okfoz

Just a question for all you ealry T/A guys, Which years, options meant that you would get the powerbuldge Aluminum hood. Both the 83 Hoods that I have are Steel. I found an alum hood in a junkyard, want to know how unusual it is, and whether or not I should ****** it...

Thanks

I also happen to know that some of the 91-92 Firehawks came with the Aluminum hood. #26 did at least.

John

Drew

iTrader: (58)

From what I understand GM didn't exactly give them away. I've never heard of an option other than the Firehawk package that included them. They were used in racing, etc... but they haven't been available from GM in quite a while and I'd say finding one would be a rare find.

okfoz

It has a softball size bump init where it looks like some moron closed the hood on it, But other than that it looked ok. I am going this weekend to get some other parts, and say, oh by the way, what would you want for that firebird hood???

I thought it might be like the
Fiberglass hoods for camaro's, I just don't know...

Anyone else?

John

GTADave

okfoz,
Cool find!!!

They were used by the pontiac teams that raced birds in the "Firehawk" series from the mid to late 80's. These hoods are hard to find and very delicate. I know a guy out here in California who has a couple of them he has from back when he was racing.

Dave

okfoz

I know this is kind of ambiguous, but I have to be like everyone else and ask...

How much would something like that be worth???

John

kiztope

How hard would it be to get an aftermarket fiberglass tear drop hood? An exact replication of the original, but in glass.....??

And how would the weights of the aluminum hood and the glass one compare?

Thanks....

okfoz

well I broke down and decided to ****** it, I do not think the guy knew what he had.

Its kind of rough condition, but definately repariable...

After looking at the hood, I noticed something really unusual, one: it has a big "A" on the bottom side, stamped into it, second, there is no part number.

John

Tonyrodz

Any rust on it??
lol--just kidding!! Good score!!!

okfoz

Actually, where it looks like someone tried to bondo a section in, the bondo is flaking off, and the aluminum is realy shiney ... Its a pretty sad sight, but I am planning on using it on a drag-only car in the future...

What Thought would be really kewl is to take it, and straighten it as best as I could and then polish it really shiney, be kind of like an old airplane...

John

Tonyrodz

:hail:That would be killer if you could polish it up!!
how about some pics--top and underside! Ever find out what that "A" means? Did it have a plate in the scoop with or w/o vents? Any airbox in it?

okfoz

THe hood is identical to a factory hood for the 82-84 T/A or a hood for the 87-92 Formula's.

There is nothing else on the hood except that, I already had a ram air setup from a 82-84 T/A.

The A stands for Aluminum, I am pretty confident on that.

If I think of it I will take some pix this eek and post them

John

SlowCamaro88SC

i agree, Polish it!

weren't Deloreans stainless steel? you can polish stainless you know! one day, I'm gonna buy a delorean and polish the entire car.

okfoz

Everyone would definately see you coming, it would be like the Ship used in STAR WARS Episode 1, that chrome plated Naboo ship.

After looking at the hood, it looks like someone used 36 grit sandpaper to rough up the surface, i hope I can get the scratches out

I am going to post some pix of it here in a min... keep your panty-hose on...

John

okfoz

top of the hood:

okfoz

bottom of the hood, notice the other red Bulge hood that one is steel though...

okfoz

here is the Bump I was talking about... hope i can work this one out...

okfoz

Here is that "A" that was used instead of a part number...

I did not crop this one because I thought I would give location...

John

ws6transam

This is a better find than the elusive "Aluminum bumper support"!! You'll probably save a bunch of weight! Tell me please, what is the weight difference between this and a steel one?

If I were you, I wouldnt use it for racing: I'd sell it and then use the proceeds for a new ACSD fiberglass hood! That hood belongs on something that sees street duty, like MY car! (j/k)

I wish there were junkyards in central Michigan: Around here all we have are yards full of FWD econoboxes.

okfoz

Hate to tell you this, but I bought it just east of Lapeer MI,

Guessing the weight, I think its less than a third from the steel hood, I will have to weigh it to make sure...

I can handle the Aluminum hood all by myself, move it and such.... Don't get me wrong, the standard steel hood is movable, but it is heavy and hard not to hit everything with it...

My friend, who is about 5'6" carried it by himself in the wind from the back of the salvageyard... I carreid my tools. I think my little toolboxes & a carburator were heavier than the hood...

heh

When I get a chance I will weigh the hoods to see the difference in weight...

John

okfoz

DUDE, I just realized, I think we know who each other are!!

Remember St Ignace, I was the Yellow Formula, we chatted briefly...

John

ws6transam

OH YEAH! The super-clean Formula that was right in the middle of town for the show... How can I forget? I actually visited your website only a week or two ago and looked over your custom interior. Funny thing, St. Ignace. There were over 100,000 people there for the car show that weekend. There weren't a lot of third-gens there, were there? Mine, yours, a couple of IROCs, and a white TTA. For 3000 cars, thats not a lot of representation. the people that stopped really liked my wheels, and only one person noticed (and mentioned) the 1LE brakes. I did have two instances where I found someone squeezed under my car looking at the suspension though..Good thing I checked before heading off for burgers! []

So, What are you going to DO with that hood, now that you have it??

okfoz

I do not know what I will do with the hood at this point. I think I will store it until I get a good use for it. I have considered takeing a hard top Firebird, or camaro and put a 'bird front end on it, strip it down to its skivies, install a Big Block, or a 383 and use the alum hood on it to save weight.

l8r

John

SoloGTA

OKFOz - Very cool find. If you happen to run across another one I would be interested in a buy or trade. That hood would be very cool on the car I'm building for Solo2.

Thanks

John K. - email: JKESP70@aol.com

okfoz

Ok, I will keep my eyes pealed, unfortunately I seriously doubt I will ever find another...

i just was reminded that I have an acquaintence who does Aluminum body panels for a living for custom and some specialty cars. I bet he could fix it...

Its funny, I was looking in the car for things like an overhead console, door handle decals etc, and my buddy sais, hmm an aluminum hood, too bad it has a big ole dent.

I thought about it too much and I finally went back to get it.

John

SoloGTA

OKFOZ (John) -

I don't know if your interested but I have a fiberglass hood on my GTA right now. Would you want to trade? I can deliver since your only in MI. Let me know. Thanks

JohnK.

okfoz

SoloGTA,
Thanks for the offer, I really like your honesty.

I like the hood because its the same as my formula. I dunno, I like the shape of the hood, otherwise I probably would not even had looked at it.

thanks, but not at this time...

John

SoloGTA

OKFoz -

Did you know that Ronal is selling the Firehawk wheels again?? They are taking orders right now, $50 down via CC balance due in April. Will also have tire packages. Email Gary Allison @ ronalusa@ronalusa.com Spoke to Gary today and ordered a set of wheels for my Formula.

Just so you are not confused, I have a Formula 350 and a GTA, both are 1988's. Might be selling the GTA to build the Formula into a Firehawk for solo2 comp. You can see pictures of my GTA @ www.racerpix.com - go to 2001 season, go to street prepared, go to E street prepared, go to John K. That's me! Flame Red GTA!

Take Care!

JK

okfoz

how much are they going to be?

Actually if you post this on the Body & Interior section, I imagine there are lot of folks that would be interested...

I think the Ronal Wheels look better on Camaros than on Firebirds for some reason.

I like the wheels, I also like the ROH wheels that alot of guys are using lately on their cars too.

Thanks man...I see, thats why you want the hood...to make a Firehawk...

John

okfoz

WEll I finally got to the back to compair the weight of the Aluminum Hood and a steel hood.

keep in mind I COULD have lightened up the hood alot if I would have removed some of the pieces, but I was lazy and didn't.

The Aluminum hood still has the hinges attached and the rear cowel piece, the safty latch & spring but not actual latch.

weighs in at 36#

The Steel Hood on the other hand has almost everything missing, the cowel, hinges, etc, its pretty bare.

weighs in at 57#

If I were to have removed the extra pieces from the Alum hood I would guestimate it weighs about half of the steel hood.

John

GTADave

JK,
Great pics of your GTA racing in ESP. I have a 89 GTA Flame red running in FStock.

http://www.transamclub.com/gershon_89gta.html

I did not think you could run a glass hood or an alum in ESP due to the fact it was not a production piece. I know this is different for the Camaro's (82 Z28 hood was glass).

Dave

okfoz

The Aluminum hood was a production piece on the very limited Firehawk in 91-92. Interestingly there is no more than 24 of these hoods on these cars that were produced. I know this because #1 does NOT have the Alum Hood. As when I went to make an offer on #1 or # 26 it did not have the Alum Hood option. Interestingly #26 did tho. So technically it was available on a "production" Firebird.

John

GTADave

The aluminum hood was originally used in the Firehawk Series durring the mid 80's. So in addition to the 91/92 fiewhawks that used the hood their are others around.

I agree it should be counted as a production item, but SCCA sees it differently. They do not recogize the 91/92 Firehawk as a production Pontiac vehicle and do not allow retrofitting any of the 91/92 Firehawk parts to a third gen bird for ESP. This includes the ZF 6spd, Alum heads and Intake. Something about not ever being in the parts books....

Dave

SoloGTA

Dave / John -

Been running my glass hood for quite a few years. If you notice in the SCCA rule book that camaro and firebird are on the same line. 82 camaro's came with a glass hood, so the pervious owner found a glass hood and put it on. Is it illegal?? maybe but no one I have run against has had a problem with it and I've been to the National event 2 times with this configuration and encountered no problems.

If I find an aluminum I'm going to put it on and run ( found one in Canada ) it on my Formula. Thinkin about going to CP or SM anyway. Doesn't matter what hood you run in those classes.

Besides.... I've seen guys get away with more.

JK

GTADave

JK,
Were did you find a GTA fiberglass hood? I have never seen one.

As far as illegal mods go. I have seen guys in the stock class go as far as heating and bending the rear axle to get more negative camber..

Is the alum hod you found in Canada, left over from the Firehawk racing series?

Dave