76 Bronco Hood Replacement

[Wogy]

New to the forum. Been working on engine swap - stock 302 to 351W. The 351 sits a few inches higher and I'll need to either get a new hood or cut into stock metal hood. I'd rather not cut into the metal hood, so I'm looking at several fiberglass cowl induction hoods on Tom's Bronco Parts and Bronco Hut. I don't want to use hood pins...so the hood from Tom's is out. The Bronco Hut hood is very nice, offers more support and allows for stock hood latch. Only problem is...the cost of shipping, as I live in California and Bronco Hut is in Colorado.

Anyone out there have any suggestions, ideas, comments? Or has anyone installed the Bronco Hut hood before with stock latch?

 

[jmangi62]

Welcome to Classic Broncos! How about a 1" body lift,it might give you enuff clearance and then you won't have to cut or get a new hood?

 

[Timmy390]

Carb or EFI?

I've read that some have gotten the 351W with carb to fit under the stock hood with a BL. Can'te recall if it's one or two inch.

EFI with the right parts fits I think. EFI with GT40 upper and lower, no way it fits. I cut my stock hood and added the WH scoop.


Tim

 

[smokinjoe]

I'm clearing a carb'd 351W with no BL on my 76 but you have to be pretty picky w/ your air cleaner height and diameter too if you're running an HEI. But I've seen some guys fit em' w/o BLs and some clear w/ only a 1" BL.

Just out of curiosity why don't you want to cut into the hood?

 

[DirtDonk]

Hey Wogy, welcome from here too.
Other than trying to avoid sales tax, we're in CA so shipping might be less.
http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/category/s/a
Our Deluxe versions should all be able to retain the stock latch. You might call if any individual parts peak any interest for you though, just to make sure.

What condition are your existing body mounts in? When new, the stock rubber ones sat 3/4" tall on top of the frame mounts. Any less than that and they're sagged out and would make any hood clearance issues even worse.
As said, a body lift definitely helps, even at just 1 inch taller than stock. We have one of those integrated into the cushion, so there is only one piece on top and no stacking: http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/category/Bronco_Body_Lifts
At just 30 bucks more than a standard height body cushion, our #1910 (listed on that page) is a pretty good deal too.

Body lifts aren't to everyone's taste, but 1" doesn't seem to bother many at all. Might not give you all of what you need, but then again, it might. Especially if you're trying to fit all this over a too-tall air cleaner assembly and opt for a lower one as well.

But definitely check your mounts.

Paul

 

[Wogy]

I have a Holley carb. With just the carb and no air cleaner on, the hood won't close. It sits pretty high. So....just not sure what I'm gona do. I may end up cutting into the hood and getting a scoop. I'm a novice with all of this and I'm having a friend do most of the work. Dropped the motor in last week and it appears I need either a new hood or cut into the metal one. I like the latch over hood pins. More secure. It sucks when you're not too knowledgeable about all this schtuff and you have to make a decision whether to spend several hundred on a new hood or go the less pricey way and just start cutting.

 

[DirtDonk]

Must be a tall manifold then. A higher rise on it for higher rpm performance, rather than a low one for low-rpm efficiency. That or your engine mounts are higher up for some reason.

Or again, if your old mounts are all sacked out, that could lose you almost 3/4 of an inch. I've literally seen the steel body parts laying on the frame from old tired rubber cushions/insulators having crushed down or fallen out.
If yours are in good shape, then one of your "Plan-B's" is likely going to win out.
Just don't forget the body lift option if you're not into cutting.

Good luck

Paul

 

[Timmy390]

Paul has a point about the body bushings. My 1 inch BL was more like 2 inches as my bushings were pancakes.

As for cutting the hood, I had never done it either but with some helping hands, we measured where the scoop needed to be, laid out the scoop and marked around it. I then made a template out of the box the scoop came in by laying the scoop on the box and marking around it. Then on the template I measured in 2 inches or so and marked that, then cut the center out. Put the template back on the hood inside the original marks, then marked the inside of the template then cur the hole.

I didn't use the rivets that came with the scoop (sorry Paul but they were not to my liking). I went to Lowes and bought some stainless steel screws and rubber washers with SS nylon locking nuts. Spaced out the screws equally and drilled. Some of the holes in the hood are slotted to get the contour of the scoop.

Tim

 

[SteveL]

Where you at in California? I'm swapping my 72 back to a stock hood with a 351w. I have a body lift but it can be done without one. You just need the right intake and air cleaner.

 

[smokinjoe]

OP, if you can't identify your intake maybe post up a pic and we'll identify it. I didn't even think about that initially.