Which hood is cooler?

[troy scott]

Many moons ago i hit a deer with my fj40, and it crunched my hood pretty bad. I beat it out and kept using it. But the last several years I've been rebuilding my cruiser and i have had thoughts of maybe going back with an earlier split hood instead. My fj4o is a Frankencruiser anyway so staying original has been out the window since before i got him. So heres my question which hood is cooler?
Show me your hood!

Thanks Fellas!

 

[Living in the Past]

What hood are you running now? The later one piece hood has more clearance in the center. The rod to hold the hood up is in the center on the two piece hood and needs to be modified to work with the 2F air cleaners.

 

[middlecalf]

Split hoods are pretty cool. And put a thunderbird on it. And an embossed bezel. Go for it.

 

[troy scott]

i

What hood are you running now? The later one piece hood has more clearance in the center. The rod to hold the hood up is in the center on the two piece hood and needs to be modified to work with the 2F air cleaners.

i've got the non split hood and a vortec engine i never even thought about clearance thanks for the thought

 

[algeeba]

I traded my '78 hood for a split hood about 20 yrs. ago. Regretted it! Nothing wrong with them but, for whatever reason, to me they just don't look right on the later FJ40s ('72+). They do look perfect on the older rigs with column, bench seats, etc., of which I also have one and my son has one.

On the later hoods, I really do like the higher/more rounded front corners, the higher louvers, more louvers, the longer hood rod on the side and the E.T. windshield washer nozzle. As a matter of fact, after 20 yrs. I am finishing re-working a later hood that I purchased so that I can finally put it back on.

Whatever you do, I recommend not getting rid of your existing hood in case you ever want to go back.

 

[Living in the Past]

Whatever you do, I recommend not getting rid of your existing hood in case you ever want to go back.

OP is changing his hood because it was damaged and just wonder which style he wanted to replace it with. Doubt he would want to go back to a damaged hood.

 

[Rusty 72]

If you need a later style hood I have a useable one. Can get it close to Fort Scott if you can pick it up.

 

[Dizzy]

Are there even further options in the 40, 45 trucks? SOR describes hoods for up to 9/71, from 10/71 to 12/74, and ones for '75 to '84. My '73 40 had no chrome, and less of the distinctive middle ridge (according to my fifteen-year-old photos) than the top image and my current '75s, and it had no split, but with the big rubber windshield hood bumpers of the tan 40 image above (which I think might be backwards, btw). I'd be more interested in preservation of the original part, than I would be in matching paint, or being correct to the replacement part's build date. But, my eye's aesthetic is guided by preservation, including mismatches and imperfections.

 

[troy scott]

If you need a later style hood I have a useable one. Can get it close to Fort Scott if you can pick it up.

oh wow i might take you up on that how much you want for it

 

[69LC]

I’m partial to the older split hoods and the spear/thing on them. That’s what all of our trucks have had.

 

[Rusty 72]

oh wow i might take you up on that how much you want for it

Free but its not perfect.

 

[todt]

Squares look better with later hoods I think.

 

[Living in the Past]

oh wow i might take you up on that how much you want for it

Interesting thought you already had a usable hood and looking to get a good hood?

Are there even further options in the 40, 45 trucks? SOR describes hoods for up to 9/71, from 10/71 to 12/74, and ones for '75 to '84. My '73 40 had no chrome, and less of the distinctive middle ridge (according to my fifteen-year-old photos) than the top image and my current '75s, and it had no split, but with the big rubber windshield hood bumpers of the tan 40 image above (which I think might be backwards, btw). I'd be more interested in preservation of the original part, than I would be in matching paint, or being correct to the replacement part's build date. But, my eye's aesthetic is guided by preservation, including mismatches and imperfections.

To me there is two main hoods. Two piece and one piece. The early one piece just had different style pads and hook type. The hood changed again later. The one piece around 78 have a extra flange on the front to help stiffen the hood. It would be easier to deal with the pads and hook than a flange in the front. The two piece hood had a couple extra hole starting in 68 for washer nozzles. Technically that was a change also.

 

[troy scott]

w

Interesting thought you already had a usable hood and looking to get a good hood?



To me there is two main hoods. Two piece and one piece. The early one piece just had different style pads and hook type. The hood changed again later. The one piece around 78 have a extra flange on the front to help stiffen the hood. It would be easier to deal with the pads and hook than a flange in the front. The two piece hood had a couple extra hole starting in 68 for washer nozzles. Technically that was a change also.

what i have is a hood that my body man is scratching his head about being able to fix

 

[Imog2018]

Talking about hoods, I just found out that my '73 has the early two piece hood with the chrome front piece. After a one year restoration, I never really thought much about it , then remembered that when I bought it 16 years ago and restored it , the owner told me it had been in a wreck at some point. I guess he replaced the hood with the early version. It has the hood prop on the drivers side, possibly added on as well.

 

[Drake2]

My vote is for the split hood with the chrome spear and early windshield frames. Yeah, I know I just tossed the windshield frame thing in there but I thought it was relevant seeing as we are comparing. My reason for both is simple, they both look older. Now that we are going down this road, I vote for the corrugated hard top as well

 

[Tancruiser]

Split hoods and cool

 

[77TLCFJ40]

Do you plan to ever fold your windshield down? Are your wipers on the top or bottom? That may dictate which hood is easiest to use.

 

[Tancruiser]

LV windshields don’t fold down

 

[airon23]

Has anyone tried adding the hood ornament from the old one onto the newer ones? It would be perfect for the FrankenCruiser you are talking about. Not sure how it would look though.