Lift - off hood?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 510
Likes: 19
From: Waterford CT
Lift - off hood?
I owned a 440-6 pack coronet years gone by. which had a lift off hood. 4 hood pins held it in place when racing. I'm thinking of doing the same thing with the hood on my car. It has a relatively light weight Motion hood (427 with open ended stinger scoop built on top).
I decided this is a good idea when I bashed my noggin into the hood latch. Blood streaming down my face, and curses that would make a Navy Chief blush... I said to myself, self, why don't you make the hood just lift off"?
Has anyone done this with their Vette?
If so, how did you like it?
My hood is light enough for me to take it off myself. I have a stock hood which seems to weigh quite a bit more.
I decided this is a good idea when I bashed my noggin into the hood latch. Blood streaming down my face, and curses that would make a Navy Chief blush... I said to myself, self, why don't you make the hood just lift off"?
Has anyone done this with their Vette?
If so, how did you like it?
My hood is light enough for me to take it off myself. I have a stock hood which seems to weigh quite a bit more.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,697
Likes: 139
From: Syracuse NY
I considered this option but stayed away from it because Im ALWAYS opening my hood. It just doesnt seem practical for a daily driver.
I did want to add hood pins, but never found a way to mount them.
I did want to add hood pins, but never found a way to mount them.
Last edited by Scottd; Feb 26, 2017 at 07:09 PM.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 510
Likes: 19
From: Waterford CT
Dzus quick turn fasteners are a good idea. Pins are easy too.
Fabricating mounting brackets is simple enough.
Mine is not driven daily. I got pretty good pulling the hood off the R/T and setting it on the roof.
Fabricating mounting brackets is simple enough.
Mine is not driven daily. I got pretty good pulling the hood off the R/T and setting it on the roof.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 848
From: melbourne florida
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
I've had lift off.hoods with Dzus fasteners and hood pins. I prefer the Dzus fasteners but hood pins give the option of using some small keyed alike padlocks for security. I may do something like that myself. Go for it.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 780
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
On my daily driver 66 i had just lift off hood, it was basically a skin with l88 scoop, i could whip that baby on and off really quickly, i used 4 cheap mr gasket style pins as i wanted that look and yeah, my dad a retired navy plane tech all but begged me to allow him to do dzus on it,
The key to this mod idea to me is a very light hood.
Not to high jack but dont some racers have the full clip quick removal with dzus?
The key to this mod idea to me is a very light hood.
Not to high jack but dont some racers have the full clip quick removal with dzus?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 848
From: melbourne florida
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
On my daily driver 66 i had just lift off hood, it was basically a skin with l88 scoop, i could whip that baby on and off really quickly, i used 4 cheap mr gasket style pins as i wanted that look and yeah, my dad a retired navy plane tech all but begged me to allow him to do dzus on it,
The key to this mod idea to me is a very light hood.
Not to high jack but dont some racers have the full clip quick removal with dzus?
The key to this mod idea to me is a very light hood.
Not to high jack but dont some racers have the full clip quick removal with dzus?
I'm leaning toward doing it again.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 780
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
On a c3 front clip i have seen the dzus on the fender in front of the door where it would be bonded but how was the front nose tackled?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 848
From: melbourne florida
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Start with a race weight front end weld up some metal rod for a framework.build a simple crossmember and drill a couple holes for your framework to sit into. put some Dzus fasteners around to steady everything . On a street car you'll need to figure out headlights but there are much more and better options than we had way back then.
I still have a 496 with a Lenco up at a buddies shop,but I couldn't cut this car up but I may find something in the future.
I still have a 496 with a Lenco up at a buddies shop,but I couldn't cut this car up but I may find something in the future.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 780
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
There is a central florida cat with a c3 set up like a tubbed drag car huge blower etc,
His whole front clip he and a buddy would pull off sit beside the car at a cruise, i never paid attention to headlights or how it fastened, seems headlights were recessed style,
Wish i had paid more attention,
His whole front clip he and a buddy would pull off sit beside the car at a cruise, i never paid attention to headlights or how it fastened, seems headlights were recessed style,
Wish i had paid more attention,
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 18,126
Likes: 174
From: WI
On my daily driver 66 i had just lift off hood, it was basically a skin with l88 scoop, i could whip that baby on and off really quickly, i used 4 cheap mr gasket style pins as i wanted that look and yeah, my dad a retired navy plane tech all but begged me to allow him to do dzus on it,
The key to this mod idea to me is a very light hood.
Not to high jack but dont some racers have the full clip quick removal with dzus?
The key to this mod idea to me is a very light hood.
Not to high jack but dont some racers have the full clip quick removal with dzus?
the 2/3 thick body on my vintage racer (below) comes off in a matter of minutes
Racer
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 355
Likes: 18
From: Corona Ca
As I'm (re)starting work on my '71 basket case outside of a garage, I knew I would need the hood off and on repeatedly, and didn't want to futz around with the bolts. I found a set of quick release hood hinges that were for sale a few years back.
I can R&R the hood single handedly, but my cars paint is fuggly. 2 people should be used for nicely painted car. Some issues setting them up and aligning the hood, but my car has a ruined nose, so a nicely aligned front clip may be better. Also, as I'm not driving the car I don't have the prop assy tightly bolted, so I just unthread it and lay it down when I pull the hood. After having them on the car for 5 months and the hood off and on a dozen times while working on it, I'm happy with them.
Here's some threads talking about them:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ood-hinge.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...od-hinges.html
Not as cool as hood pins, but gets that thing outta the way when working on the engine.
Best,
Tom
I can R&R the hood single handedly, but my cars paint is fuggly. 2 people should be used for nicely painted car. Some issues setting them up and aligning the hood, but my car has a ruined nose, so a nicely aligned front clip may be better. Also, as I'm not driving the car I don't have the prop assy tightly bolted, so I just unthread it and lay it down when I pull the hood. After having them on the car for 5 months and the hood off and on a dozen times while working on it, I'm happy with them.
Here's some threads talking about them:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ood-hinge.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...od-hinges.html
Not as cool as hood pins, but gets that thing outta the way when working on the engine.
Best,
Tom
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 780
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
As I'm (re)starting work on my '71 basket case outside of a garage, I knew I would need the hood off and on repeatedly, and didn't want to futz around with the bolts. I found a set of quick release hood hinges that were for sale a few years back.
I can R&R the hood single handedly, but my cars paint is fuggly. 2 people should be used for nicely painted car. Some issues setting them up and aligning the hood, but my car has a ruined nose, so a nicely aligned front clip may be better. Also, as I'm not driving the car I don't have the prop assy tightly bolted, so I just unthread it and lay it down when I pull the hood. After having them on the car for 5 months and the hood off and on a dozen times while working on it, I'm happy with them.
Here's some threads talking about them:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ood-hinge.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...od-hinges.html
Not as cool as hood pins, but gets that thing outta the way when working on the engine.
Best,
Tom
I can R&R the hood single handedly, but my cars paint is fuggly. 2 people should be used for nicely painted car. Some issues setting them up and aligning the hood, but my car has a ruined nose, so a nicely aligned front clip may be better. Also, as I'm not driving the car I don't have the prop assy tightly bolted, so I just unthread it and lay it down when I pull the hood. After having them on the car for 5 months and the hood off and on a dozen times while working on it, I'm happy with them.
Here's some threads talking about them:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ood-hinge.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...od-hinges.html
Not as cool as hood pins, but gets that thing outta the way when working on the engine.
Best,
Tom