B hood replacement

[Jbrooks]

A friend here on the island had some rust bubbles between the hood handle and the nose. Some may know Tom Olson from the holidays and parades. He has the largest collection of "longest distance travel" PCA awards. Tom drives his tub from here on Whidbey to all the 356 events, and has for years. He gets 10-15,000 miles a year in his 356.

He ask about the rust and said he had a C hood on the car and a "adapted latch". The rust would require peeling back the skin and cutting the inner stiffener, so we recommended a new hood. The C latch adaptation worked but not great.

A call to Trevor Marshall and a week later Tom got a box, good packing and a new T-6 hood for a B arrived.

[Jbrooks]

The hood is beautiful piece of forming. It did require some adjusting to get the crowns right to fit the car. Not really all that hard some deep knee, and levers to flatten it some and re arch the rear crown it fits. Initial install fit with no hinges, high on one back corner, a little short and gapped in the center both sides. After fitting it the, Aft hinge mount holes were too high (hood sat too low) and rubbed on the cowel

But the hood was 95% true and I can't expect a new had made panel to drop right in. The hoods latch bolts did not match the "C" fitting. That Gave me a brain cramp for 10 minutes. Then I called Trevor, on a Saturday afternoon, he answered, confirmed my suspicions about the 3 bolt C latch verses the B two bolt.






Hood latch from a C on a B hood

[Jbrooks]

Fit and adjust the gaps came in just fine after some tweaking. Bob made a fixture to hold the hood, prime and paint

[Jbrooks]

Light fill and sand prime and paint, install this Saturday



Toms car at Maifest in Levenworth last May Soon it will be back together and on the headed for the Tail of the Dragon drive with the SOG in Georgia

[JTR70]

Looks like a nice hood. Agree, those fitment issues are par for the course. Now that you have the corners dialed in I can't imagine you guys getting lucky enough to have nice consistent hood gap all the way around? What about general levelness with the edge of the fenders? Can't think of anything trickier than trying to fit a new closing panel on a 356 all the while preserving the old paint job. Thanks posting and keep us updated.
Justin

[Jbrooks]

Justin

Before we painted it, we had 4-5mm gaps, sides were great the cowel may have a 1mm deviation but the corners were good a little wide in the rear center. I made up a gap gage out of a plastic trim stick on the mill. Turns out they are 5mm thick, so a little of the ends works fine. Bob says the gaps will close up with the paint I was trying for 3mm, but all even and straight is good enough. New seal helps also.

[Jbrooks]

Hoods done fits ok. 3mm all the way around except year nose, it's still <4mm but OK. Paint is close to the fenders, polishing makes it look closer. New seal is fine but thicker than original, should work fine.



Real cowl gap ok

[Jbrooks]

Sides look fine and straight, good fit on the crown all along the rain gutter







A mm short, but overall works well. Bob did some serious tweeting to get the arch correct all the way along the fenders. 40 Years of body work pays off.






Color is close but not perfect, looks better after polishing. You an see the small section under the hood where we cleaned it. The old paint has 50-60K miles on it, put buffs right up.

[Phil Planck]

I first met Tom at Bruce's Holiday in Lancaster, pa. We has just pulled in with the 55 coupe after a very hot drive from MI on the old highways. Tom pulled in next to us and I commented on the long, hot drive. I asked Tom where he came from and he said - Alaska.

I quit griping, and have crossed paths with Tom at several events since then. He's the Mike Robbins of coupes. Tell Tom I said hi, and that I'm still working on Foam Car.

Phil Planck

[JTR70]

That hood fits amazingly close. The gap does run wide toward the bottom but the overall consistancy is suprisngly good. The color discrepancy is no suprise. Even if it was shot with the same paint from the original can from the last respray it still wouldn't match perfectly. Repairs like this have to be blended across the gaps so your eyes won't pick it up. Once you pull it out into the sun I'm sure your buddy isn't going to like the checkerboard effect. So you probably won't be done painting. Other than that really nice job fitting this hood on!
Justin