89Warbird

I have debated posting this now for some time. But I keep getting comments on how great my car looks EXCEPT for the hood. I bought a Ram Air II hood from the original makers of this hood years ago and as you can see it fit perfectly. After my son tangled with a deer in my car I had to get a new one. I got it from Hawks and it just doesn't fit right. I used the same body shop that had the same body man do the work. We did everything Hawks suggested to get it to fit properly and it doesn't. Hawks admitted they have a quality control problem saying some hoods they themselves can install in an hour and others take a day and a half to get to fit right. Well, I think some never fit right, because mine doesn't. I have spent a LOT of money on this car and it just sucks to have it ruined by this POS hood. Hawks blames the body shop for improper installation and has refused any further discussion of the problem. As you can tell their is no way the hood can be made to fit properly, it simply has the wrong curvature at the front. I have taken it to 3 other body shops and they all say the same thing, the hood is the problem, not the installation. The old hood has the yellow Pontiac Arrowhead, the new hood has the GTA emblem. I forgot to reset the date on the camera so ignore that.
I hate to say anything bad about a board sponsor and Hawks has done good by me on a lot of other stuff, just not this hood. So, I suggest another vendor for this hood.

Twin_Turbo

iTrader: (25)

How can a body shop mess up the curvature on the front of the hood? Either the mold is wrong or it was pulled from the mold too soon and warped. Looks like crap indeed. Sort of the same warped POS that I recieved (high rise spoiler)

Edwardgp

That's just wrong they should take care of that!

mrrman

I like the original hood alot better

BlackBandit007

It does look way off!

heat seeker

iTrader: (5)

Re-locate the hood spring and that will might fix your problem. Mine used to do the same thing, and then I realized the location of the factory spring, for the RAM AIR II hoods, does not work. There's a weak point between the nose and the body of the hood and the spring is actually causing the front of your hood to push up, therefore it won't sit flush.

Here's a picture of where my spring now hits.....that black circle with the bolt in it is the new location. I didn't even drill any holes in the hood.....I'll get a picture tomorrow of the location of my spring underneath the hood.

Guest

It looks like crap period. Even with the old "good" hood it looked like crap. Ram Air is just ugly as sin on anything but a 4th gen Firebird. How 'bout taking off the hood, leaving the engine exposed, and that will look better.

heat seeker

iTrader: (5)

You seem very bitter.....cheer up buddy!

DeltaElite121

Why didn't you take pictures BEFORE anything was done to the hood and send it to them? Most fiberglass hoods need prepwork before a clean fit, but you can easily eyeball your hood and tell it wasn't made right.

Jeffs82TA

iTrader: (1)

Your body shop is the problem or that deer messed up more then what was replaced. Look at your fist picture, bumper cover doesn't line up with either fender, doesn't line up with headlight bezels, parking lights either. right headlight also looks more level then it should be and right hood bumper try to adjust out to get the hood to line up with contour of fender. Raise the hood latch pan then raise the center of bumper cover adjusting bolts. Then deal with the hood.

Recaro trans am

iTrader: (1)

I hate Hawks fiberglass products, Period! You can see my post about there horrible areo wing.
But with that said have you considered something maybe off with the front end of the car? You said your son hit a deer? I know I had to fully adjust my front end of the car to get the fiberglass hood I had to fit perfectly.

TheMonster

I got a hood about 2 years ago, and i've been disappointed since I got it. Warped pretty bad and even with hoodpins I can't make it look good. Thinking about putting the original hood back on, but i'll never get my $400+ back.

WolfmanTA

Hi Bro! I had a hard time getting mine to fit also. But It fits pretty good now. Don't know where mine was bought from. Got it used off Kijiji local pick up for a great price $350 Cash. Cars ready for the paint job now. Cheers...

86firebird350

Is this just an issue with their RAII hood or all their fiberglass hoods. I'm looking into purchasing a RAI hood and was going to get it from Hawks but if it's not going to fit right, I'll find somewhere else to purchase it.

WolfmanTA

Here is a pic of my Ram Air Hood painted. Looks Sweet!...

89Warbird

The bumper cover is raised as per Hawks instructions. They said to shave the ends down to get the curvature to match, that is why the bumper cover ends are above the fender lines. If it was properly located it would be a bigger gap. I told the body shop not to shave the ends as I'm considering buying another hood from a different maker. The bumper cover was a used one since I couldn't get a new one so it wasn't perfect, resulting in the headlight differences. but it is obvious this hood is not right.

89Warbird

All I can tell you is this is the problem with this hood.

89Warbird

Send me a photo of the underside of the hood so I can see how you modified it. I don't see how this will work, but I'll give it a try.

89Warbird

Very nice looking!

ThirdGen1984

iTrader: (1)

Anyone selling their RAII hood for a Camaro? I' m looking for one, pm me if you have one