ABC Exclusive Hoods

[Blackened302]

anyone running a hood from ABC Ex?

i am running one of their urethane body kits and the quality was great, but i've never heard anything about their fiberglass hoods.

reason i ask is cause a buddy is willing to let one go for $200.

what's the quality like? fitment? any comments are appreciated.

 

[Green 94 5.0]

my hood is from abc and honestly, there are some fitment issues, but it is one of the best finishd hoods on the market.

 

[ProKiller]

i've never really heard any outright complaints about them.

 

[20new5.0]

There are always fitment issues with any brand, that would be expected. I dont recall what brand mine is>?

 

[stprorolla49]

Mines an ABC, and as green said, there were a few fitment issues, but thats to be expected...i hda to grind out a little bit on the underside so it wouldnt contact the headlight when i closed the hood, and i had to grind a slight notch in the very back of the cowl so i could open the hood all the way and it wouldnt hit the windshield wiper arm. I bought the hood used for $225, so im not complaining at all, and its a great hood, but if i was to spent however much it costs new, i'd prob spend the extra few bucks and get a Cervinis just because ive never ever heard of anyone having a problem with one of their products. If your buddy is willing to let one go for $200, by all means, pick that up!

Heres a pic of mine:

 

[69clark]

I know their stuff is usually good. I don't have their hood but their bodykit stuff is good.

 

[Blackened302]

here's the hood:

i think i'm gonna do it. too good a deal to pass up, and the fitment looks pretty good according to the pic he sent me, even though i have yet to see it in person. thanks for the comments, gents.

 

[95opal]

I have nothing but good things to say about abc's quality. I have their hood and body kit, no problems at all. For $200 you cant go wrong IMHO.

View attachment 416515

 

[OrangeMustangGt]

They are great quality....i have one, and it fits great....even on my car!

 

[Blackened302]

sweet, thanks for the motivation! i'll find out later today whether i'm gonna get it, and if so, it'll be on the car, painted, by this weekend!

 

[69clark]

By this weekend, Thats quick!

 

[Blackened302]

yeah, my painter is a buddy of mine, so i'll sand it down and it'll take him a couple hours to spray/finish.

 

[Blackened302]

ok, bought the hood today and i'm having some issues...

the hood won't engage the latch, so i'm pretty much forced to use pins (even though i would still do so if it did latch). i fiddled with it and the safety hook engages, but the hood won't go down far enough to push the actual latch down into the lock position.

the area around the holes for the pins is weak. i didn't notice this until i got home and tried putting the pins on (no light at the guy's house). even with the pins in, the area around the holes is going to be too weak, so i'm afraid that if the hood doesn't latch and it comes up that the weak spots are gonna tear up and the hoods gonna freakin fly open on the expressway.

opinions, suggestions? thanks.

 

[69clark]

Did you try adjusting the latch. When I bought my car, the hood didn't latch as it should so I loosened it and adjusted it then tightened it back down. Works perfect now. Just a heads up, it took 2 nights to do, because the first night I got frustated and then finally got it the next night. There is quite a bit of adjustment in the latch and I just wasn't hitting the sweet spot, then all of a sudden I hit it. By the way this was back when I had the stock hood.

 

[Blackened302]

hmm.. well, i've heard/read that most aftermarket hoods don't latch--don't know if that's boggus or of it does hold some truth... i mean, the whole and everything is there for the latch... wth?

i'm just freakin frustrated, man.. i really regreat not knowing that i should've checked the rigidity/strength of the holes where the hoodpins go. whoever installed them and drilled the holes did a really crappy job--the holes look like craters in the moon, not very clean at all!

 

[The Green GT]

here's the hood:

View attachment 416041


i think i'm gonna do it. too good a deal to pass up, and the fitment looks pretty good according to the pic he sent me, even though i have yet to see it in person. thanks for the comments, gents.

It looks like its a little too short man. Like its not even with the headlights.

 

[Blackened302]

that's a pic of it on his car and it was just sitting on there so he could see what it looked like.

 

[The Green GT]

Ahhh.

 

[turbogt]

My ABC honestly fit better than my Cervini's but the ABC fiberglass is fairly wavy... Cervini's looks like steel.. For $200, you can't go wrong.

 

[Blackened302]

alright, i'm done for tonight--too frustrated.

gonna try adjusting the latch tomorrow and see if a couple buddies can help me get the pins situated.

on a side note about the pins: where are most of you guys putting them--on the bumpstops on each side, i'm assuming? that's where the holes are drilled on the hood, anyway.

thanks, gents, more suggestions are welcomed.