I have got to get a cowl hood, but there are 2 options for latching them down. Hood pins, or the factory latch. There is about a $200 price difference between the pin setup and the latch setup. I would rather run a factory latch, but is it worth the extra $$$? Any opinions either way?

I once had a 'glass hood on an 84 Camaro with the factory style latch. Other than taking a while to get everything lined up and the right springs on the hinges I liked it. But for $200 less I would have went with the hood pins as long as it would hinge in back.

Never had one with hood pins to compare to.

How'd those Hedmans fit anyway?

The GM fiberglass hoods were held on by pins. I have used pins in the past on glass hoods. I went back to steel factory configuration as that is the direction I am heading now. No real problems with pins except you need to find a spring to push the hood up an inch or two when you want to open it. Just drop one over one or both of the pins. Maybe put an extra escutcheon on the inside to protect the hood from the spring.

-Mark.

The latch version is also a sturdier piece, and is finished more on the underside.

Most all hoods listed as pin-on are a lift off hood...meaning it doesn't hing, rather you have to lift it off completely.

I recommend a hinged hood as their much easier to use IMO. With my car, it took two people to lift the hood on and off to not cratch the paint on the hood edhes or fenders. Switched to a higned hood and am much happier.

Lift off hoods are lighter, but there also more flimsy as someone else mentioned.

I can't say I have ever heard of a fiberglass hood sold that is a hinged hood, yet doesn't have stock latch provisions and must be pinned out front.

If you race at the track, still install two hood pins on the front corners in addition to the stock latch. Many hoods have flown off in the traps that used the stock latch, but no pins on the front corners.

The only company (that I can find) that makes cowl induction hoods for a '77 nova is unlimited products. Both style hoods are hinged, you just replace the heavy factory springs with their light tension springs. I would rather just add a cowl scoop to a stock steel hood since I have a good spare, but since the factory x-brace in the hood crosses right where the cowl opening would need to be, it seems kinda pointless. I would think that if the brace was cut for a hole in the hood it would make the whole thing seriously flimsy.

I think I will just do as suggested and get the latched hood, and add hood pins. Going to be hard to convince the old lady I need to spend another $450 on this thing :D

Eric, I can't say how the headers fit yet. I did this as a test fit to make sure the moroso pan cleared the x-member, and to see what I could get under the stock hood. I have already pulled the engine back out because I need to finish detailing under the hood. Didn't even think to try test fitting the headers graemlins/clonk.gif