to the reality that such a hood is next on my actual shopping list, then I will see if I can find an outfit serious, that would do them. If I have to prototype it (one off, then I will then do the C2 sized C3 L88 one instead).

Maybe if I buy all kinds of UK stock today, I will triple my money by next week, and finish my ultimate shopping list.

I decided to rebuild my 1963 also, and might do something kind of hippie with that! Keep the mean race look, but paint another lace table cloth job on the hard top, and rob a bank to get a tinted hood prototyped.

TCracingCA

I do like most of the Corvette really unconventional type things! You guys when I ever get around to posting up pictures, will absolutely love my 1950's stainless steel curb feelers I put on my C2 Trans Am front spoiler! or the way I am going to do my James Bond level toggle switches!