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Local guy with several vettes is offering me this hood in exchange for the original Super T10 and associated parts that came out of my '79. Note that the trans needs a new input shaft bearing so that negatively affects its value.
I'm trying to get around $500 for the trans and everything, and I see this hood sells for over $650 new.
I eventually want to install front and rear spoilers on my '79. Front to help with air flow and rear because I don't like the plain look of my '79's rear. This hood may be a great compliment to that stuff.
I like that I could rig it up to get cold air into my carb. That will be a big help in the desert heat. Also I think the front opening there will help with underhood temps as a whole.
Someone talk me in our out of this trade please.
Current pictures of my car. This is as good as I could get it to look (not bad at the right angles), and it really does need paint so this is the time to make the change. Attachment 48359963
My cooling setup is this pan shroud and electric fan, so I'm unsure if that front hood opening will help with cooling at all:
Last edited by AboveTheLogic; 01-17-2017 at 10:47 PM.
But I would get a seal kit to seal the front of the hood to the rad support when closed, so airflow doesn't bypass around the radiator causing cooling issues.
Also get the air cleaner that seals to the hood for true cold air intake.
If you like the look then it seems like an obvious choice, it's not like you want to keep the 4 speed around is it? It's even a colour that you could probably fit it now and it wouldn't look terrible. Might be worth asking to check the fit on your car first though, as I've read that fit can vary wildly on hoods, and it would suck to find out after the fact that it won't fit without a lot of work.
There is no front hood opening unless it is cut out by somebody.
I looked into it and the slot/dip in the front of the scoop is ahead of the back of the radiator so I believe there would be zero benefit as far as cooling is concerned.
In fact......I scratched the idea of going with a sealed base for the air cleaner as I believe heat could go out the cowl through the air chamber hole.
I have another buyer lined up for my 4-speed at $400 for the trans/housing/shifter. So, the hood would effectively cost me $400. I could try to sell my old hood to offset that a bit.
Good to know that there is no front opening unless it was cut open, I guess I just assumed there was an opening there.
That C3 that jkippin posted is very much like mine, same wheels, different caps, different paint, and some other differences. It is helpful to see that, I'm not sure I really like the look on that car. The hood in that pic seems to be a higher rise than the one I posted, hard to tell though.
Lastly, this is the sort of deal where I meet the guy half way (45 minute drive one way), so I would trade him and bring the hood home to test fit, unless I take the C3 to meet him. I guess I would drive there hoodless and try to fit it on the car and bring it home. Messy. I said he is local, but he is really about 80 miles away... which is practically local for Las Vegas
Still undecided.
I like the idea of a cold air intake, I also like the idea of having some freedom to run a carb spacer or a taller manifold. Sometime I may want to install a nitrous kit and that would be difficult now.
Last edited by AboveTheLogic; 01-18-2017 at 10:30 AM.
I would do it. Did you measure all of the mounting locations? It would suck to get a long hood for a 68-72
From looking at the picture, it looks like that hood is either for a 68-72, or 73-76. Your 79 uses the loop type latches on the hood, like all 77-82's.
Before agreeing on the trade, make sure the hood is correct for your 79. The extra work and parts needed to convert the hood, would surely negate any advantage gained by trading for a used hood.
Originally Posted by Jebbysan
In fact......I scratched the idea of going with a sealed base for the air cleaner as I believe heat could go out the cowl through the air chamber hole.
At rest, engine heat may vent through the scoop of an L-88 hood, but not at speed.
The reverse scoop of the L-88 hood, is designed to draw air in from the low pressure area at the base of the windshield, not for venting air. Even without sealing the air cleaner to the hood, the scoop will still draw air into the engine, maybe not as much with a stock 79 air cleaner, but surely with an open element air cleaner.
Guy says it came off a '79 and is for the later C3s
Guess I need to look at some more pictures and understand what to look for when determining whether or not it is right. I understand what you mean by loop latches, I'll look at some pics of older style hoods to understand the difference.
Last edited by AboveTheLogic; 01-18-2017 at 10:46 AM.
This is a style question, but IMHO, the L88 hood is the best looking hood ever created by mankind; lol!
If I was in the same situation, I'd take that deal in a heartbeat, but I do love that hood ESPECIALLY with the chrome trim, which I believe can be easily added.
You also get extra hood clearance so you could go with something like a Performer RPM Airgap intake.
I like the looks of the standard height L88 hood like this the best, too.
just ordered that same hood for my 79 on sale its 700 shipped and thats without the airbox to seal to the hood for cold air. I say trade, if you decide you dont like the hood you can always resell it.
I was really on the fence. This guy really wanted the trans for his project and came to the house to pick it up. That was vs. a 45 minute drive to make a trade without test fitting the hood on the car.
Maybe someday I will regret it, but for now I am happy to pay down the credit card that still has a balance from my other corvette spending!
I have a Performer RPM intake with a 1.0" spacer and a 750 carb.
The hood has an air box that I glassed in. I a have a stock air cleaner base that I modified that seals against the air box.
My wheels are 18" Us Mags. I machined adapters to use '65 Corvette knock offs, one side is right hand thread the other is left handed.
I would say go for the L88 hood but if I where to do it again I would go for a higher rise L88. I think I've seen them with free shipping someplace pm me and I will let you know where mine came from.
This is a style question, but IMHO, the L88 hood is the best looking hood ever created by mankind; lol!
If I was in the same situation, I'd take that deal in a heartbeat, but I do love that hood ESPECIALLY with the chrome trim, which I believe can be easily added.
You also get extra hood clearance so you could go with something like a Performer RPM Airgap intake.
I like the looks of the standard height L88 hood like this the best, too.
Adam
I'm sure we've had this discussion before, but an rpm air gap fits fine under a stock '79 hood with a drop base filter.
I don't like the L-88 dome on the late model hood for 2 reasons, first it looks all stretched out of proportion. And second it ends too close to the windshield. Chevy designed it to be the distance of the wiper door from the windshield which I believe allows it better access to low pressure air.
I recently aquired what may be an actual baldwin motion hood . It's for an early model so there are some logistics involved but nothing that can't be handled.
in answer to your question, I'd do it.
01-17-2017, 10:44 PM
Should I pick up this L88 hood for my '79?
From looking at the picture, it looks like that hood is either for a 68-72, or 73-76. Your 79 uses the loop type latches on the hood, like all 77-82's. 
