1984 IROC Z28 Camaro - 'Glass Lid
"Light makes right," the saying goes, and indeed, most guys who turn to fiberglass hoods are looking to rid their rides of a few extra pounds. There's nothing wrong with losing some weight, to be sure, but it's not the only reason for going with 'glass. These hoods are relatively easy to make, so they come in a variety of styles and cowl heights. We didn't want a huge cowl for our project '84 Z28, but we did need a bit of extra clearance, given that we'd installed a taller-than-stock intake manifold on the car's 305 (not to mention the nitrous plate we've got planned). And as we learned, the cowl arrangement also improves airflow through the engine bay, lowering engine temperature. We got on the horn to Year One and ordered up a 2-inch cowl induction fiberglass hood.
These hoods are available in both bolt-on and pin-on configurations, and we elected to go for the former. While this hood does indeed bolt on, we are talking fiberglass here, so some massaging is necessary to get the alignment just right. We headed over to Harrison Restorations, where head man Harrison Ortis and crew took the time to fit the new hood to our '84. If you recall, our car was hoodless after its last track excursion, but Ortis had an '87 IROC on hand for reference, and this proved invaluable when it came to creating a factorylike fit. The job may seem daunting, especially since there is some grinding to do, but it's mainly just a matter of working the extra-long edges of the hood until they match the factory contours. That's what Ortis did, and we ended up with a light, great-fitting hood that gives us the extra underhood clearance we were looking for. Check it out.
Quick Notes
The Job
Outfit a third-gen Camaro with a fiberglass cowl hood.
Bottom Line
A little time spent tailoring the lid to the car pays off with a first-class fit.
Cost (Approx)
$400

Photo Gallery: 1984 IROC Z28 Camaro - 'Glass Lid - Chevy High Performance



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