A fender might frustrate you and a quarter-panel may leave you in a quandary, but you can probably build a hood for your hot rod. Believe it; builders with far fewer resources than you and I have made their own special fitting hoods ever since they found ways to make the stock one not fit.
Mike Longley began by aligning...
Mike Longley began by aligning the grille to the car. As the stock grille support rods would've interfered with the coolant hoses if not the induction system he also replicated the setup that the car wore more than half a century ago.
Ken Crawford was one of those early examples. Just after V-J day, he built a Deuce roadster for lakes racing. He channeled the car to improve its aerodynamics, which required him to move the radiator forward. As a result, the original clamshell hood no longer properly spanned the gap between the cowl and grille shell. Being a racer, he did what racers do: he scared up some materials and made his own. After all, there was nobody there to tell him he couldn't.
Recently Crawford's old Deuce resurfaced, only this time without a lot of what made it unique-the hood for one. Since the car's resurrection was supposed to reflect the way it was when Crawford made history with it, the job required a faithful recreation of that hood. Longley Restorations in Deland, Florida, obliged.
With the grille aligned sufficiently,...
With the grille aligned sufficiently, Longley draped a sheet of chipboard over the top of the cowl and grille shell. He established the first reference points by pressing the cardboard over the grille shell bead at the top and sides and marking their location.
The process the Longleys employed reflects the way pioneers like Crawford crafted their machines. In the absence of the hot rod and restoration shops we now take for granted, those enterprising racers employed resources not necessarily associated with the auto industry. We don't know exactly what resources Crawford used to make his hood but the Longleys used a local sheetmetal shop-a shop that makes ventilation systems specifically. It's an option that Crawford literally could have used in his day had he lived nearby: Jacob Sheet Metal Works has been around for nearly 90 years.
A few caveats before we begin. First, the construction method best suits cars with straight hood-top sides. In Ford terms, that's everything from Henry's first car to the '32 passenger car and the '37 pickup. The compound curve in the leading edges of the vehicles that followed requires more sophisticated tooling and considerably more work.
He then connected those reference...
He then connected those reference points with a flexible straightedge. Once finished, he trimmed along that line.
Second, this method doesn't accommodate character lines as found on cars and trucks from '30 onward. Some bead rolling prior to forming the hood flange would make it possible but that's beyond the scope of this story. Not that the absence of that line mattered to racers of the day; a car's looks didn't make it go any faster, which inspired a stripped-down, purposeful aesthetic all its own.
Sure this method has a few compromises, but what doesn't? If nothing else, the process redeems itself by its simplicity, affordability, and, most of all, authenticity. And chances are, you can do it yourself.
After finishing the front...
After finishing the front cut he taped the leading edge of the template to the grille shell and repeated the same straight-edge/cut task at the cowl.
With both ends cut, Longley...
With both ends cut, Longley scribed what will be the lower edge of the hood. Remember to install whatever you'll use as a hood seal prior to marking this line to ensure the hood's alignment later on. It also helps to mark the template where the cowl and grille shell bend.
The hood's lower edge isn't...
The hood's lower edge isn't a cut line; it's a fold line to create an inch lip that will strengthen and help align the hood. The only potential problem is that the folded edge will interfere with the hood-seal lip channel on the grille shell and cowl. Mark the seal locations and trim the template so the folded lip doesn't interfere.
Just as he did with the hood...
Just as he did with the hood top, Longley folded the edges of the hood side templates where they meet the other pieces and trimmed them for seal-channel clearance. He used a catalyst can as a template for the pipe outlet cut lines.
The Longleys commissioned...
The Longleys commissioned Jacob Sheet Metal Works to commit the panels' shape to metal. Jim Root started by transferring the patterns' shapes to sheet aluminum. This job called for 0.040-inch, but consider 0.063-inch if resources permit.
Satisfied with the templates'...
Satisfied with the templates' shapes, Longley taped them to the car for one last trial fit. Note that the side panels aren't necessarily mirror images of each other. That and the side-to-side engine offset means the pipes exit the hood in different places.
With the hood-top template...
With the hood-top template still taped in place, Longley measured the space between the fold line and where he wanted the lower edge of the hood side to stop. Ken Stroner extended his hood to the top of the framerail and not the base of the cowl, a detail that Longley copied in the recreation.
Very wide strips are stiff...
Very wide strips are stiff and tend to resist curling when cut. That can distort the final edge but Root offered this tip: Cut just shy of the scribed line before trimming the final edge. The narrower strip will curl easily when cut, thereby preserving the cut edge.
The side panels proved simplest;...
The side panels proved simplest; after trimming them to shape, Root folded the upper and lower edges. Note that the folded edges stiffen the panel considerably.
The hood's shape proved a...
The hood's shape proved a little more work. Again Root trimmed more sheet to the template's shape.
Root formed the hood curves...
Root formed the hood curves in a slip roll, although enterprising do-it-yourselfers have formed curves by pressing or hammering sheet over tubing, welding bottles, and even light poles. Note that the radius tapers from the cowl to the grille shell. It helps to have the car on hand to test the shape but a stock hood can serve as a reference.
A sheetmetal brake makes sense...
A sheetmetal brake makes sense if you've got one, but just like the slip roll it's not absolutely necessary. For a simple alternative, clamp a sheet between angle iron or 2x4s and hammer the flange. Remember to work up to the final bend angle with many light blows rather than a few heavy ones.
Just as he did to fold the...
Just as he did to fold the side-panel flanges, Root bent the hood top's edges in a sheetmetal brake.
Though the war effort inspired...
Though the war effort inspired trick clamps and latching devices, they weren't yet surplus when Crawford built his car. He used simple over-center draw latches, aka cabinet latches. The Longleys will part with some of their stash of NOS U.S.-made pieces, incidentally.
The initial finish doesn't...
The initial finish doesn't reflect it, but the hood is in fact louvered. The Longleys recently invested in one of Williams' Lowbuck Tools' louver machines. The steel tab in the foreground clamps the metal as the dies form the louver, which leads to a sharper louver edge.
The finished product isn't...
The finished product isn't just a piece of functional art; it's a reflection of our industry's heritage. Best of all, it's within just about anyone's grasp.