Air Grabber Hood Question

[Orange Bird]

I am restoring my 70 RR (see other thread here) and was curious about the Mopar standard way back in the day. I have looked at a few survivor cars and noticed "quality, fit and finish" issues. I want to know if what I have is typical. My hood has been stripped bare and black epoxy coated. I felt a few problem areas and thought someone got mad sometime during its life but after painting w/black I don't think that is the case. You can see the underside web reflecting through the top skin - I mean everywhere. Some "pockets" more pronounced than others with the deepest maybe 1/16 of an inch - significant in my view. I'm not going to leave it as it looks like s... compared to what I am doing. I just wanted to know.

[Ghoste]

You're certainly right about fit and finish, after all they were mass producing them as quickly as possible.  But 1/16 "pockets" on the hood between the underside support ribs sounds a little much to me.  My guess is that 40 years of high velocity wind force and the occasional fat ass sitting on it has likely stressed it in those areas.  Just a guess though.

[Charger-Bodie]

Did you or anyone else sand (or other aggressive media) blast the hood? It sounds warped to me.

[maxwellwedge]

I agree - Is there still a bunch of seam sealer sandwiched between the u/hood braces and the hood skin?

[Orange Bird]

Nope. All seam sealer intact, no grinding anywhere close, no rub marks where it looks as if a motor mount broke. Along the sides of the hood all the little ovals can be seen and they should fill w surfacer and Slick Sand, the larger triangular pockets are the depressing repairs. There is one area where it looks like someone closed the hood with something there but that does not explain everything else. It is a very consistant pattern that is why I asked. If it were cornered in one area then I'd say non car guy damage.

[Orange Bird]

Could it be that the Air Grabber and its seal to the cleaner base and all the motor torque pushed up the top skin while the underpinnings of the hood web held tight, therefore "pulling pockets" into the exposed sheet metal?

[Scaregrabber]

That hood has been media blasted.

Sheldon

[superbirdtom]

I would say your right .  It stretches the metal and causes this phenomenon. you really hve to know what your doing with this process . mot of the time it is some undarpaid kid or a gorilla operation those things. I had one at one point. they have their uses though.

[Orange Bird]

Sounds like that could be, just wish they did the underside also.

[roger440]

That hood has been media blasted.

Sheldon

I agree. Been there done that. Replaced the hood!

[Orange Bird]

It took about 10 hrs but it is straight now. Final tweaking will be performed while it is blocked out of Slick Sand and then again with the PPG K38.

[Scaregrabber]

I don't want to rain on your parade but you will have to be careful not to slam it too hard and the heat from the engine and the sun beating down on it can wreak havoc on the materials used to level it. Expect to see that web pattern again in the future. Sorry but the sooner you know the better off it will be.

Sheldon

[superbirdtom]

it will probably come back to haunt if it were the deck lid Id say 50/50 chance . but with the hood and all the heat generated, it will show back up.  you will know after a while.  I would say that if it does show a phantom pattern  to kust let all the material cure for a year then   reblock it and then  it should be ok.   

[Orange Bird]

I had those vey concerns in mind. There is nothing I can do about them and will ride it out to see what happens. I painted my friends car and had some phantom stuff show but was able to reblock and buff and if I did not tell you where it was it does not smack you in the face - and it is black. I hope that will be the same thing here as well, if not, I can repaint. Air Grabbers being what they are you simply dont go to your local salvage yard and pick one up and anything found on the internet could yield the same thing - and they cost a literal fortune. I am reluctant to try any repop stuff and will see what time brings. If weather cooperates, and I dont have to go out of town again for work, I may be able to think about paint within a couple weeks. Watch the 70 RR Resto thread here. I will post when its painted. I have all color, clear and black hood paint just waiting to get squirted on.