RPM 1,190 Report post Posted April 9, 2015 I'm sure glad you picked this forum Ridge Runner! You definately have some skeelz. 1 Ridge Runner reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,114 Report post Posted April 9, 2015 I have been doing some measuring ,it looks like i have to remove 3 5/8 right in front of the latch and bring the pieces back together .I need to remove some small areas and i need to add some small areas but it doesn't look like a big deal .The hard part is going to be glassing the pieces back together because it will have to be done in the mold so it will fit .I will place some plastic under the under brace to keep resin from getting on my pretty new mold .I will have to use this under brace to make the first hood ,that i will keep because it will be pieced together .I get the bracing put together and a top made and bond the two together and i can make the new under brace mold . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,114 Report post Posted April 9, 2015 I trimmed out the under brace this morning . I found the easiest place it looked like it could be joined back together and cut the front off . I had to remove 3 5/8 inches from there . It fits back together fairly well .There will be some filling and some removing to do but it i think it will come together very nice .I placed the pieces in the mold to see how it will fit up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SA69mach 39 Report post Posted April 9, 2015 This is really impressive to see, thank you Ridgerunner, for the post and the pics. Very interesting and kind of exciting. Can you educate me on one aspect please? Is the hood made up of three separate pieces, bonded together ....ie the top, then an underskin, then a brace? In your experience how will this hood stack up against a metal hood in terms of thickness, weight and strength. ? Please keep posting, I am hooked on this thread. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,114 Report post Posted April 9, 2015 This is really impressive to see, thank you Ridgerunner, for the post and the pics. Very interesting and kind of exciting. Can you educate me on one aspect please? Is the hood made up of three separate pieces, bonded together ....ie the top, then an underskin, then a brace? In your experience how will this hood stack up against a metal hood in terms of thickness, weight and strength. ? Please keep posting, I am hooked on this thread. The actual hood will be made in two pieces ,the top ,the under brace with cross braces and ram air chamber as one full assembly as in the pic above .The under brace is bonded to the top panel while it is still in the mold . Fiber glass hoods are thicker in material thickness as compared to steel panels ,it may be necessary to adjust the hinges down slightly as i had to do on my Shelby replica .It will be lighter than a steel hood but much heaver than most fiberglass hoods and actually stronger than steel .I forget what the shear strength of mat and ISO resin is but i think it is 1200 lbs per square inch ? I am not worried about weight on these hoods as i want them to be strong so they will be quite a bit heaver than most fiberglass hoods and these hoods will be made to use the stock hood springs ,light weight springs will not hold this hood up.I will get a weight when i get the first one made . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeStang 247 Report post Posted April 9, 2015 yeah get a shipping weight so you can send it to me HAHA.... Looking great....cool to see it come together. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeStang 247 Report post Posted April 10, 2015 Well wake up and have your coffee Ridge and get your old butt back to work HAHA.... I wanna know how your going to bond that front piece you cut off back to the hood and give it the same contours under the bottom...Unless there is another piece that covers that? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rodbrady 18 Report post Posted April 10, 2015 I'm second in line behind MikeStang, so just in case you hit the snooze button, wake up and get to work! :-D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,114 Report post Posted April 10, 2015 I am afraid i will be a bit slow here for the next couple of days ,regular work finally caught up with me and i have to get at it .I will do what ever i can sneak in though so it will not be a big delay ...I hope . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeStang 247 Report post Posted April 10, 2015 Oh Damn, my hood better not go the way of the Buffalo, or Im gonna come to Cali. and find you ridge....shouldn't be too hard to locate you, Ill be looking for the guy in the Avatar right HAHA. Hey I dont mind waiting for a quality piece at a good price. I am currently waiting 3-4 weeks to get my upholstery kit from Mr. Mikes For my Fiero Seats that I got, so decided I would build me a front spoiler for the car in the mean time HAHA. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,114 Report post Posted April 11, 2015 Ok ,i didn't want Mike Stang hunting me down so i worked my butt off today doing regular work and working on the under brace . I put some plastic in the top mold and set in the two under brace pieces and clamped them down so they wouldn't move on me .There is two places on each side that lined up very well so i ground into the fiberglass and laid some tack strips of mat . After that set up i ground in between the tack strips and finished filling the joint . I had to remove a V shape in the front of the brace ,for the latch.I made a filler panel out of sheet metal ,waxed the back and masking taped it in the cut out . I flipped the brace over and ground the two pieces flush and laid two pieces of mat down the joint and over the V piece of sheet metal ,This came out fantastic ,the sheet metal acted as a mold and made a perfect filler panel . I removed the sheet metal ,it needs very little to finish the top side . soon as i get the top mold sanded and waxed i can lay up a top skin and bond in the under brace and finish up the little bit of body work on the under brace ,and it will be ready to make the under brace mold . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rodbrady 18 Report post Posted April 11, 2015 Wow, it's really coming together nicely! I was hoping we'd have an update today. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,114 Report post Posted April 11, 2015 I am nearly finished with the under brace ,I just have smooth out the joint line ,and that will not take much .I have to pick up some more metal for the latch plate tomorrow and rivet it in with stainless rivets ,don't want them to loosen or rust, and pick up some sand paper for the hood top and we are almost ready to make a top and bond the two together .It's almost a hood boys ...and girls? !! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,114 Report post Posted April 11, 2015 I smoothed out the font of the under brace this morning . I made the plate for inside the latch area ,got it bent to fit in the sheet metal break and spot welded the nut plates in .I primered the plate so it wont rust . I bolted it into the under brace and drilled it and pop riveted it with stainless rivets .The under brace is finished and ready to bond into a new top.I will be sanding the top mold today and wax it .It will be ready to make a top in the morning . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,114 Report post Posted April 12, 2015 Sanded ,Waxed ,and ready to go .Bright and early in the morning i will start on the top skin. It will probably take until noon or one oclock,i will take pics as i go. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,114 Report post Posted April 12, 2015 I sprayed two coats of liquid mold release ,allowing it to dry between coats . Soon as the last coat dried i sprayed in the white ISO gel coat and allowed it to set up . I then laid in my sheets of 2oz mat and trimmed it to fit .I removed all but one sheet and started wetting it down ,just the back first ,and rolled it out .Did the same with the front half .I laid in the other layers ,one at a time and did the same The hood top is finished ,it will stay in the mold and i will bond in the under brace tomorrow . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeStang 247 Report post Posted April 13, 2015 DAMNNN !!!! Ridge that is some superior Craftsmanship right there bud. I had no idea it really took this many steps to make something like this and do it right. My hat is off to you Sir. Eagerly awaiting the finished product :-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,114 Report post Posted April 13, 2015 I glued up the under brace ,placed into the top and clamped it down .By noon i will have a hood . Then i get to make the under brace mold . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeStang 247 Report post Posted April 13, 2015 Wow...lookingGOOD..... So make under brace mold and your good to go to start making whole hoods? Man what a process Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted April 13, 2015 Spectacular work! I think I got lost somewhere along the way. Edit: not my thumbnail image. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,114 Report post Posted April 14, 2015 The hood came out of the mold with ease . i turned it up side down and ground the edges and drilled and threaded the hinge holes I cut out all 5 scoop openings I drilled the holes for the hood molding ,the trim fit but i could not get the nuts on because the front is so thick .I used my dremel tool to cut a notch in the under brace ,the nuts went right on .The under brace will have these notches made into the mold and the new under braces . The hood molding fits I bolted it on the car ,i didn't even have to adjust the hinges ,it just fit . It fits up to the fenders and the cowl quite well ,I LIKE IT! I wanted to make sure the grill would fit with out hitting something ,Not a problem .but i think it needs a custom grill now to go with the hood . I even bolted in the latch bar and latch assembly and it closes just like it is supposed to . Just have to make the mold for the under brace now and they are ready to make . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rodbrady 18 Report post Posted April 14, 2015 That looks awesome!! I think you mentioned this in a earlier post, but just to confirm, the idea would be that the scoop openings would have screens? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,114 Report post Posted April 14, 2015 Yes, all but the center ram air scoop, it is open .The screens will be the same as the Shelby screens .Most of the better known parts vendors have them . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,114 Report post Posted April 14, 2015 Looking through the front two scoops ,it looks like the horns will have to be moved or the scoops will hit them . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rwcstang 201 Report post Posted April 14, 2015 very nice!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
