Easy Custom Hood Mod (4th Gen. Firebird/Formula) by Chase Johnson

Very Easy and Custom Hood Mod to allow Air Flow out of engine
Tear Drop Firebird/Formula Hood

Install Time: Pending Knowledge
If you need assistance please email the tech this was written that can be found from the About Us page

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*Needs*

• Two(2) Aluminum air vents from Home Depot or alike [see pics]
• All-Purpose Waterproof Adhesive
• Pliers or correct head bolt driver
• Metal Clippers or scissors (to cut vents to size)
• Auto Paint and Clear Coat [OPTIONAL]

BACKGROUND:

This is barely a mod, in fact it is just a customization that comes with a benefit.  If you have a firebird/formula you will probably have the hood with the closed tear-drop cowl. If you have ever looked at it and thought about removing the 2 plates at the end to allow air into the engine you have the main idea. Removing the plates that make the hood non-functional is actually a good idea and not to mention if its done correctly gives your hood a nice custom look. Water will NOT hurt anything in the engine, and the heat escaping from this will keep your engine cooler. After removing them you can put cheap air vents or metal mesh over the panel to give it a custom mod look. The aluminum air vents run about $1.30 or so at Home Depot and the Metal Mesh can run about $5.00 for 8 feet, which is more than enough for what you need to do. Either will work all depending on what you like.

 

 

1.  Raise hood and unscrew the plates at the end of the hood from the underside of the hood. Please be sure to pull your emergency brake up before going under the hood. If your E-Brake is non-functional please place blocks behind ALL the tires to prevent the car from rolling.

 

2.  There should be 4 bolt-like screws holding these plates on to the hood. After unscrewing them you should be able to easily remove the plates from the main hood.
 

3.  Now take a piece of paper and outline the BLACK part of the panel because this is the one you are going to be replacing.  Cut the paper outline out and place over the air vents. Now you will have to choose how you want the vents to look once installed on the hood (see pics).

Option 1                                                                                  Option 2

 

 

4.  The Air Vents you purchased are aluminum, or if you went the metal mesh route its going to be harder steel. The air vents should have came with an already attached string mesh on the back side of the vent to stop larger rocks, bugs, and such from entering the engine compartment.  Depending on the side of Metal Mesh you purchased the holes in the mesh will differ in size.

 

 

5.   Now CAREFULLY cut the air vent (or mesh) with your cutters/scissors using the paper outline from before in step 3. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT cut the air vents so that you release the sections from the rest of the vent (you will see what I mean when you actually start cutting if you did it incorrectly and end up with pieces of a vent)

 

6. Once you have vent (or mesh) cut out, now comes the time to remove the Black panel from the hood insert. You should be able to unscrew them and take it off, a knife or sharp edge may be required to break the seal (they may be stuck on there for sitting for years).

6B OPTIONAL. at this point if you want to paint your vent or mesh you can. Black with a glossy Clear Coat looks good, but you can paint it whatever color you want. You judge how many coats or color you want but i recommend 2 coats color and 3 coats Clear Coat but you make the call. Again this is optional. I left my vents unpainted.

 

7.  Now take your All-Purpose adhesive and apply some to both the hood insert where you will be mounting the vent (or mesh) and also some on the vent or mesh itself. Remember you are just wanting enough to connect the two so be aware of the amount you put, even it up. Now if you purchased the adhesive I choose then you only have to wait 5 minutes for it to sit before applying the two (insert and vent/mesh) together. PLEASE NOTE: for maximum strength allow 24 hours to sit once both are put together. Also make sure the OPEN end of the vent is pointed towards the windshield and not pointed to the nose, this will cause mini lift and could cause problems to the inserts.

 

8.  Once you have allowed time for the insert and the vent/mash to set return the insert to the hood and screw the insert back onto the hood from underneath. Be sure not to OVER tighten or you may crack the insert or strip the bolt/screw.

 

9. Once installed, take out for a street drive, not going over 40mph or so. Let the engine sit idle and see if the engine heat is alright. If done correctly you should see a dramatic decrease in engine heat at low speed or idle.

 

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