NPD Shelby Hoods

geordie · Sep 8, 2006

My wife, my daughter and most of my friends have persuaded me not to go with the Crites teardrop hood for my '65 Coupe. Apparently I've got no appreciation of style and less is more.
So I've settled on the classic Shelby style hood with the single scoop.
I like NPD, they are generally a little more expensive than some of the vendors but I've never had any complaints with them about shipping or quality.
They offer two hoods, an all fiberglass and a fiberglass with steel frame. I prefer the fiberglass with steel frame as I would like to retain the stock hinges and latch. Are there any concerns about going to a fiberglass with steel frame other than the added weight?

67topless · Sep 8, 2006

Don't think so... I believe you will still need the lighter springs even though you keep the stock hinges.

Just keep in mind, to get the fiberglass hood to look good may take a lot of work (meaning fit perfectly). I like my hood, but the fit is still not nearly as clean as the original sheet metal was.

Scott

fasttback · Sep 9, 2006

1) Buy from a reputable source (look for the most recent recommendations, because fiberglass molds change over time).

2) As mentioned before, be prepared to work on the hood after you get it.

AdamInChains · Sep 9, 2006

The only concerns i've heard about from the hoods with the steel frame...is that fiberglass and steel have different rates of expansion due to heat. So this can *Possibly* lead to cracking eventually. I just went with the Maier racing hood which all fiberglass with no steel frame, but you can still use the stock hinges and latch because I believe they have some small steel threaded inserts for the bolts. The only thing you Can't use is the stock springs or you'll end up with some bad warpage from the tension. So i'll be stuck using a prop rod unless i pop for those $600 billet hinges.

67topless · Sep 9, 2006

AdamInChains said:
...The only thing you Can't use is the stock springs or you'll end up with some bad warpage from the tension. So i'll be stuck using a prop rod unless i pop for those $600 billet hinges.

You may want to check on this with Maier Racing... you may be able to use the lighter springs. Like on my application I am still using springs with the stock hinges; just not the stock springs. The have a much lighter tension.

Scott

geordie · Sep 11, 2006

Good comments guys.
I estimate the expansion rate of a steel frame to be about 1.6 times that of the fiberglass so eventual cracking could be a problem.
I've got to ask the question, what is the latest recommendation for fiberglass Shelby style 65 hoods. AdamInChains, what did you think of the fit and finish of the Maier racing product? I've read less than favourable comments about Maier racing hoods on this site before.

I need to buy a hood soon guys, or something is going to fail in the house and I'll end up spending the money on a new washer/dryer or something. Help, I need a good recommendation..........

AdamInChains · Sep 11, 2006

Well my car is still in the getting the metal work done in the body shop so they havn't gotten to fitting the glass yet. I've heard both good and bad things about Maiers fiberglass. But i've also heard good and bad about EVERY company that makes fiberglass stang pieces. Bottom line pretty much seems to be, no matter where you end up buying your glass from from it will require a Lot of work to get it to fit good. I also got the trunk lid from maier so we'll see how that fits in a month or so.

geordie · Sep 11, 2006

AdamInChains said:
But i've also heard good and bad about EVERY company that makes fiberglass stang pieces. Bottom line pretty much seems to be, no matter where you end up buying your glass from from it will require a Lot of work to get it to fit good.

Aint that the truth.

geordie · Sep 12, 2006

Placed my order last night with NPD for one of their steel framed, fiberglass skinned Shelby GT350 hoods. I'll report on the fit and finish when I receive it.

fasttback · Sep 12, 2006

Due keep us posted on the fitment of the new hood. One day I will dump my Mustangs Plus GT350 hood for a better one.

hungrymonkey · Sep 13, 2006

what exactly do you mean when you y'all say "alot of work to fit"

does it mean taking material off of the fiberglass part, or does it mean lots of shimming, or that its a pita to align the fenders and cowl to?

geordie · Oct 10, 2006

Well my NPD Shelby style hood arrived about a week ago and I finally test fitted it last night. I frequently see questions about fiberglass parts and have been responsible for a lot of them myself so I wanted to report on my experiences with this hood. The hood has a full steel frame pre drilled for the hinges, lock bar and rod. The skin in fiberglass with the Shelby classic single scoop opening. There was some confusion about delivery lead times initally but the hood did arrive by frieght, when they siad they would deliver it, preceeded by a couple of telephone calls. I asked for the packaging to be completely opening and inspected the hood before I signed for it. The hood was very well packed, unlike the fiberglass valance I got from Branda . I fitted the hood last night and it seems very good. It seems straight, that is not twisted, and the curvature of the hood follows the fenders very well. Overall I am very pleased with the hood . There was very little fiberglass flash to sand off around the edges and the surface of the hood seems 'flat' with no bulges or depressions.

A couple of questions:

1. Right now I have fitted the gaps evenly arround the hood. It does seem to be sitting a little high at the rear of the hood near the windscreeen, but so did my original. The hinges are all the way down so I may have to elongate the holes in the hinges or shim the fenders. Anybody any ideas on the correct procedure to correct this?
2. For a fiberglass hood with a full steel frame can I use the stock hinge springs or should I go for low tesion ones?

truck90278 · Oct 10, 2006

fasttback said:
Due keep us posted on the fitment of the new hood. One day I will dump my Mustangs Plus GT350 hood for a better one.

Your Mustang Plus hood is a Maier Racing Hood - that is the line Mustang Plus sells.

truck90278 · Oct 10, 2006

No matter who's hood you choose, you will have a lot of work to do and it will probably never fit as well as a stock steel hood. We have the Maier hood and deck lid with the spoiler. The deck lid, so far, is the only one we have fitted. We had to add a quarter of an inch to the drivers side to start with before getting to the waves in the glass - highs and lows are typical of ANY fiberglass item.

NasaGT · Oct 10, 2006

geordie said:
Well my NPD Shelby style hood arrived about a week ago and I finally test fitted it last night. I frequently see questions about fiberglass parts and have been responsible for a lot of them myself so I wanted to report on my experiences with this hood. The hood has a full steel frame pre drilled for the hinges, lock bar and rod. The skin in fiberglass with the Shelby classic single scoop opening. There was some confusion about delivery lead times initally but the hood did arrive by frieght, when they siad they would deliver it, preceeded by a couple of telephone calls. I asked for the packaging to be completely opening and inspected the hood before I signed for it. The hood was very well packed, unlike the fiberglass valance I got from Branda . I fitted the hood last night and it seems very good. It seems straight, that is not twisted, and the curvature of the hood follows the fenders very well. Overall I am very pleased with the hood . There was very little fiberglass flash to sand off around the edges and the surface of the hood seems 'flat' with no bulges or depressions.

Pics?

1320stang · Oct 10, 2006

AdamInChains said:
But i've also heard good and bad about EVERY company that makes fiberglass stang pieces. Bottom line pretty much seems to be, no matter where you end up buying your glass from from it will require a Lot of work to get it to fit good.

Well, I've never heard a discouraging word about Cervini's or HO Fibertrends, but neither one of them make Classic mustang fiberglass.

truck90278 · Oct 10, 2006

geordie said:
Well my NPD Shelby style hood arrived about a week ago and I finally test fitted it last night. I frequently see questions about fiberglass parts and have been responsible for a lot of them myself so I wanted to report on my experiences with this hood. The hood has a full steel frame pre drilled for the hinges, lock bar and rod. The skin in fiberglass with the Shelby classic single scoop opening. There was some confusion about delivery lead times initally but the hood did arrive by frieght, when they siad they would deliver it, preceeded by a couple of telephone calls. I asked for the packaging to be completely opening and inspected the hood before I signed for it. The hood was very well packed, unlike the fiberglass valance I got from Branda . I fitted the hood last night and it seems very good. It seems straight, that is not twisted, and the curvature of the hood follows the fenders very well. Overall I am very pleased with the hood . There was very little fiberglass flash to sand off around the edges and the surface of the hood seems 'flat' with no bulges or depressions.

Your lucky with the fit. On another thread, I described what we had to do to a deck lid from Maier Racing. We actually had to add material (1/4 inch) in several places. Additionally, the finish, although looked fairly straight, upon priming and block sanding significant irregularities in the surface required a lot of blocking. the hoods frequently tend to be bowed so that the rear and the front of the hood are in the correct position, but the middle is above the fender line. On the thread I mentioned others had the same problems.

A couple of questions:

1. Right now I have fitted the gaps evenly arround the hood. It does seem to be sitting a little high at the rear of the hood near the windscreeen, but so did my original. The hinges are all the way down so I may have to elongate the holes in the hinges or shim the fenders. Anybody any ideas on the correct procedure to correct this?
2. For a fiberglass hood with a full steel frame can I use the stock hinge springs or should I go for low tesion ones?

Eyeless_Seven · Oct 10, 2006

You can also loosen all the bolts on the hinges as they have a little adjustability built in. Same for the trunk hinges.

allcarfan · Oct 11, 2006

I have never heard anything bad about cervinis.

I purchased an all fiberglass gt350 hood from NPD. I did NOT like the way it fit. It had absolutely no bow in it at all, It wouldnt even come close to fitting the fenders correctly, or the cowl for that matter.

The next hood I order will be from MU, only because I get a discount with them. I have my fingers crossed that their hoods fit well.

67topless · Oct 11, 2006

allcarfan said:
...
The next hood I order will be from MU, only because I get a discount with them. I have my fingers crossed that their hoods fit well.

I got my hood from them... I think if I took the time to shim the fenders like some have mentioned in this thread, it would be about as good as a fit one can get with a fiberglass hood.

Scott

NPD Shelby Hoods

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