55-57 Thunderbird - Have you seen an attractive non-stock hood scoop?

I'm contemplating an engine swap in an early T-bird that would require making more clearance for the induction system. I don't remember ever seeing a hood scoop installed on one that looked good, other than the original T-bird scoop which is of course beautiful. I HAVE seen some really ugly ones and I'm stuck on this - I can't picture the car finished with a good look other than a stock hood or a hole in the hood with injectors etc. sticking out. Can anyone offer an example? Here's a bad one, looks like the stock scoop raised up.

 

Chrisman built an injected 454ci Chrysler Hemi-powered '55 Tbird years ago. The injectors were the type that "laid across" the lifter valley instead of standing straight up. The front two stacks were shorter than the rest to clear the stock hood. However, the magneto/fuel pump required a small bubble formed in the back of the stock scoop for clearance. Looked really stealthy, most wouldn't notice it until pointed out. Any chance you can do something similar?

 

Thunderbolt hood scoop would be period correct for a 60's Ford.

 

I have always liked the '69 Javelin AMX Scoop.











http://www.showcars-bodyparts.com/amxjavelin.html

 

Would you happen to have a side view of that? specifically the pipes...

 

Are you talking about the Trendsetter side pipes on the AMX?

Check Here v

http://www.amx-perience.com/Sidewinders.pdf

 

How much clearance do you need? We had one at the T-bird shop I used to work at, someone made the stock scoop longer but not taller and it still used the same chrome trim, it was pretty difficult to notice.

If you need some gigantic hood scoop to cover the motor, then I personally would rethink the induction and motor mount placement. A Thunderbolt teardrop or a cowl induction would look ghastly on an early Bird.

 

I personally dont think anything but a stock hood or injectors would look good on one...just not the car for it.

 

Please don't stick some fugly hood scoop on an early 'bird.
Instead of hacking up a hood,why not go without?

 

I'd love to, but PA requires a hood. Technically you can't even stick the air cleaner out. I want to do a hemi w/ 2-4s and I'm pretty sure it won't clear. The longer scoop is a good idea, but that car in my first post really turned me off to the idea of modifying the stock scoop. Maybe longer will be enough without raising it.

Here's a longer scoop, maybe one not quite this long would work.

 

Maybe if ya gave us an idea of how much more height you're going to need, we might be able to envision something that would look nice - if your 2x4s are going to be on a highrise or tunnel ram, the solution will be a little uglier than a simple dual-plane.
How about a 67 GT500 style scoop? Those are certainly "Ford" oriented and they're not that bad looking compared to a mailbox.

Many years ago when I was at Boeing, there was a guy with a lovely 57 Vette - he made a big old lunchbox-sized aluminum box for the center of the hood. I don't think I was ever more dissappointed in a 'vette owner.

dj

 

No sir- the Tbird...

 

Those are hard cars to improve upon. Maybe as was suggested, a little longer, or just scale up a stock one. But NOT like that thing above.

 

only the orignal will look right. most any other will suck.

 

I think they look pretty good hoodless

 

Hey! What happened to the flames?

 

What do you think about the side pipes in the second pic, R?

 

MAN, that throws the lines of a beautiful car off big time!!!

 

Go to BDS Blowers website, the click on dealers. A lot of the dealers carry unique and large inventtory of scoops.

 

My friend Bill has a 55. He has had it since 1960, in the late 60's he put a 390 and a 4 speed in it and it has been in it ever since. It is running dual quads under the stock hood. Why do you think you need to do a different hood with some kind of scoop?

 

Thanks for the 2nd pic!

 

This is what I want to use



I don't have one to measure but I'm sure these are taller than Y-blocks. Just looking at the photo and a 440 dummy block here makes me think the manifold carb mounting surface comes to about where the top of the carb is on a 312. I don't want the bellhousing lower than stock because the car will sit low. I don't want to cripple it with an inappropriate manifold, if this isn't a fast car it's not interesting to me. Even a single dominator would be as high as this. And don't suggest hopping up a Y-block please. It's either this or a SOHC - I don't have 5 years to spend building a motor plus I've always wanted to put a hemi in something so this is my choice. No other Ford motor would suffice except possibly a Boss 429 and that's another science project I'm not up for.

If the hemi doesn't fit and look good, the project will take a completely different turn. I'm just not going to put a BBC in it but I need a raceable easily maintained (meaning parts are available) powerplant of 500+ CI. The huge engine compartment of a 'bird is just begging for a hemi plus it wasn't that unusual to see an early hemi in one back when.

 

A sohc engine would be my choice BUT you didn't ask me.
A shop here built a 57 bird…Stock appearing on the outside with a dual quad hemi underneath.
They cut the front cross member away and changed the steering around. It was very clean. Hood was unchanged, The owner (in Florida) likes hemis and claimed to just want to piss off tbird owners.
Didn't bother me, his car, his money, I woulda went with a SOHC, but it's not my money! hehe

 

Oohh! Oohh! Got any photos?

 

I always liked how the " Tear Drop or Thunderbolt " hood scoop looked . My brother in law had one on his 65 Mustang & Looked real good ! Though about one for my 55 Ford Fairlane but not sure if it would look good or not .

 

I think one of the guys on here with the great skills of photoshop could give you a good idea. At first thought it didn't sound good, but once you see it it may be more appealing

 

ive got a 56 in my shop right now with a 98 cammer svt cobra motor in it.... absolutely insane setup

 

Put a dang Ford hemi in there. Kaase out did everyone in total horsepower in the 2008 Popular Hot Rodding Engine Masters challenge with this.......




Kaase has this as a whole top end that will bolt on production blocks. Full crate Bosses will be available by summer I'm told.

 

Here is my project, close but will fit, a tribute to the Cannon Chrisman 55 Bird on the cover of Hot Rod Mag Jan 1958, this was a couple weeks ago, should have ready for some feature photos for Hot Rod Deluxe at the Winternationals in Pomona