rsscoggins

I found an SS hood for my wife's Z28 and need to know how I can differentiate an OEM SS hood from an aftermarket one?

I would assume that if it is fiberglass then obviously it is aftermarket, right? Anything else to look for?

Thanks

TechCam97

iTrader: (5)

SS hoods are fiberglass from the factory. I got mine off a real SS and it had some stuff written on it....let me go look....

**EDIT** on the underside of the hood it has, in small writing, the U.S. patent number and "Made in Canada" imprinted in it.

Inspector12

iTrader: (29)

Your wrong my friend, they are not fiberglass they are how ever a composite material. So if its fiberglass its aftermarket. GL.

rsscoggins

Yeah I assumed that they were the composite/plastic material that the fenders were made out of.

So who's right - fiberglass or no? Canadian patent or no?

Thanks

redz_02

iTrader: (4)

The way I tell is that the SLP paint team should be punched in the mouth. I have seen runs and chips on pretty much all of them.

rsscoggins

Well the hood has recently been repainted to the right color for my wife's car. I am going to look at it tomorrow - $600, I figured this was a fair price since it is already the right color.

Any specific issues I need to look for? Mounting holes, cracks in specific places etc..

rsscoggins

Also, does the factory hood have an insert in the opening?

Inspector12

iTrader: (29)

Look They are all marked under the shock mount with a number from SLP, but they are not made of fiberglass. The factory hood does have an insert, but so do the aftermarket one's. Usually alot of the aftermarket ones aren't finished as well on the underside, but that isn't to say that some manufactures do actually gel coat the underside of the hood as well, it just depends on who's hood it is. Also the factory hoods have two clear plastic strips where they contact the headlights and none of the aftermarket ones came with. Its pretty easy to tell the SLP hoods are pretty stiff and resist flexing quite well as the aftermarket fiberglass ones will be easier to twist by hand. I could go on and on and on, but I don't think there is anything more I can tell you with out you just showing me a picture etc... GL!

whitehooptie

iTrader: (2)

The 2 oem SS hoods I have are fiberglass. One is being used and the other is off a 99 SS parts car in pieces........

TechCam97

iTrader: (5)

I always thought they were SMC....which is basically just fiberglass but pressed in a mold. So....fiberglass. Mine is a factory piece, it's off a documented car and has all the markings and plastic strips above the headlights. The car I got it off of was involved in an accident and there is a chip on the bottom of the hood near the latch and it's fiberglass alright.

**EDIT** - Unless they are a "composite" material that is coated in Fiberglass through the SMC process and are thus "Fiberglass reinforced". In which case I concede the point to you, Inspector12.

Anywho.... rsscoggins, just look for the tell-tale markings that Inspector12 and I mentioned and you should be fine! Good luck!

BADZ

iTrader: (5)

Manufactured from an OEM-quality sheet molded compound (SMC) process..

SMC is both a process and reinforced composite material. This is manufactured by dispersing long strands (>1”) of chopped glass fibers on a bath of polyester resin. The longer glass fibers in SMC result in better strength properties than standard bulk moulding compound (BMC) products.

Inspector12

iTrader: (29)

Well you can call it fiberglass if you want, but when I have seen them come in wrecked and looked at the way the hoods were put together etc... Other than the long strands of what look like Fiberglass, which is what BADZ's explanation looks like they are using to mix with the polyester resin etc... that is where the simularities between what I have seen as a traditional fiberglass hood and one of the SLP SS hood stop. It is white in apperance and not semi see through and alot stronger etc...And all I meant by it is you can definately SEE the difference between one of these factory hoods and any aftermarket fiberglass hood. You don't see the sheets of fiberglass cloth and you don't see the standard clear yellowish fiberglass resin that you might see inside of the hood scoops and various other mounting holes etc... Well I hope us getting side tracked about the specifics of the manufacturing process and materials only helps you identify the one you are buying. Sorry about hijacking your thread. And I wasn't trying to have a pissing match with you bro just trying to help him out.
Jeff

rsscoggins

Nope - it's all good

Thanks for the information - hopefully it is an OEM hood - it has been repainted so I am not sure if the plastic strips got removed. He did say the insert was with it. I will look for the markings above the shock tower

Thanks

Inspector12

iTrader: (29)

Under the shock mount lol!

rsscoggins

Aha - thanks for that - I was thinking above where the struts/shocks mount to the car. I forgot that these things had those gas shocks/struts for the hood.


Speaking of which - are these struts/shock for the hood mount the same?

AronZ28

iTrader: (2)

yall are full of crap, my hood is made of steel

retardedpenguin

iTrader: (2)

I am not sure about the SS hoods but with WS6 hoods you can just tell what is real and what is aftermarket.

Inspector12

iTrader: (29)

They use the same shocks.

rsscoggins

Got the hood - paint is an excellent match!! Now that's how a Z28 should have looked from the factory!!

Anyway, it did have the made in Canadian stamp and patent information as well as SMC stamped under the hood very close to the patent information.

I am in the process of doing the pain in the a$$ hood adjustments to get the gaps just right - sometimes I hate being a perfectionist.

Thanks for everyones help on this!

TechCam97

iTrader: (5)

Congrats on the hood! Regardless of what anyone calls it's composition, we all agree that factory hoods fit the best!