Aluminum Hood

[79 USA 1]

check it if you want, they're all steel. cutlass never came with aluminum trunk lids. hoods, bumper inserts, yes. trunk lids, no.
i believe early montes had aluminum trunk lids. never seen one though.

Yes the 78 &79 Monte Carlo's had aluminum trunk lids. I believe in 80 they went steel. My blue car has the aluminum deck lid (I'll get a picture of it when I'm in the garage this weekend) and my black car started life with a aluminum deck lid but during one of its many repairs due to accidents before I purchased it , now has a steel lid. The added weight of the steel deck lid would not allow it to stay open without a prop rod no matter how the torsion rods were adjusted. I also heard rumor years back that GM stamped out a lot of 5-8 aluminum hoods for testing on the 78 Monte Carlo's but they would fracture and split due to the complex curves at the front. I understand 2 of them were not destroyed and made it into the public's hands but I have never seen proof.

 

[Dayzedandkonfuzed]

Wasn't there a sticky on this at some point? I can't find it...

Did Malibus ever come with an aluminum hood? Or decklid?

If not I bet I could make a Century hood work, they look the same aside from the peak in the middle

 

[blk7gxn]

Sorry , but I think you are wrong . I bought the car in 1985..still had original paint that all checked evenly by 89.

I agree its possible no matter what the parts books or people say, because I actually know individuals that worked the assembly lines in GM, WOW do they have stories! Given your hood situation here, OBVIOUSLY they made them in aluminum...perhaps they weren't supposed to installed on the 83 H/O, but the guy running forklift bringing back pallots to the assembly line grabbed the wrong one or they ran out of steel ones that day. Does anyone think GM is going to stop the assembly line, producing 1 car a minute, because of a discrepancy like this?? its all about $$$$$$$$$$$$$ so I think not, KEEP THE LINE MOVING no matter what.

 

[blk7gxn]

IN FACT in Nov 2018 at the Illinoise Muscle car and Corvette National show, A gentleman gave a seminar ON EXACTLY this...he really gave some of these "so called experts" with their parts books and their data sheets, and even some who have wrote books, a news awakening. He explained similar scenario's as I explained in my most recent post. This guy truly made an a** (and rightfully so) out of a lot of "so called experts" who didn't have the "rest of the story or history" and who HAD NEVER worked 1 day or have BEEN AT THE ASSEMBLY LINE in GM! The people who worked the lines should know!

 

[Dayzedandkonfuzed]

IN FACT in Nov 2018 at the Illinoise Muscle car and Corvette National show, A gentleman gave a seminar ON EXACTLY this...he really gave some of these "so called experts" with their parts books and their data sheets, and even some who have wrote books, a news awakening. He explained similar scenario's as I explained in my most recent post. This guy truly made an a** (and rightfully so) out of a lot of "so called experts" who didn't have the "rest of the story or history" and who HAD NEVER worked 1 day or have BEEN AT THE ASSEMBLY LINE in GM! The people who worked the lines should know!

Yea, but it's written right here! In a book! It HAS TO BE TRUE

 

[88hurstolds]

Sorry , but I think you are wrong . I bought the car in 1985..still had original paint that all checked evenly by 89.

Wrong or not the H/O called for a different design for a design reason which has proven out to be accurate from my experience and GM doesn't like recalls so things are designed in for a reason...

I am a facts type of person, in the last 20 years I have yet to see an unmolested low mile survivor with an Aluminum hood to prove this out let alone pictures of a high mile one one showing pictures of the hood with the AL unique bracing with the C&C primer markings from the few discussions I've had with people... it's always a story or claiming to know a guy with one etc.
I typically don't like to entertain in hypotheticals when there are unproven explanations that can't be proven out. That's how rumors are spread and where the dishonest car sellers like to hook into those rumors and leverage them for a fraudulent sale.

Car could have been in a collision during the first few years prior to ownership? Original owner could have changed it?

With GM being sloppy with QA the only possible explanation could have been one of the last runs built where they were earmarking Calais off the line at the last minute for conversion or visa versa with early cars and then finding they were having issues with sinking...

I'll look for my ordering brochure listing out all the available option codes, there might even be a line item for the T45 AL hood option not being available on the H/O.

I know a guy in Wisconsin who has an '83 H/O aluminum hood, very professional trust worthy person, like to collect Saabs... sold me some mint condition sand gray seats.
Swore up and down that it's original and tried to sell it to me recently when we spoke in December.
I had him verify if the holes had the orange brushed primer around the edges that C&C did after they drilled the holes and it didn't.
Also asked if it had the added bracing and it didn't.
After looking at the pictures the center front hole was butchered and the two front holes weren't opened up with a hole saw on the brace to allow for nuts to even secure the scoop on the front sides. The studs on the scoop aren't long enough to clear that brace, I had to open them up when I added mine.
Attached is a picture.
I'll even give you his phone number if anyone wants to purchase it... I believe he wanted $500 or $600 for it, no scoop.

 

[88hurstolds]

IN FACT in Nov 2018 at the Illinoise Muscle car and Corvette National show, A gentleman gave a seminar ON EXACTLY this...he really gave some of these "so called experts" with their parts books and their data sheets, and even some who have wrote books, a news awakening. He explained similar scenario's as I explained in my most recent post. This guy truly made an a** (and rightfully so) out of a lot of "so called experts" who didn't have the "rest of the story or history" and who HAD NEVER worked 1 day or have BEEN AT THE ASSEMBLY LINE in GM! The people who worked the lines should know!

I was at that show all weekend and attended a few talks, when and where did it occur?

 

[88hurstolds]

Yea, but it's written right here! In a book! It HAS TO BE TRUE

Facts type of person, I have yet to see anyone come forward to this day in the last 20 years with an aluminum hood on the '83 H/O at any of the H/OCA meets etc. No one online has also prove the existence of one with pictures, it's always a story or I know some guy...

 

[fleming442]

So.... how many have said aluminum hood? I got one!!!

 

[hangar401]

Mine is aluminum 79