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Projects How do you make a 55 chevy hood look good without the ornament?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 42hotrod, Oct 19, 2010.

  1. 42hotrod
    Joined: Nov 3, 2005
    Posts: 811

    42hotrod
    Member
    from S.E. Idaho

    I want to get rid of the hood ornament on my 55 chevy, I was wondering what everyone else did to make the hood detail line look right without it? I am considering hand forming a small piece of metal the contour of the detail line and cutting out that section of the hood. Its going to be a gasser style car.

    Thanks,

    Scot
     
  2. LANCE-SPEED
    Joined: Aug 10, 2006
    Posts: 2,259

    LANCE-SPEED
    Member

    i did one before, I cut to hump around the ornament out and the whole hood fell(I cut out its structure) and it looked killer, built up a peak and done. It was on a custom so I dont know how it would look an a gasser?
     
  3. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,939

    squirrel
    Member

    The inner support structure that holds the latch is attached to the hood by some of the bird attaching studs. It will take some modification to that too. If you have switched it over to a tilt front end or hood pins that's probably not an issue.

    I wonder what I did with the piece I cut out of my hood? probably gave it away years ago...
     
  4. 29nash
    Joined: Nov 6, 2008
    Posts: 4,544

    29nash
    BANNED
    from colorado

    Smoothe, flat black.
     

  5. 42hotrod
    Joined: Nov 3, 2005
    Posts: 811

    42hotrod
    Member
    from S.E. Idaho

    I see 99% of the racecar 55's don't have the ornament so I just want it to look good without.

    I'll probably just cut out the hump and fab my own detail line then unless there are any other better suggestions?
     
  6. Francisco Plumbero
    Joined: May 6, 2010
    Posts: 2,533

    Francisco Plumbero
    Member
    from il.

    The bird is the best part, why not be in the 1% minority and keep the bird, those other guys are f glass front ended. Save the bird!
     
  7. 42hotrod
    Joined: Nov 3, 2005
    Posts: 811

    42hotrod
    Member
    from S.E. Idaho

    Here is where I'm at now:
    The car is getting a 454, fenderwell headers, etc...
    Before I radiused the wheelwells:
    [​IMG]

    Radiused wheelwells with fabricated lip from steel tubing and a lot of welding :D


    [​IMG]

    Latest pic, it will be going into the shop again as soon as I finish a customer paint job then I'll work on it all winter. I WILL have it on the road this spring!!

    Needs rear wheels and tired BAD, the wheelwells look huge now...heh

    [​IMG]
     
  8. 42hotrod
    Joined: Nov 3, 2005
    Posts: 811

    42hotrod
    Member
    from S.E. Idaho

    So...... to bird or not to bird, that is the question.
     
  9. Larry T
    Joined: Nov 24, 2004
    Posts: 7,875

    Larry T
    Member

    To quote an old racer friend of mine. "If you don't know whether to leave a part on your racecar or not, throw it up in the air. If it comes back down leave it off, it's too heavy."
    Larry T
     
  10. 42hotrod
    Joined: Nov 3, 2005
    Posts: 811

    42hotrod
    Member
    from S.E. Idaho

  11. customcory
    Joined: Apr 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,831

    customcory
    Member

    Somebody already did a good thread on doing a 56, but you would have to look for it.
     
  12. Francisco Plumbero
    Joined: May 6, 2010
    Posts: 2,533

    Francisco Plumbero
    Member
    from il.

    I'm so torn, the car had really clean quarters, it looked good before it looks good now, still would keep the bird.
     
  13. JeffB2
    Joined: Dec 18, 2006
    Posts: 9,484

    JeffB2
    Member
    from Phoenix,AZ

    "The Bird is the Word"
     
  14. 42hotrod
    Joined: Nov 3, 2005
    Posts: 811

    42hotrod
    Member
    from S.E. Idaho

    You must have missed the giant rust hole right in the front of the wheelwell in the first pic. :D this is probably THE rustiest car I have EVER worked on next to my 4 door parts car I cut up.

    Here is how far I cut it up chasing a bad cowl and rust!!

    Take a look at the floors too,

    [​IMG]

    Here is what was left of the cowl, windshield posts and dash I removed from the car:

    [​IMG]

    Here it is with the 4 door donor cowl welded back in:

    [​IMG]
     
  15. Torkwrench
    Joined: Jan 28, 2005
    Posts: 2,713

    Torkwrench
    Member

    I don't have any close ups of the hood, but here are a couple of pics of my 55. Basically, the mounting holes for the hood bird and the emblem were welded up. Then the hood was smoothed off, without any cutting.

    The original rib down the center of the hood is unmodified. The area where the rib flares out to mount the bird has been smoothed off, with a slight convex shape.

    If I wanted to put the bird and emblems back on, all that would have to be done is clean out the filler and redrill the mounting holes.
     

    Attached Files:

  16. 33hotrod
    Joined: Apr 21, 2007
    Posts: 103

    33hotrod
    Member

    Looks soooooooooo kool without the bird!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     
  17. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    Lots of 'doubters' hereabouts. I say "Give 'em the BIRD!" Go ahead, finger it out.
     
  18. I've got a "Bull nose" on mine. I found it at a swap meet 30 some years ago. It's old and crusty now, and I don't know if you can still find them but it's an easy way to get away from "the bird".
    It bolts up to the factory holes but is less obtrusive.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  19. shoebox1950
    Joined: Jul 17, 2008
    Posts: 1,216

    shoebox1950
    Member
    from California

    holy cow you really put some work into that Chevy! Looks good. I was gonna say ditch the bird until i saw that neat bullnose...bet they're hard to find though. Removing the bird platform isn't as easy as it looks on these...
     
  20. 55driver
    Joined: Dec 7, 2008
    Posts: 130

    55driver
    Member

    My painter did this a few years ago. He said he bent a piece of sheet metal over the edge of a 2X4 to match the hood crease. I like it! 22407.jpg 22407a.jpg 31707b.jpg
     
    Last edited: May 22, 2014
  21. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,939

    squirrel
    Member

    You could make your own bullnose, too.
     
  22. 42hotrod
    Joined: Nov 3, 2005
    Posts: 811

    42hotrod
    Member
    from S.E. Idaho

    Thats the method I was thinking of, wow that looks sharp!
     

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