Originally Posted by Chad-1stGen (Post 648639)

Oooo One Lap, I've been day dreaming about doing that one!

Originally Posted by Chad-1stGen (Post 646565)

I've been eyeballing hood vents for quite a while and was stoked when Trackspec released a set of vents specifically designed for the 67-69 Camaro cowl hood.
http://trackspe.nextmp.net/1st-gener...d-louvers.html

I just installed a set on my painted steel cowl hood and wanted to share the install.

Here is the hood off the car with the supplied templates taped down. The template is the same outer diameter as the vent and has "cut line" cutouts where you need to cut. Trackspec recommended using a grinder with a "thin cut" cutoff wheel.

http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...psppw2uhfr.jpg

I decided on hood vent placement based on three variables. 1) I wanted the vents placed inboard towards the center of the hood to avoid cutting the strength rib running down the sides of the hood.
Chad, I have an AMD SS hood and there seems to be another brace running from the front to the back for bolting on the SS trim stuff, and this brace is between the inner structure and the hood skin, the R and L relief/bracing of the hood looks exactly like your cowl hood. SO there is THREE layers of metal on a SS hood ... and should the vent rivets go through all of these?? Seems thick? Should be ok cutting into this brace for the short distance needed??
See this pic for the rib:
http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...pska4z9za3.jpg

2) Placing the vents closer to the front of the hood but behind the radiator fan shroud opening and 3) far enough foward so that the inside front rivet would not have to pass through the small bump in the below circled area and instead be flat.
http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...pst0ngyndn.jpg

The angle grinder worked well. The paint about 1/8" from the cut line was burned in spots but is easily covered by the hood vent. I did some basic edge prep and taped off the cut openings about 1/8" back on top and bottom and hit it with touch up spray paint to keep it from rusting. Also, because my hood understructure was body color this helped pain some of the now exposed understrcuture so it would be red when looking though the vent from the top of the hood.

Following the template means you have about at least 1/4" larger hole than the louver part of the vent. This gives you room to position just right. We then taped it down and proceeded to drill and rivet the louver. My louvers matched the slop of the hood perfectly side to side. However front to back the vent was slightly bowed more than my hood. Therefore, when drilling and riveting I started at one end and installed one at a time so that as the vent laid down and conformed to the hood I didn't have to worry about the last set of holes getting out of alignment which might have happened if you drilled all the holes and then installed the rivets. Drill slow and apply light pressure! Will help minimize any jagged metal on the hole exit.That is a very good tip and I'll definetly use it. Didn't I see somewhere some black rivets someone ordered from a vendor instead of the supplied rivets, do you have a p/n?
Again, does the rivets attach through the vent, hood skin and the bracing metal, seems thick no?
http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...psvg4vyd5i.jpg

Here are some pics of the finished product.
http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...pswettgeoz.jpg

http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...psjli34tiq.jpg

http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/...psvvamfx9f.jpg

Originally Posted by Sonar Chief (Post 652564)

Chad, wanted to get my Track Spec extractor kit installed and came across some differences with the cowl and an SS hood. Please see comments in RED.
Michael

Originally Posted by Sonar Chief (Post 652564)

Chad, I have an AMD SS hood and there seems to be another brace running from the front to the back for bolting on the SS trim stuff, and this brace is between the inner structure and the hood skin, the R and L relief/bracing of the hood looks exactly like your cowl hood. SO there is THREE layers of metal on a SS hood ... and should the vent rivets go through all of these?? Seems thick? Should be ok cutting into this brace for the short distance needed??

Originally Posted by Sonar Chief (Post 652564)

That is a very good tip and I'll definitely use it. Didn't I see somewhere some black rivets someone ordered from a vendor instead of the supplied rivets, do you have a p/n?
Again, does the rivets attach through the vent, hood skin and the bracing metal, seems thick no?

Originally Posted by Chad-1stGen (Post 652621)

In my amateur opinion there is no problem cutting into that third layer of metal specific to the SS hoods given that flat hoods and cowl hoods don't have this and are plenty strong. As long as the ribs along the perimeter aren't cut you should be fine. See below for discussion of rivets.



Trackspec will supply either raw or black rivets, you just need to specify. My kit also came with a mix of short and long rivets. You need both. There will be areas of the hood where the rivet needs to go through both the hood skin and bracing and spots where it will go through just the hood skin. The long rivets should be long enough to do 3 layers of sheet metal as long as they are all laying flush. Its not too thick as long as you have the correct rivets.

Happy to answer any other questions.