Dumb like me? If so, here's how to fix your Unlimited products FG hood

[67dartgt]

So, if you folks ever decide to be dumb like me, here's how to fix your Unlimited Products fiberglass hood.

Let's start with the story of a wide eyed boy who's xmas morning came one day when his fancy unlimited products fiberglass hood showed up. He tore into the box like a youngster on caffeine and crack, and proceeded to test fitting the hood right away. To his dismay, he discovered that the back of the hood would hit on the cowl (I think that's what the part of the car is called between the windshield and the hood) when opening and closing. "Well," thought the young man, "it must be the wide ridge that drops down at the back of the hood. The steel hood didn't have this. It indented so that it would miss." So with lots of cutting and sanding and testing fitting, OH MY! the young man kept at, until it dawned on him that it was NOT the depth of the border of the back of the hood, but the fact that the hood was sagging in the middle and not matching the actual body lines that was causing the problem.

The F'n hood was sagging, as evidenced by the pics below. The red line was drawn in by MS paint to show the corner of the cowl.....being black it was hard to distinguish it.

[67dartgt]

Ingredients needed:

1. Unlimited Products Fiberglass Hood
2. Fiberglass resin
3. Aluminum tubing
4. Fiberglass matte

All of the appropriate safety stuff.

[67dartgt]

Now, let's bend the fiberglass tubing so that it matches the curve of the original steel hood. Then cut it to length, none of which I took pictures of, because again....I'm dumb.

Now, mark out the place on the hood that needs to be cut out.

[67dartgt]

Keep in mind that I'm only cutting out the very under layer of this support. the layer that fakes the original steel underside support of the hood. Like so:

[BBLM23]

I added a hood bumper...

[flyboy01]

Is it a lift off? Its pretty common with those, you will have build a brace and glass it in, or you can use a ton of dzus fasteners and brackets.

[67dartgt]

I added a hood bumper...

Oh, now see? Maybe I should have come here first.......good idea! Much better and less labor intensive that what I'm doing.

[67dartgt]

Then, I glassed in my newly curved aluminum tubing. Ta-daaa! How pretty!

[67dartgt]

Is it a lift off? Its pretty common with those, you will have build a brace and glass it in, or you can use a ton of dzus fasteners and brackets.

it's not a lift off. it's bolt on.

Also, like how I pulled the hood up to make it curve? Nice little tow strap. 

[67dartgt]

Did it work? Well, it's close enough for me!

[flyboy01]

Is it a lift off? Its pretty common with those, you will have build a brace and glass it in, or you can use a ton of dzus fasteners and brackets.

it's not a lift off. it's bolt on.

Also, like how I pulled the hood up to make it curve? Nice little tow strap. 

Don't take this the wrong way, but that is a nasty piece of glasswork, not yours, theirs! I have seen a few different brands over the years, AAR has to rate as the best, Unlimited tends to be pretty shoddy.

I actually did the same with a strap and a come-along to bend my trunk lid back into shape after somebody's big fat ass sat on it.

[67dartgt]

Oh I know mine was a crappy piece of work!  But I also know that it's under the hood where no one will see it. 

Yeah, that hood was pretty crap, I think. I didn't do any real research on it, unfortunately. Oh well, though, Learned my lesson.

- Don

[west]

my piece of junk u.p. hood sagged in the same place,I also had to add a rubber bumper but never liked it.
I eventually put some weight on the corners with the hood of to "recurve" it a little.

[67 dartgts]

Hello:
  Well 67dartgt your not the first...I been that route with that outfit only mine is lift off with hemi type scoop.
  Boy wish I knew you were looking to buy from them I would have to you save up your dollars and go AAR wish I would have.
  After bracing under the front of the scoop along the sdes and in between it's passablle..however there is some markings deep in the glass that even proffessional body men can't make dissappear.  We painted it black looked good for about 2 months then it came up through the paint.
Good Luck with yours...its a real bitch to pay for something you have to repair because of shitty work.

    Maynard

[jamesdart]

aar stuff is pretty nice but far from perfect. my bolt on hood sags in the middle. i got it from my friend, it just wouldnt fit his car very well and hes is a real good bodyman, he threw in the towel, when he tried dealing with them, they told him his car was screwed up.  this hood sags in the middle at the cowl and the arc of the hood doesnt match the fenders. i guess its just fiberglass, you cant have the quality of steel in a glass part. i have an aar front bumper, thats real nice, i have the unlimited fenders, they suck. the nicest part of that aar hood is the bottom.

[JCFcuda]

I have the AAR bolt on hood and the Fenders 68 cuda.
The fit and finish was very good. Very little prep before shooting it.

                                                                    Jim

[west]

aar stuff is pretty nice but far from perfect. my bolt on hood sags in the middle. i got it from my friend, it just wouldnt fit his car very well and hes is a real good bodyman, he threw in the towel, when he tried dealing with them, they told him his car was screwed up.  this hood sags in the middle at the cowl and the arc of the hood doesnt match the fenders. i guess its just fiberglass, you cant have the quality of steel in a glass part. i have an aar front bumper, thats real nice, i have the unlimited fenders, they suck. the nicest part of that aar hood is the bottom.

standard procedure for those guys is to hope you give up the fight.
they know their stuff is junk,just won't admit it.

[maxwedgedart]

hey BBLM23, did you go any faster after installing that?

[rharveysr]

I called that bunch the other day to ask about a hood and scoop for my son's 68 Dart...The gal that I talked to said that she had no idea what hood and scoop came on the car...I said no I want a flat hood and a pro stock style. She said ok...then I really throwed her a curve..will the K&N filter fit their hood like it does on the Harwood...She said I have no idea...She didnt say...let me check and I will call you back...It was I have no idea... I do know one thing...I wont be sending them any of my money. I was going to order the hood and scoop and then drive all the way across LA from Long Beach after our cruise in May...just to pick it up...
Not anymore...I will spend extra to have it shipped from AAR before I buy from these people...

Rick

[68 HEMI GTS]

man that sucks, i've seen some unlimited fiberglass on a cuda and the fit was horrible also. makes you wonder how these companies stay in business.

[moparchop]

I am getting ready to cut a hole in my glastek hood and add a hemi scoop.It seems pretty solid.It is a bolt on .Should I do the bracing first before I cut the hole?This is my first add on fiberglass work......

[moparchop]

Ok,cut hole,every thing looks great.Guess I will put a little extra support around the hole just to be safe...I guess glastek is a good brand....got lucky...

[metalicpea]

i have a set of unlimited fenders....sad sad sad....after finally putting them on my car and realizing how crappy the quality was i realized it was going to be a long road to redemption....but i guess im lucky to have my father who is an expert in patience.......

[Bakaruda]

I am waiting on my hood from WS. They said it would be another 2 weeks.

[rharveysr]

I kinda sent them an email with a link to this thread....You know for some reason I have not gotten a response...

Rick

[acpat]

my AAR ro23 scoop was not square and needed lots of work just my .02

[DART1]

I bought a set of Unlimited fenders and Hemi scooped hood for my Dart. Brand new, still in the box, $150.00 for all. So crappy I GAVE them away--for FREE!!  Only problem now is that I feel like I screwed my poor friend. He may forgive me someday.

[DART VADER]

I got the Hemi hood for my 69 Dart. What a piece of crap. I've had it for a couple of years now. I've done some extensive work and it's still not done.

Unlimited is CRAP!!!!

[a10secCuda]

I love my aar glass hood, trunk, scoop, bumpers all were top notch... if your car is not square they will not fit. My glass fits just like my steel parts... scuff seal and paint just awesome...

[dartpapa]

I have the trunk a hemi hood and both bumpers from AAR. They are great problem is they dont make fenders or doors for a 69. Now where do I go.