This comes up every once in a while, just how do you tell good old original sheet metal from reproduction? Well the devil is in the details as they say. from outside, you can often tell there too just by the way the metal is folded or how a body line is made. But on the inside is always the easier way. Now, these examples are with one OEM (Original Equipment Manufacture or often called "OE") hood and one reproduction hood so it is a little limited but if you were to go to a swap meet and look at one of these close up areas on a repro hood offered by someone and check them all, you will find similar differences from OE. We are looking at a 66-67 Chevelle hood.
You also would need to do a little homework in that the OE hood you have may be a little different if made at a different plant or if it was made in later years as a replacement. But they are usually pretty close. I do have a replacement fender on my Gran Sport and it has a big part number tag spot welded to in the inside. I have never seen another like that. I left the tag because frankly I think it's cool.
But check out the differences in these two hoods.
The reproduction has the inner panel running all the way over hanging off the end of the corner. The hole looks like it was punched in the inner skin and outer skin when the pieces were made and the inside doesn't match in size or location. The OE one looks almost like the hole was drilled or punched after the two were attached. And check out how the inner skin doesn't go all the way to the edge. The lip on the front is also smaller and more defined. It's funny the lines like that are always softer and not as defined as the OE yet the "hem" (the folded edge of the skin onto the inners structure) is often a much tighter fold o the Repro than the OE)
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Check out how the corner in the back has a different folded hem. The OE has a angled cut then little folded edge for an inch or more before the corner where the repro has the angled cut back deep in the corner.
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Check out the little weak spot welds at the hood cushion reinforcement. The welds on the OE are huge compared. The edge of the reinforcement has a little lip running around the edge instead of just a fold like the reproduction. Another thing I noticed was that the edges and holes like the one in this reinforcement appear to be laser or plasma cut while the original is stamped out.
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Check out the gynormous welds in this area and there is no hole in the inner structure at the peak of the hood.
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I can not stress enough this is just what I found between these two hoods I happen to have to look at. But you will find similar differences between others. The sad part is after you know you can see the difference a block away, it will drive you nuts, sorry. But if you are out to get an original and you have an original look at these type of details and you should be good to go when looking at claimed OEM hoods in your search.
Brian
You also would need to do a little homework in that the OE hood you have may be a little different if made at a different plant or if it was made in later years as a replacement. But they are usually pretty close. I do have a replacement fender on my Gran Sport and it has a big part number tag spot welded to in the inside. I have never seen another like that. I left the tag because frankly I think it's cool.
But check out the differences in these two hoods.
The reproduction has the inner panel running all the way over hanging off the end of the corner. The hole looks like it was punched in the inner skin and outer skin when the pieces were made and the inside doesn't match in size or location. The OE one looks almost like the hole was drilled or punched after the two were attached. And check out how the inner skin doesn't go all the way to the edge. The lip on the front is also smaller and more defined. It's funny the lines like that are always softer and not as defined as the OE yet the "hem" (the folded edge of the skin onto the inners structure) is often a much tighter fold o the Repro than the OE)
Check out how the corner in the back has a different folded hem. The OE has a angled cut then little folded edge for an inch or more before the corner where the repro has the angled cut back deep in the corner.
Check out the little weak spot welds at the hood cushion reinforcement. The welds on the OE are huge compared. The edge of the reinforcement has a little lip running around the edge instead of just a fold like the reproduction. Another thing I noticed was that the edges and holes like the one in this reinforcement appear to be laser or plasma cut while the original is stamped out.
Check out the gynormous welds in this area and there is no hole in the inner structure at the peak of the hood.
I can not stress enough this is just what I found between these two hoods I happen to have to look at. But you will find similar differences between others. The sad part is after you know you can see the difference a block away, it will drive you nuts, sorry. But if you are out to get an original and you have an original look at these type of details and you should be good to go when looking at claimed OEM hoods in your search.
Brian
) on a first gen (no doubt other models/years also if you know where to look) is the date stampings....
