When you take your car/truck to your local car show, do you leave the hood up or down? I like the hood down, to really appreciate the cars lines.... yet if you have the hood up, it allows people to see the detailing, fabrication you have done. And for me, the car has to have a nicely detailed engine, engine compartment to complete the overall look.
Always down and if having a conversation with someone regarding my drivetrain and they ask to see it I pop the hood. After the person checks it out and leaves I then close my hood again.
Hot rod-hood up Custom-hood down OR do what you want. I usually assume that if the hood is closed it is really ugly under there.
hood down. Hood up looks like a buncha damn alligators at feeding time. Not to mention it keeps idiots from dicking with your stuff.
most of the little local shaows we hit,require the hood and trunk to be open. so we comply.it's their show...and after all,it's not a national biggy.
Down, 'cause I never, ever, ever detail an engine! If somebody asks, I'll show it. If they don't like dust, oil stains and non Armor-All'd hoses, too bad.
Up / Down it's all good what ever the show ask for. But I do agree it looks better and makes nicer pics if it is down.
Hot rods, the hood could be up or down. Customs,down,down,down!!! I never get when people have a custom and they show it with the hood up. It annoys me. Customs are about the lines of the car. Not the engine( yes I know you could despute that if you look at the cars being built in the 30s and 40s that were to become known as customs, but were originaly raced at the flats)
I just hate to have my hood and trunk open because I designed the car as a complete unit so the lines of the car "flow". That being said, "If you are interested in having your car judged and possibly be in the winners circle you need to have ALL doors, hood and trunk open. The reason is that you get points for each area that can be judged. Even if you have a cruddy engine compartment (trunk,interior,etc), you get at least a couple of points but with the hood/other areas closed, you get a big fat ZERO. Less points, less chance of a win. Get it?" Peace, Chaz
Closed. If the show happens to be judged, I'll open it for them, then close it up. I don't trust people at shows. Things tend to grow legs and walk off.
I don't do engine detailing,and mines a kustom,so definately down.although I do appreciate a kool mill. Paul
Closed. I don't want all the ugly to get out. Seriously...as much as I love to see a detailed engine compartment, interior, or trunk...I prefer to see cars displayed with everything closed.
After spending all that money on my billet engine accessories I want to show them off. With my last name ball milled into the valve covers it shows who owns my vehicle. Total pride! simmer down.... I never open my hood.....nothing worth looking at in there.....
I hate the way our roadster looks with the hood off so I'll leave it on unless somebody specifically asks to see the flathead. As for our '47 Mercury, the hood supports are kinda weak so to avoid any one getting hit on the head the hood stays closed.
hood down good. Hood up means problems. JUDGE? what has your car done to need a judge? does it need a lawyer?
The 32 doesn't HAVE a hood...the 55 in my Avitar needs to have the hood open because of the WOW factor. It's only a '55 DeSoto anyway...
Amen. Only exception is when I'm trying to sell a car. I have never really understood the whole outdoor car show/rod run thing. Somehow my paying an entry fee ($10-60) to park my car so that other people, who most often get to walk around for free (does not include Goodguys/NSRA type shows) can look at it while I waste most of an entire day trapped on some parking lot or side street. I'm most likely anti-social. Indoor shows are great! I get them. All about showing off the bling. Outdoors is for driving.
Hood down for sure. I also try to keep all the clutter away from the car too. Like fold up chairs,ice chest,BBQ grills etc. There is always somebody out at there taking pictures.You could miss photo opportunities from these big well known magazines to the small just because of that.
Some hotrods are built around the engine. Ya got a old Ford with Ardun heads, a blower, and 6 97's on top? What do you think? I guess it depends on where you keep your ego. Larry T
To me, a car is not complete if the engine compartment is a mess. This hobby is about craftsmanship of mechanical things and the engine compartment counts. I generally open my hood, but I agree that it takes away something from the overall exterior lines.
Down. Like HRLC says, if somebody wants to see what I have under the hood I'll raise it, then it goes back down. Later, Dick
Oh you struck a NERVE on that one!!!!!!!!!! NOTHING bugs me more that open hoods at car shows! I'm at a show to look at the lines and fit of doors, trunk lid, and hood. If I want to look under the hood I'll ask the owner. The open hood deal is a Post 1949 deal in most cases, go to Hershey and it looks like feeding time at the crocodile pit at the zoo.
Paying for the priviledge to let someone else look at my car never appealed to me so when you say "show" I equate that to going up to the local burger joint and grabbin' some 50's diner food while checkin' out some cool stuff. I much prefer the hood down & seeing how many people will totally ignore my car since it's not one of the big 3 - to be honest I prefer it that way. I think it's far more fun to see that one or two guys who notice "somethin' just ain't right with that car" and they take a closer look. I have no wheel wells and when they squat down to see in there the expressions are great - they tug on their buddy's arm and make them crawl down and see for themselves. As an added bonus it's always these guys who end up being pretty darn sharp and are a pleasure to BS with. Alotta times - it saves alot of grief for me - those who drive something a little different might understand that comment better than some others. Hey whatever floats your boat - I prefer no hood at all depending on the car!!!
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