[leejoy]

Help

I've been doing engine testing and modifications on my 72 Nova Street Car. I've determined after much testing that the car runs the strongest when the air cleaner is big and tall. Having said that, it won't fit under the stock hood of my 72 Nova. I'm considering taking the plunge and cutting my hood open so that I can fit a taller larger air cleaner - not sure which one yet.

Anyway, I need help with how to cut the hood and what size and shape opening I should do. I have a 468 BB Chevy, about 550 HP. It's got a dual plane intake manifold, single carb setup, with a Holley 750 racing carb. So I need to get the air cleaner, or velocity stack or something through the hood opening and put the air cleaner above the hood? Is that the best way? I dont think it's a good idea to have have the air cleaner under the hood and the other half above the hood. I need help with this and some pictures would help. I don't plan on ever doing dual quads or blowers, so figure I will always stay with a single 4 bbl carb setup.

ideas please?

[OneMoreTime]

Sounds like a likely candidate for a shaker hood scoop..A shaker mounts directly to the manifold or carb base..Best bet for cutting the hood is a nibbler as they cut with out distorting the metal..Just leave enough room for the shaker to move with the engine..

Sam

[tbirdscott]

You need some:

*String
*Masking tape
*Sharpie
*Jigsaw with fine tooth blade
*One self tapping screw
*Drill and bits

Then you have to:

1. Open your hood and remove your air cleaner.
2. Place a piece of masking tape along the inside edge of the fender.
3. Tape a piece of string from one fender to another passing directly over the carb stud but tape it to the fender on the outside of the piece of tape you just put down.
4. Do the same from the cowl to the header panel.
5. Use the sharpie to mark on each piece of tape (the first piece you put down, not the piece holding the tape) where the string is then remove the string.
6. Close your hood then replace the string using the marked pieces of tape as a guide and mark the point that the strings cross with the sharpie.
7. Take the hood off the car, you now have the exact location of the carb stud marked on your hood, so drive the screw right through it about half way.
8. Tie a piece of string to the screw loosely and the other end to the sharpie and use it to draw a circle 3/4 - 1" larger than your air cleaner.
9. Do the same on the bottom of your hood and remove any structure that will be in the way (I made it 1" larger on the bottom to make sure the structure wouldnt be in the way, I cut it out with an angle grinder and zip-cut blade)
10. After the under hood structure is out of the way drill a hole inside the circle on the hood about 1" from the outside and use the jig saw to cut it out.

I used a cheapie dollar store blade and it made a perfect smooth cut all the way around and it cut fairly quickly, the main thing is not to force it because them it will grab the metal and bend it.

An air cleaner sticking out of the hood is a shaker hood scoop to me

[leejoy]

Originally Posted by OneMoreTime

Sounds like a likely candidate for a shaker hood scoop..A shaker mounts directly to the manifold or carb base..Best bet for cutting the hood is a nibbler as they cut with out distorting the metal..Just leave enough room for the shaker to move with the engine..

Sam

I will try to locate some photos of your suggestion. I am also considering some type of hood scoop that will give me the added clearance and conceal what is underneath it. what do you think.

[leejoy]

Originally Posted by tbirdscott

You need some:

*String
*Masking tape
*Sharpie
*Jigsaw with fine tooth blade
*One self tapping screw
*Drill and bits

Then you have to:

1. Open your hood and remove your air cleaner.
2. Place a piece of masking tape along the inside edge of the fender.
3. Tape a piece of string from one fender to another passing directly over the carb stud but tape it to the fender on the outside of the piece of tape you just put down.
4. Do the same from the cowl to the header panel.
5. Use the sharpie to mark on each piece of tape (the first piece you put down, not the piece holding the tape) where the string is then remove the string.
6. Close your hood then replace the string using the marked pieces of tape as a guide and mark the point that the strings cross with the sharpie.
7. Take the hood off the car, you now have the exact location of the carb stud marked on your hood, so drive the screw right through it about half way.
8. Tie a piece of string to the screw loosely and the other end to the sharpie and use it to draw a circle 3/4 - 1" larger than your air cleaner.
9. Do the same on the bottom of your hood and remove any structure that will be in the way (I made it 1" larger on the bottom to make sure the structure wouldnt be in the way, I cut it out with an angle grinder and zip-cut blade)
10. After the under hood structure is out of the way drill a hole inside the circle on the hood about 1" from the outside and use the jig saw to cut it out.

I used a cheapie dollar store blade and it made a perfect smooth cut all the way around and it cut fairly quickly, the main thing is not to force it because them it will grab the metal and bend it.

An air cleaner sticking out of the hood is a shaker hood scoop to me

Ok, that all makes perfect sense and sounds very logical, and simple. I will use that technique when I am ready to do the cutting. For now, I don't know what type of look I want. I am also considering some type of hood scoop or cowl hood. I guess it would be much cheaper to keep the hood I have and simply cut a hole in it, or cut a hole in it and cover it with a hood scoop of some kind. I would have to have the scoop painted though, not sure what that would cost me. I'm not much of a painter, I do mostly mechanical and electrical work. what do you think of hood scoops or cowl hood?

thanks.

[OneMoreTime]

To build a homemade shaker scoop take a piece of 1/8 aluminum big enough to be larger than the carb base and make like a carb spacer from it, then use that to attach a scoop over the air cleaner..Then you can use one of the aftermarket scoops as you have a place to attach it..Just have to make the hole fit the scoop..bit more work but worth it..

Look at some of the 442 or GTO cars as they had a shaker hood from the factory..back in the day..

Sam

[Bee4Me]

One problem I did not see mentioned with cutting a stock hood is adressing the X brace under the hood.
You'll be cutting it as well and the cut ends will need reattatching to the hood or they will be a problem as it generally is just "stuck" to the hood with a sealer of some sort to keep the hood/brace together. Their welded at the edges but not in the center.
You can use some body panel adhesive and "glue" them in place or tack weld,which will require some paint work.
You can use a Harwood bolt on scoop and just have it painted to match the car. It has a gasket for the junction and would be a little cheaper than going with a complete hood.

Why are you running a dual plane intake too?
Street car?

[stratt134]

One thing I noticed just now when I was ordering the bigger air filter --

They sell different base plate-locations. If I would have bought the one that is off-set and turned it towards the rear, I wouldn't need to cut the hood yet, since it would have moved the filter to right pass the x-brace on Nova hoods -- you might want to check into that, could be a really really cheap alternative for you!

[leejoy]

Originally Posted by Bee4Me

One problem I did not see mentioned with cutting a stock hood is adressing the X brace under the hood.
You'll be cutting it as well and the cut ends will need reattatching to the hood or they will be a problem as it generally is just "stuck" to the hood with a sealer of some sort to keep the hood/brace together. Their welded at the edges but not in the center.
You can use some body panel adhesive and "glue" them in place or tack weld,which will require some paint work.
You can use a Harwood bolt on scoop and just have it painted to match the car. It has a gasket for the junction and would be a little cheaper than going with a complete hood.

Why are you running a dual plane intake too?
Street car?

thanks for the help. I'm leaning toward the bolt on or "tape on" hood scoop. with regards to the dual plane intake, yes it is a street car. any suggestions?