KDW

Hello
Can anyone tell me some details on aftermarket 442 hoods?
I ordered one from parts place and was not rear happy when it got to me. Dose Glass tech supple the Part Place, Tamraz, OPGI, LDR etc.
I have to fine another hood for my 72. Parts place hood won’t cut it…too many defects,I know Thornton’s is better just did not have 2400 in the budget.
Also there is another seller on eBay with hoods for 795 (dose not have a name on ad) out of Warminster, Pennsylvania has anyone ever used their hoods and if so what the quality. He clamis his are better than PP.
Any feedback would great

Vega

http://www.vfnfiberglass.com/site.htm

No 1st hand experience but ive heard good things about these guys. Thats where i'll be going when im ready for one

Allan R

Sorry to hear about the disappointment with the OAI you got. Yup, Glasstek is the supplier for all those guys. If you're looking for an alternative to them that provides a decent hood (several guys here have ordered from this supplier and are very impressed with quality and fit) check out Fiberconcepts: http://www.fiberpartsconcepts.com/1285404.html
Rob builds a good hood with metal inserts for the hood latch and springs. His price is higher (799 + shipping) than Parts Place, but way lower than Thorntons. Part number CHA-442 '71,'72 I believe that's the one you were referring to.

KDW

Hello

I’m going to give both Fiber Concepts and VFN a call in the am. I just feel so bad I stand to lose my shipping cost and a re-stock fee to Parts Place for a bad hood. I think it may be worth it and just spread the word if they are not going solve my problem.

I will fight it to the end

Thanks

archeryshooter

I have heard these guys parts are good stuff too ( vfn)

archeryshooter

TheNewGuy

I would be interested in buying the hood from the parts place.....if u want to sell

KDW

i belive that.

man you cars paint is nice tying to to get mine to that point.

KDW

ok too much wine after dinner

compedgemarine

I put one from the parts place on a customer car. the first they sent was broken when it arrived. the second may as well have been broken for all the work we did to make it fit. it still is not perfect and for all the work we did we could have bought a nicer quality hood and been ahead. I have a factory one for mine that I have to repair but I would rather spend time fixing a factory hood than dealing with the aftermarket ones.

Allan R

Parts Place is really not that bad to deal with. If you stay calm and polite, chances are they'll ship you another hood in exchange. The secret to good negotiating is to stay objective. Let them know the problem and offer to send pics of the defects to back your claim. I've never had trouble with them. Others who have had defective parts have posted really good reviews of how Parts Place helped them solve the problems. Stay calm and objective. Good luck; let us know how it turns out.

archeryshooter

I was very calm with them and they did not get back to me and I sent pictures of the carpet that was too short there was only 1/2 inch over lap with the rear I did not cut anything off it eather they told me they were waiting on a reply from the vendor I finally 2 weeks later called the vendor myself and they said no one had sent them pictures or talked to them about it so they sent me a replacement and it fit fine. After I already had the replacment 4 weeks after I first talked to the parts place they emailed me and said the vendor would not replace it. I did not even bother replying to them after they lied to me. I saved the emails if anyone doesnt believe me. I think theres no excuse for blowing off a customer the vendor was very helpful

RetroRanger

I have a parts place w-25 hood its fine its the cheapest w-25 hood availible, its of average quality in my opinion. If I had a significant or special car I would have bought a nicer hood, I have a decent condition 72 supreme the hood was $630 shipped to me...the next availible w-25 hood is ~$300 more after shipping. I assume it would be ~30% better, nicer etc. I think you get what you pay for in this instance.

PPs customer service is somewhat lacking. On the same order for the hood i was missing a part that was ~$300. I called to inquire as it wasnt on the invoice and no back order was mentioned and the guy who answered immediately said oh yeah those there on back order IDK when we will get them, call back next week ....but he sounded unreliably in his story plus the fact that it wasnt on my invoice so i replied back to the email I got from the shipping dept that my order had shipped. I mentioned I got my order and that part wasnt on the invoice or in the order...I got a reply email the next day that the item had shipped ???? so why was the guy on the phone telling me the part was BOd and to call back???

Allan R

You guys both raise some very good points. archery, I'm glad the vendor helped you out. Sorry to hear about the sucky service PP gave you. I'll think more carefully about referring them as I tabulate the feedback this site provides over time about their performance. I guess I've been lucky with them, no problems found - but I've not ordered large things like you have.

If I was PP, I would be very embarrassed by this kind of disservice to a customer.

FWIW, I've been trying to get them to pin down a date when their new W25 OAI 71/72 steel lined hood will be available. I've called them 2X and emailed at least 3. Each time it's the same answer - 'oh, we're working on that but don't know when it will be done'. Sure it's a polite email they send, and apologize for the fact they don't know yada yada yada.

That's been over the past 2 1/2 years they're still blowing the same answer to customers? I don't know why they list it in their catalogue if its not in production Oh, their price? - says to call. Go ahead and do it if you have some time to waste. If the hood turns out like the initial 1970 W25 one they built, I'll pass. BP1153T (1971 - 1972 Cutlass/442) W25 RAM AIR STEEL FRAME HOOD - COMES FIBERGLASS WITH STEEL FRAME AND SCREEN UNDERNEATH

So far those I've talked to who got a fibreconcepts hood have reported back very happy.....still not sure if I want to make that big investment on a hood though. By the time its all said and done with shipping, fitment, paint, hardware, it would be about 4000.00 here. And it just doesn't add any real value to my car.

archeryshooter

Im not out to bash but just telling the facts so fellow car guys know what can happen and yes I have a biz of my own and integrity is something I like to think we have and Im thankful of my customers and do the best I can to help them

Allan R

You sound like the kind of guy most of us would like to do business with. Someone with sound business ethics and knows the value of customer service. Do you mind me asking what kind of business you own?

Olds_71_442

I was curious too if Parts Place sold Glasstek hoods. Now I know the answer. I already knew Tamraz sold Glasstek hoods.

I also noticed VFN Fiberglass has the same price for their hoods as the Parts Place/Glasstek hood.

Allan R

When you've got basically the same product, it helps to stay competitive.

archeryshooter

Thanks
I am in the outdoor industry we sell archery products and have a fulltime taxidermy shop for over 22 yrs our web is bowhanger.com we sell to and support the national archery in the schools program (nasp) we also have dealers and sell off our site we have sold to many other country's other than the USA. I enjoy it very much.

Allan R

Well next time I post something, I'll have to add the line, "Don't shoot me, I'm only the messenger". Thank you for being a school supporter and helping kids develop skills that most of us don't have. Glad to hear you're one of those who loves their work. Makes life easier and time passes quicker too!

KDW

So I got a response from PP sales dept, I was not offered another hood, PP said (all of our hoods are the same !n if your unsatisfied seen it back) so now I have to seed it back, and pay for fright.

This sucks, I'm going to take a deep breather and seed this hood on it's way. I sent my money 3000 miles and didnt get offered another hood, just send it back is what they said. WOW I spent over 300 bucks shipping two and from to see a hood they claim are one of the best on the market.

learn from my mistake.

Long storie short I'm still in need of a 72 cutlass 442 rep or original hood.

Allan R

Sorry to hear. Check out the fibreconcepts one. Here's a link to one of the guys on this site who ordered one. Worth a scroll through. https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tml#post366657 Maybe you could get in touch with him for a direct Q&A about any issues to expect?

KDW

Thanks Allan R

archeryshooter

I would tell them to send a call tag you should not have to pay the shipping ether way sorry this happened to you report them to the better biz Good luck hope it works out

RetroRanger

KDW

you never stated what was wrong w your hood. What is it that made you so disatisfied ??

and theres this option from above

Olds_71_442

Ok....that's what I was hinting at....whether or not it was a better quality hood. Of these cheaper hoods (compared to Thornton's that is) would the Fiberconcepts hood be the way to go?

Allan R

I've looked at lots of fibreglass W25 hoods. Obviously you have to ask yourself what you really want and what you're willing to pay. I don't think there is any fibreglass hood made that is perfect - even Thornton or OEM. They will all have some degree of flaw that needs fixing.

Best way I can answer your question is this: If I was buying a W25 hood, I cannot afford Thorntons. I've read good reviews about fiber concepts. I've heard from folks who have bought them. For the money and quality I've heard? I'd buy one myself.

KDW

I understand they are all going to need something, this was coming apart in the front were they just put rtv sealer to combine upper and lower panal. Thats a problem for me. The scoop area was very very jagged, I was going to have to add fiberglass etc

Allan R

It should have been bonded with something stronger than RTV. I think you'll find most of the scoop openings on the jagged side even from fiber concepts. Just that their initial fit and finish seem a lot better. Smoothing out the openings of the hood scoop isn't that big a problem. If you look closely at the pics that Boondocker posted, the hood is finished very nicely but still needs a little smoothing on those air scoops. Keep in touch with him. He can answer questions about the hood best because he has it. I think Thorntons arrive perfect, but for almost 2500.00 they better!

FWIW, you can get ahold of Rob from Fiber concepts. He is more than willing to give you contacts of customers who have bought his product and will endorse it.

I almost forgot about this. Another member here ah64pilot recently put a W25 VFN hood on his car. Here is the thread for his build. I've linked you directly to the pic of it fitted on the car. https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tml#post305704 He is another guy who's completed his build. You could touch base with him too if you have detail questions about quality, fit and satisfaction.

Olds_71_442

How did it fit on your car? Or did you try to see if it would fit.

The reason I ask this, there's a body man around here who has a '72 Camaro and he bought an aftermarket fiberglass hood with a big cowl. It didn't fit his car because it was slightly buckled in the middle, causing it to be too high above the rest of the front clip. He got other fibreglass repairmen to work on it, but there was nothing they could do to make it fit. He ended up buying one from Year One for $1100. (this was 4 or 5 years ago.)

Olds_71_442

I've been examining the hoods and the VFN hood has a slightly different contour around the outside of the scoops. It has the bump in the hood like the hoods with the fake louver. Thornton's and Fiber Concepts don't have that bump.

Here's the differences.....


Fiberconcepts


VFN


Thornton

I wonder what style Glasstek is using? I haven't really noticed their style yet. Does anyone here have any pictures of their Glasstek hoods?

beebee78

Mines a Glasstek had to do some tweaking but turned out well.

ah64pilot

VFN ALL THE WAY!!! Great product, great customer service, MILITARY Discount and the fit was almost perfect. You have to keep in mind that every fiberglass aftermarket hood is going to require work. What you want to look for is that the hood is straight, the scoops are even, and the finish surface is smooth.

Here's a list of what the body shop / I did to mine to make it perfect:
1. Front left (DS) corner was brought up less than 1/8" to match up to fender
2. Ram Air opening was cut to proper shape (they all come closed or almost closed)
3. Hood latch opening was cut and reinforced with hood latch cut from stock hood
4. Hood pin holes were drilled for stock type hood pins
5. After paint, I did a little dremel work around grill opening to get grill trim to fit perfectly

These things are going to be mandatory on almost any aftermarket fiberglass hood. But if you have a good body man or are good at this type of stuff it will look flawless in the end. I am very happy with mine.

Olds_71_442

Did you have to use the lighter hood springs, or did you use the factory original springs?

RetroRanger

I have the glasstek from PP I got the lighter weight hood springs from PP too. With the lighter springs the w-25 hood opens and closes exactly like the steel hood w heavier springs....I was very happy with how the springs work w the hood....IDT the original springs would work w the w-25 hood

coppercutlass

Btw i live near both vfn and glasstek and know a former employee who i now work with from vfn. It's pretty much the same molds people who worked for vfn started glasstek . I have seen some bad stuff from vfn and some nice. I like glasstek my whole front end is fiberglass and most people would not know unless im idleing and the fenders are shaking lol. If you grab two hoods and compare them they will vary greatly. Molds shift materials shrink diffently etc. with fiberglass it's sometimes hit or miss.

beebee78

Mine came with the light springs,opens and closes like factory !

WTony

I can personally say that the Fiberconcepts hood is the way to go. I bought one of Robs first 70 hoods and it fit my 69 pretty good. Since then they have made upgrades to the hood.
I still talk to him regularly because he is the guy making the bodies to my 69 HO ram air top cans for me.
He's a good guy that stands behind his product. If somethings wrong, he'll make it right for you, one way or another.

Olds_71_442

Do the lighter springs automatically come with the hood? Or do you have to order them separate?

I've been looking at the Parts Place W30 appearance kit. I'd like to have all those things except for the red inner fenders. Buying each separately (minus the red inner fenders) would cost as much or more, so I may as well go with the package deal.

WTony

From what Im told, they dont come with the hood if ordered seperatly. But I have a set of them in my tool box if you need them. I'll trade you for your stock springs.