Cutting hole in my hood- crazy?
12-11-2009, 10:00 PM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Cutting hole in my hood- crazy?
Ok, I might be nuts, but here it is. I have A & A supercharger, LT headers, Comp cam, 550 rwhp. Lots of heat under the hood. When I run the car hard, or idle at stop light, you get the picture, it runs hot! Looking at vented hoods, at least $1,500 plus paint and install, to cool the engine compartment 10 to 15 degrees. Over $2,000 by the time it is on.
Looking at my stock hood, there are some nice lines between the supports that I could cut out, trim, and have some great ventaliation. Kind of the Zr-1 open hood look without the lexan plexiglass. I don't drive if it rains, and the sound of the blower could seap out for all the world to hear. Is this not a good idea?
Anyone else thought of this, or found a hood scoop that can be attached to the stock hood? Here are some pictures I took tonight after I kind of taped off where the cut out would be on my hood:
Looking at my stock hood, there are some nice lines between the supports that I could cut out, trim, and have some great ventaliation. Kind of the Zr-1 open hood look without the lexan plexiglass. I don't drive if it rains, and the sound of the blower could seap out for all the world to hear. Is this not a good idea?
Anyone else thought of this, or found a hood scoop that can be attached to the stock hood? Here are some pictures I took tonight after I kind of taped off where the cut out would be on my hood:
12-11-2009, 10:09 PM
#2
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Oct 2007
Location: Greater Detroit Metro MI, when I'm not travelling.
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Ok, I might be nuts, but here it is. I have A & A supercharger, LT headers, Comp cam, 550 rwhp. Lots of heat under the hood. When I run the car hard, or idle at stop light, you get the picture, it runs hot! Looking at vented hoods, at least $1,500 plus paint and install, to cool the engine compartment 10 to 15 degrees. Over $2,000 by the time it is on.
Looking at my stock hood, there are some nice lines between the supports that I could cut out, trim, and have some great ventaliation. Kind of the Zr-1 open hood look without the lexan plexiglass. I don't drive if it rains, and the sound of the blower could seap out for all the world to hear. Is this not a good idea?
Anyone else thought of this, or found a hood scoop that can be attached to the stock hood? Here are some pictures I took tonight after I kind of taped off where the cut out would be on my hood:
Looking at my stock hood, there are some nice lines between the supports that I could cut out, trim, and have some great ventaliation. Kind of the Zr-1 open hood look without the lexan plexiglass. I don't drive if it rains, and the sound of the blower could seap out for all the world to hear. Is this not a good idea?
Anyone else thought of this, or found a hood scoop that can be attached to the stock hood? Here are some pictures I took tonight after I kind of taped off where the cut out would be on my hood:
12-11-2009, 10:10 PM
#3
Safety Car
Member Since: Sep 2007
Location: Los Alamitos California
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St. Jude Donor '09
Ok, I might be nuts, but here it is. I have A & A supercharger, LT headers, Comp cam, 550 rwhp. Lots of heat under the hood. When I run the car hard, or idle at stop light, you get the picture, it runs hot! Looking at vented hoods, at least $1,500 plus paint and install, to cool the engine compartment 10 to 15 degrees. Over $2,000 by the time it is on.
Looking at my stock hood, there are some nice lines between the supports that I could cut out, trim, and have some great ventaliation. Kind of the Zr-1 open hood look without the lexan plexiglass. I don't drive if it rains, and the sound of the blower could seap out for all the world to hear. Is this not a good idea?
Anyone else thought of this, or found a hood scoop that can be attached to the stock hood? Here are some pictures I took tonight after I kind of taped off where the cut out would be on my hood:
Looking at my stock hood, there are some nice lines between the supports that I could cut out, trim, and have some great ventaliation. Kind of the Zr-1 open hood look without the lexan plexiglass. I don't drive if it rains, and the sound of the blower could seap out for all the world to hear. Is this not a good idea?
Anyone else thought of this, or found a hood scoop that can be attached to the stock hood? Here are some pictures I took tonight after I kind of taped off where the cut out would be on my hood:
I wouldn't even think about doing this myself. You have a Corvette and you want to cut a hole in the hood rather than do it right?
San
12-11-2009, 10:28 PM
#6
Melting Slicks
What is wrong with u...........
12-11-2009, 11:02 PM
#7
Instructor
Maybe you can identify with me... everytime that I have ever got in trouble, it had been preceded by the phrase ... " Well I have been doing some thinking...."
Well Doug, I have been doing some thinking along a similar line. It seems a waste to spend a $2,000 plus on a hood hoping to clear a Maggie TVS2300. It also seems that if I am willing to scrap the hood anyways, why not cut out what is needed to allow the SC to come through. With all the vendors spining out fiberglas or carbon fiber hoods, it seems the next logical phase might be to offer a smooth bubble riser or louvered dome that is a direct matching contour to our stocker. If the mounting bolts were cast in the dome, the piece could be bolted on with a thin gasket. Bring only the piece to your shop for prep and paint and not even lose use of the car for the day.
I see you are from Minnesota...I am from Vermont...maybe the artic life has frost bitten a few brain cells....Or maybe my desire to drill holes in the ice on our frozen lake has be displaced to drilling a giant hole in my hood.
Ut oh, I see the nurse has returned with my nightly meds so I must return to ward before lockdown..... You know, this is really a bad idea about to happen. I should just stick with leather belts and moccasins.
12-11-2009, 11:33 PM
#8
Melting Slicks
Ok, I might be nuts, but here it is. I have A & A supercharger, LT headers, Comp cam, 550 rwhp. Lots of heat under the hood. When I run the car hard, or idle at stop light, you get the picture, it runs hot! Looking at vented hoods, at least $1,500 plus paint and install, to cool the engine compartment 10 to 15 degrees. Over $2,000 by the time it is on.
Looking at my stock hood, there are some nice lines between the supports that I could cut out, trim, and have some great ventaliation. Kind of the Zr-1 open hood look without the lexan plexiglass. I don't drive if it rains, and the sound of the blower could seap out for all the world to hear. Is this not a good idea?
Anyone else thought of this, or found a hood scoop that can be attached to the stock hood? Here are some pictures I took tonight after I kind of taped off where the cut out would be on my hood:
Looking at my stock hood, there are some nice lines between the supports that I could cut out, trim, and have some great ventaliation. Kind of the Zr-1 open hood look without the lexan plexiglass. I don't drive if it rains, and the sound of the blower could seap out for all the world to hear. Is this not a good idea?
Anyone else thought of this, or found a hood scoop that can be attached to the stock hood? Here are some pictures I took tonight after I kind of taped off where the cut out would be on my hood:
12-11-2009, 11:35 PM
#9
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Oct 2008
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12-12-2009, 12:30 AM
#11
Safety Car
if you got the stones and some air tools take a die grinder and go for it. I did one an a blown chevelle i had and it turned out great. The only issue i had was what to do to the hole opening edges. I used some black molding i think is was the stuff you use for car door edges to avoid dings. I you have the cash for a new hood then why not try it,,,what do you have to loose.
Last edited by HANNY; 12-12-2009 at 12:38 AM.
12-12-2009, 01:55 AM
#12
Just take the hood off and drive it like that.
So just take the hood off and leave it off.
12-12-2009, 05:43 AM
#13
Race Director
Have to agree with not doing it. Even if you have the guts to do it, you've got a Corvette so do it right. Wait till you get the $$$'s and get a new hood, radiator, etc. 
JMO.
JMO.
12-12-2009, 11:15 AM
#14
Le Mans Master
Ricer mod of the year award. Congrats!
12-12-2009, 11:45 AM
#15
Le Mans Master
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Yup. Did the DeWitts and also dumped a bottle of RedLine WaterWetter, but I was running that before too. My car now will cruize at 80 - 90 miles an hour for hours at a time without the coolant temperature ever going over 200F.
Wanting to cut a hole in your hood for cooling simply suggests you have no idea how heat is removed from an engine. I bet if he ran his car with no hood at all the difference in coolant and oil temperature would barely be measurable; the surface area of the radiator is orders of magnitude greater than the surface area of the engine block, and the amount of metal between the coolant and the air surrounding it on the radiator is THOUSANDS of times thinner than the walls on the block; for all practical purposes the engine block is not shedding any heat to the surrounding air when compared to how much cooling the radiator provides.
Wanting to cut a hole in your hood for cooling simply suggests you have no idea how heat is removed from an engine. I bet if he ran his car with no hood at all the difference in coolant and oil temperature would barely be measurable; the surface area of the radiator is orders of magnitude greater than the surface area of the engine block, and the amount of metal between the coolant and the air surrounding it on the radiator is THOUSANDS of times thinner than the walls on the block; for all practical purposes the engine block is not shedding any heat to the surrounding air when compared to how much cooling the radiator provides.
12-12-2009, 02:42 PM
#18
_Sloth Whisperer_
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I don't understand people that post something like "you have a Corvette, so do it right". First, what bearing does the type of car have on the decision to do so? Secondly, please define the "right" way.
Just because the idea doesnt appeal to you doesnt mean it's wrong. If the man wants to cut up his hood, so be it. It's not a rare and precious DaVinci that can't be replaced. It's a slab of fiberglass off a mass-produced car that's no more valuable or special than every other Tahoe or Excursion out there with the same MSRP.
Just because the idea doesnt appeal to you doesnt mean it's wrong. If the man wants to cut up his hood, so be it. It's not a rare and precious DaVinci that can't be replaced. It's a slab of fiberglass off a mass-produced car that's no more valuable or special than every other Tahoe or Excursion out there with the same MSRP.
12-12-2009, 02:53 PM
#19
Racer
I ran with out my hood right after supercharger install, just to make sure everything worked properly befor installing hood. no difference in coolant temps, so don,t waste your time.
12-12-2009, 03:19 PM
#20
Le Mans Master
I don't understand people that post something like "you have a Corvette, so do it right". First, what bearing does the type of car have on the decision to do so? Secondly, please define the "right" way.
Just because the idea doesnt appeal to you doesnt mean it's wrong. If the man wants to cut up his hood, so be it. It's not a rare and precious DaVinci that can't be replaced. It's a slab of fiberglass off a mass-produced car that's no more valuable or special than every other Tahoe or Excursion out there with the same MSRP.
Just because the idea doesnt appeal to you doesnt mean it's wrong. If the man wants to cut up his hood, so be it. It's not a rare and precious DaVinci that can't be replaced. It's a slab of fiberglass off a mass-produced car that's no more valuable or special than every other Tahoe or Excursion out there with the same MSRP.
