Building the first 2011 cobra R hood!

You would be better off buying a hood for a 2005-2011 Mustang and modifying it to your taste.

The same vendors make a 2000 Cobra R hood, but it would require an expert body man to make it fit the S197.

Good luck.

All I can do is Ditto 1995CobraR on the hood.

Good luck in Iraq, and be careful! We'd like to see pics of you ridin' that new 'stang when you get back!

What Branch, been in long or just sign up, etc?
Just wandering if you have served overseas before or if this is a new venture.

naaman said:

Hello everyone,

it's a little discouraging that i'm part of a Mustang forum and never owned one. ever.

anyways, I am going to Iraq next spring for up to a year, minimum of 9 months. with training, minimum 11 months. anywho here is my Q:

I will buy the new '11 5.0(or '12 5.0 depending if there is a power increase worth the new model year premium). I want to get a 2000 Cobra R hood. I looked EVERYWHERE for weeks so far and no luck for the '11. by the time i return in Jan 2012 there'll be one out, but i was thinking of making one.

I'll but an ebay y2k R hood, any kind(87-93 ,94-98 or 99-04) and chop it out then chop the stock hood and custom mold it on. if its a job requring tons of man hours i'll do it to save $$$, but if its a simple 3-day fiberglass molding job, i'll keep my hands clean.

should i do it myself, or take it to a shop?
how much will it cost to make it on my own?
what chemicals will i need?
any websites thats sell the stuff for this job?

thanks a lot guys! i love stangs more then anything but i never had the chance to buy one. i have a year to save and learn=)

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Hey man, first off thank you for serving our country. I have very little hands-on experience with custom fiberglass but i have done fairly extensive research on the subject, a bit of autobody experience, and feel i could offer a bit of advice. For starters, it will most def. be a 3 day job minimum. You then need to decide if you want the hood functional or not. Do you plan on needing additional clearence from the engine to the hood? Do you just want extra engine compartment ventilation? Or are you just after the look of the vents from the cobra R? I dont recommend trying to bond fiberglass to metal, they expand differently between getting hot and cold, it may lead to future cracking. It can be done but i dont think its the best way to do it. I have never had any problem with 3m products, im not sure how there fiberglass products compare. Do a few searches on google and find out some of the best brands out there. If this is a one time job and you dont plan on doing much more fiberglass work then the investment in tools/materials may be a waste and it would be better to take it a good body shop. I just found this searching for aftermarket hoods

http://www.mustangdepot.com/OLC3/images/ext/TF10024-A31-2.jpg

I think this would be the best way to go, im not sure in the differences between 09' and 11' but i am assuming it would be much easier than cutting up a 99-04 hood. The vents on the 99-04 are probably not as wide and might not look right. I would call the manufacturer and they may know the differences, then you can decide to tackle the job your self or take it a shop. Fiberglass takes a lot of time and patience. Be prepared for hours of sanding haha, there is a tool that i call a cheese grater, that tremendously helps by cutting down major high spots in the kitty hair, or filler. I recommend getting this if you do much filling. With this hood there porbably isnt much to modify except the bolt holes and the latch, may be able to take care of it by buying the fiberglass repair kit from wal-mart haha. The basic chemicals you will need is fiberglass mat, resin/hardener, kitty hair (fiberglass reinforced filler) if you require a thick coating of filler, and then you will need a filler that works with fiberglass. All of these materials should come with basic instructions on how to apply, how thick to apply ect... Remember this stuff isnt as strong as steel if you only use 1 or 2 layers, the more layers the stronger it is. But no matter how many layers you use i will have to recommend functional hood pins. I was in my buddies 96 supercharged GT when his brand new fiberglass hood flew up on us at 60mph, not a fun experience and costed a windshield What ever you decide to do, let us know im sure someone here can help you out, maybe by the time you buy the car there is a direct bolt on hood for you. Good luck and gawd, i am terribly sorry for these long posts guys, i gotta chill out haha.I just get so excited!

naaman said:

hahahaha this is a reason why i love mustangs, the community! hey guys, thanks for the replies! i apologize for some mixed words if i wasn't clear. i will keep the stock hood bolted on, and cut out a big ass square in the hood and chop the center of the y2k hood, the 2' cowl and the oval riser. but you were right, bonding the fiberglass scoop to the metal hod is a bad idea. so i'll probably buy a 3" cowl from blow by racing
BBR 3" Cowl Hood 2010-2011 Mustang
you can se there is a tiny 1' lift then closer to the center is the 2" lift. i would cut it about one inch in from the 2" part, take out that center crease and there is where I'll use the fiberglass cloth to mold it into one piece. then give it to my uncle's body shop for sanding and a nice 10 coat paint job=) family hookups=)
i wouldn't be use another hood so i wouldn't need relocate and hinges or anything.

and the answer to the service question:
I joined in March 2007, and went t bootcamp in Great Lakes, IL. on June 18th, 2007. Graduated 8 weeks later, went to Pensacola, FL. for aircraft firefighter/ Director school. I was stationed after that on the USS Abraham Lincoln CVN72. I went one 1 deployment for 7 months to the Persian gulf. after 15 moths on active, i returned home to the reserves for the next 24 months. This February will be that 24 month mark, ad in March i will be in Ira for my first boot on ground tour.

-ABH3

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Haha, i love mustangs and the community too, only been here for a couple of weeks and its been awesome. Sounds like a plan man, let us know how it works out! Also if you do have that hookup, i would def. recommend an extra clear coat, that way you have plenty to wetsand 2 years down the road when its got those swirl marks scratches ect... Good luck in Iraq

so Navy? Well, either way, THANKS!

I never served in any Gulf action, but was in the 205th Avn in Mainz Finthen, Germany for 2 1/2 years, Army. They were interesting times. Especially when Reagan decided to bomb Libya.

naaman said:

what do you mean by swirl marks? i never heard of that before.

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Swirl marks can come from a lot of things, you will notice them on about 95% of the cars in road if you look closely in the light. Those stupid brushes at car washes that some idiots use to clean caked off mud from their truck, are a definant culprit. Other things, may be like, polishing or waxing the car without using a clay bar first. I will recommend a clay bar to anyone who hasnt tryed it before, you can buy them in a kit for under 20 bucks at an autozone or where ever in the detailing area, and they are reusable to a certain extent. Should come with instructions, Mothers was the brand that i used. You WILL be suprised how much junk is really on top of the paint, even after you just finished washing it! It is a result you can see and feel. Also be careful to not drop it on the ground it does get slippery and it may lead to a disaster An extra clear coat will also help a bit in removing orange peel to a degree. Unless it is just horrible on the base coat. Good luck! (Previous owner of a black car FML) hehe

naaman said:

ohh! i know what ya mean, their all over my dad's '73 T-bird. it's kinda seen a rough last few years. he won't give me his 460BB lol. now, you also gotta stop mentioning black cfars! lol. i want one and everyone who's owned one says it gets that rough, dusty feel just days after washing it and upkeep is a ******. i want a black stang more then anything, and i'm getting more and more scared of them. hahaha

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There is nothing prettier than a clean black car.

There is nothing uglier than a dirty black car.

I had my black 2001 GT for 5 years and while keeping it clean was rough it almost became an obsession... if you really want to keep it looking fantastic it will become a bit of an obsession.

My next car will NOT be black but some day I will own another.

That hood looks really good on that car, i had my doubts on how it would look on that model mustang but it looks pretty sweet.

Another note on black cars, it is more than an obsession, its a war on dust and pollen and watermarks lol. AVOID if you live on a dirt road. I now have a yellow mustang and it is soo much easier to keep looking clean. It even has fairly bad swirl marks but you really cannot see them unless you hold a light close to it. I will agree that black cars are by far the best looking if they are well maintained. It is how i got to learn everything i know about detailing cars. If you get one, invest in a grit gaurd for the bottom of your bucket. You put it at the bottom of your bucket, and when you go to dip your towel or mit into the heavy dirt falls to the bottom and generally stays beneath the grate instead of you grinding the dirt into the paint. Porter cable 7424 is a life saver also. The detailing products can get quite expensive if you get carried away. But they are a good investment.