wfbarto

Hello everyone...this is my first thread since joining the site yesterday. I am hoping I can get some good advice and info here.

I am looking for someone with experience with installing a raptor hood from Suncoast Creations. I have a 1999 Trans Am and I suffered hail damage earlier this year, so now is the time to change the hood.

The main question I have is: Where is the best place to buy one? I tried contacting Suncoast directly by phone and e-mail and I have gotten no response???? I also tried contacting Cincy Performance by phone and got no response??? Any suggestions? Do any of the listed vendors who support this site sell them?

Secondly, is it worth getting the heat extractors? I drive my car very little but for $100+ or - I figured it may be worth it if it makes a big difference. Do they change the appearance of the hood much. It is hard to find pictures of the back of the hood both with and without to compare. Anybody who can post pics of the back of the hood?

Thanks....I sure appreciate your help!

firemech21

iTrader: (9)

I have the Raptor Hood and love it. It came with my car but there is no way I would buy any other type of hood. I dont know where you can purchase one, but I wouldnt suggest getting the heat extractors they dont look very good. IMHO

wmacarter

I bought mine from from http://www.mechanics-warehouse.com/s...hoodsprice.htm

They had the best price.

Be sure you open the box and check that you got all of the contents. I opened 6 weeks after getting it and half of the ram air box kit was missing. They would not help me with the problem because to much time had passed. It was drop shipped from Suncoast. I contact them and they replaced the missing parts.

You are going to have some fitting issues with the hood. It was basically to short for my Trans. I had to elongate the hinge holes to close the gape at the front. This made the back a little too short so I had to add a little fiberglass to the rear tips. The side fit was fair. The Ram air box is a bitch to install.

Get the heat extractors. The hood is made for it and it would look a little strange not having it.

In the end the hood looks real nice. Looks very close to a Firehawk hood.

I did see Firehawk hood on ebay the other day but they wanted $2000.00 for it. No thanks!


Good Luck

TruBloodTransAm

iTrader: (24)

Just FYI, most aftermarket hoods fit like crap. Definitely avoid the cheap eBay hoods.

I saw an OEM firehawk hood go for $900 recently, so there are deals out there, just have to be patient.

firemech21

iTrader: (9)

I agree that most fit like crap, but sometimes you do get lucky.

Super-Bat

iTrader: (38)

I want one so bad!

wfbarto

Thanks for your great info in your post. I have a couple more questions. Is Mechanics Warehouse a site sponser....I was wondering if there are others that had a good experience with them. Also, your post made it sound like the hood was shipped by Suncoast to you and not by Mechanics....is this correct? Does this mean that they are just a middle-man in the deal?

I do not plan on getting the ram air box. Can that be added later if I choose to? I performed the "free ram air mod" on my car and I noticed the difference after doing that and that is sufficient for now. If I decided later to add the ram air box kit for the Raptor hood would it be difficult to do after the hood is installed?

I guess I will order the heat extractors but I sure wish I had a picture of them installed...like one from the windshield perspective looking forward. I guess they are simply openings in the back of the bulges in the hood scoops with screens installed....correct?

Does the hood come with an insulation pad for the underside? I am sure that the stock insulation pad would not fit the Raptor hood would it?

Once again, thanks a bunch for the great info and feedback. I am going to do this!

projectX

iTrader: (51)

I don't believe these hoods come with insulation backing.

rabbit320

iTrader: (11)

i have a suncoast air box i could sell you with a new k&n filter, used to have it on my suncoast ws6. these flow [I]way[I] better than stock because of how the hood is designed for a top feeding ram air (a la lt1 style) not the bottom feeding (ls1 style). never had issues with rain either, but again it was the ws6.

pm me if interested in the box

wmacarter

Yes, they are a middle man but a cheaper than Suncoast direct. Yes, it was drop shipped from Suncoast.

Yes, you can do it later.

Yes, opening with screen. see attached picture.

No on the insulation pad. The hood is fiberglass so less heat transmission.

wfbarto

Thanks for the additional info and the pics. The heat extractors do not detract at all from the appearance, so I think I will get them on my hood.

Someone else that sent me info said there is an issue with "bubbling" of Suncoast hoods if they are painted without there first being a curing period for the fiberglass. Does anybody have any input on this? I am going to do a search on the site since it has apparently been discussed before. Thanks again!

carmelobarrientos

VFN fiberglass

brutalis

iTrader: (3)

I bought a raptor over the summer from CincyPerformance. Great hood, avoid seller at all costs. After 3 weeks or so, no communication whatsoever from them. The phone number on the website seemed to be disconnected, and emails were not returned. I did some digging and contacted the owner of the store at his place of work. He denied having anything to do with the company, but said he'd "see what he could do..." Shady business if you ask me. The hood just showed up at my house about a week later, but the airbox was not with it. I called Suncoast directly because their number was on the shipping invoice, and they told me it was on backorder and have been very helpful since then.

Basically, spend the extra $ and order direct, avoid the hassle.

spec_j

iTrader: (3)

I got the same hood from someone who purchased it last year from them and had to have it cut down and completely resurface because of the problems I had with the hood not being even close to smooth.