QwkTrip

iTrader: (22)

http://www.fiberpartsconcepts.com/1289627.html

I see this company is selling an IMSA hood. What do you guys know about this company and their products?

HAWKSthirdgenparts --> *hint hint* Make a Firebird Sunoco hood already, would you! These cars are 20+ years old now. What are you waiting for??? Every other Firebird cowl hood out there looks like **** on the car. It couldn't be an easier opportunity for you.

Orinackra

wait wait wait..... I think the real question is... did you find a way to get that monster motor under your stock hood? I seem to remember you cutting a hole in it... or that why you're looking at the IMSA hoods?

wgripp

iTrader: (1)

is there a better pic of that hood?

QwkTrip

iTrader: (22)

No other pictures that I've seen. That company makes almost no effort to advertise and make a sale. I called them a year ago and they did not make the hood. I asked what timeline it will be available and they just told me to check back occasionally. That's what I call zero initiative and accountability.

I haven't called back recently to see if they really are making the hood now. But the picture is different and better (if you can believe that) from a year ago, so that might indicate progress. But I still wonder if they take as little care in making the hood as they do talking to customers.

QwkTrip

iTrader: (22)

Anybody else have experience with this company?

bullzz

iTrader: (2)

I just ordered one today so I will let you know how it turns out when I get it in a couple of weeks. I left them a voicemail and they called me back promptly. I am happy with their service so far.

Tempest22

I have one of their 4in cowl hoods on my Camaro. I've had no problems with it and its been a little over two years. They don't advertise much but they do go to a lot of the swap meets around me, Carlisle, Englishtown etc.

84imsa

I'm anxious to see how this deal turns out. I'm all the way across the Pacific Ocean but would really like to have one of these. I've done the math. Cost plus shipping is about the same as making a mould and making one here, assuming we get it right the first time.

Best wishes!

bullzz

iTrader: (2)

I picked up the hood and test fit it prior to sending it off for painting, and I must say the fitment was close to perfect. I have a little gap on the passenger side, but its nothing that adjusting the hinges wont fix. I will post pics when I get the hood back from the shop next week.

84imsa

Thanks for the update. Did you manage to weigh it before having it installed? I just weighed the steel hood of my 84 and it's a hefty 53 lbs! VFN Fiberglass shows weights for their flat hoods at 12 lbs for the pin-on and 18 lbs for the hinged version.

I'm looking forward to your pics!

Bullydawg

iTrader: (7)

I'm looking forward to seeing a pic also! I really like the isma hoods.

//<86TA>\\

iTrader: (14)

i would like to see too, im interested in getting this hood as well.

where in jersey are you bullzz?

bullzz

iTrader: (2)

The hood turned out to be a PITA to get adjusted. Getting the passenger gap somewhat alligned was not as easy as I thought it would be. I wasnt able to get it to fit as nicely as the stock hood. I had to modify the hinges (still work in progress) to allow for more allignment room, and I had to remove the front hood spring. The hood was pushed too high in the front with the spring on.

I ended up putting weatherstripping to camaflouge the gap and prevent excess water from getting in. Will tweak it some more when the weather gets better.

TransAM Joe

iTrader: (6)

To answer the OP question, there quality is excellent, I have there IMSA hood and couldn't be happier, fit was very close out of the box, very minimal prep and finished both sides was flawless. I consistently work with fiberglass for a living and just about every hood I owned is not to the quality of these, Cervini is probably the only exception, but at twice the price.

Yes they are a small company (like myself) and don't spend a lot of money on advertising, car shows mainly because they let there customers advertise for them and judging by the quality of product, they got the best PR you can get: satisfied customers.

Never had a problem getting a hold of them and usually talk to Rob, very friendly, informative and has a genuine interest in making sure you are happy with your purchase. Loves to hear customer feedback, hence why they are the only company making this hood.

Weighs about 30lbs., 3 layers of fiberglass but you don't have to worry about the hood breaking at the hinge mounts or don't have to pin down, they are made stout.

JordanStoltz87

I know this thread is a bit old but do they still offer this hood? I'd really like to get one. Looks beautiful by the way Bullzz!

IMissMy86TA

I remember back in 83 when I was 16 wanting one for my camaro SC but I have since matured it was a v6 too.. lol now if I had a race car and needed the extra room that would be different story.

JordanStoltz87

I just need something that'll fit over my engine, I just added a new nitrous plate and 750 carb and it doesn't even come close to fitting under the hood anymore. I'm not big on regular cowls, so I'm hoping they still offer the 3" IMSA. I emailed them yesterday to see if they do.

firechicken_3

iTrader: (4)

Im interested in this also.

firechicken_3

iTrader: (4)

So did you hear anything?

JordanStoltz87

Still hasn't gotten back to me yet, they don't have very good customer service. But they are a small company.

JordanStoltz87

Rob finally got back to me, Said his email listed my message in his spam folder and that he was away for the holidays so he didn't catch it fast. Seems like a stand up guy, things happen.

Anyway, They do still make the hood but he says they make them from fresh molds and don't keep any in stock, so the wait is about 3 weeks for one at $500 + Shipping. Which doesn't sound bad considering the work involved.

firechicken_3

iTrader: (4)

Thanks for letting us know, I ran a shipping qoute and was a little shocked but it is a large odd sized package that moves by truck freight so i really shouldnt be

JordanStoltz87

I was too scared to get a quote, didn't want to see the damage just yet. Haha

firechicken_3

iTrader: (4)

$200ish to a business location, $270 to residential for me. Plus crating fee of like $65

JordanStoltz87

Yikes! That's a little up there, isn't it?

firechicken_3

iTrader: (4)

It is spendy no doubt but probably realistic. You and I both know we couldnt drive there and back with it for less. LTL truck freight isn't cheap unless you are shipping large volumes. I had a complete t56 swap shipped to me via ABF 4-5 years ago I believe I paid about $150-$175 but I picked up at a local terminal and it was all secured to a standard large pallet.


The weight with a hood isn't the cost its the abnormal size package. you are going to take 2 pallet spaces no matter how you stand the thing up. If we were closer together it might make sense to order 2 shipped together, I would almost bet you could get a steep discount on shipping for the second one because its just going to occupy otherwise dead space on the truck.

firechicken_3

iTrader: (4)

Does anyone have a picture of the underside of this hood? I'm still trying to get my act together enough to do bodywork on my car and this hood was going to be involved but a response from the company says there really isnt any extra room under the hood??? Is the cowl bulge all just dead space due to their design?

LAFireboyd

iTrader: (3)

Over in the History/Originality forum, there's an old, currently-revived thread entitled, "Trans Am Police Interceptor." Within that thread, someone has posted a pic of a DARE Firebird, and that car appears to have an ISMA hood on it, which nobody mentioned or noticed. But posting about the hood, alone, in that thread, might be a bit off-topic, so I saved the pic, and I've posted here, in this old, currently-revived thread.

QwkTrip

iTrader: (22)

Linking this thread with great pictures.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/body...-make-2-a.html

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

Hmmm...a little disappointing on the fit with both of the car pictured in this thread. But it's seems to be asking a lot to get a glass hood with the fit and finish of a steel one.

LAFireboyd

iTrader: (3)

This is the thread I was talking about in that other thread. So Fiber Concepts has been offering this throughout the last decade.

The deterrent for a lot of people will be the shipping cost. There's a shipping calculator on FC's website, then they state to take, IIRC, a 70% discount off of the calculated rate. So if I did it correctly, then it's still cheaper for me to drive from the west coast to PA to pick up the hood, than to have it shipped. So if someone is close enough that it's feasible for them to pick it up, then that would be the way to do it.

You asked your question 4 years ago, but your previous question was 6 years ago! Maybe you're still interested? Better late, than never, I guess.