66 fiberglass hoods with steel frames

[64cobra]

Does anyone know how SA had these made?   Were the steel frames "65" style for all hoods and were the date codes all together?
Basically were they made in batches.....I would guess they were not made one at a time.

Thanks!!

[gt350hr]

    There are ( at least) two distinctive designs for glass/ steel '66 hoods and the difference (primarily) pertains to the scoop opening . The "early" version has "angled corners" and the later versions have "rounded corners" on the opening. This could very well have been a supplier change. The Ford supplied steel frames were date coded . I am not sure what the "order quantity" was from the supplier(s) but the quantity ''kicked around" has been 100 pcs at a time. Keep in mind several hundred ''all steel" hoods were produced too. IIRC these began appearing after the serial 600 range but I could be off a hundred. Berry PlastiGlass was the initial supplier.
   Randy

[64cobra]

So I assume all were 66 steel frames then and date code could be anything?

[gt350hr]

    I don't think "anything" is appropriate but certainly "before the car was built" would be correct.  To be sure , "I" would ask other owners in your car's vin range. My '66 ( 477) has a '65 stamping date because the car was built in '65 but is a '66 chassis and Ford vin.

[Tomdeg]

Were the holes for the hood pins drilled beforehand. I've seen some "clocked" differently (not 12-3-6-9)

[gt350hr]

    No they were done at SAI.

[SFM6S087]

I have also noticed a difference under the leading edge of the 1966 GT350 hoods. Some have what I call "gussets" and some don't. See these pics for the difference.

Steve
(Pictures courtesy of Brant Halterman at Virginia Classic Mustang)

[SFM6S087]

Hey Randy, do you have any pictures that would show the 2 different scoop openings? That's something I was unaware of and would like to understand better.

Thanks,
Steve

[98SVT - was 06GT]

I have also noticed a difference under the leading edge of the 1966 GT350 hoods. Some have what I call "gussets" and some don't. See these pics for the difference.

Steve
(Pictures courtesy of Brant Halterman at Virginia Classic Mustang)

Picture 2 - those ribs/gussets may have added to increase the rigidity of that section of the hood. Maybe some lot gorillas were pushing the hoods shut with such force they were bending the leading edge. I wonder if Pic 1 has a 65 date code and 2 a 66 date code - or if it was a running change in 65.

[J_Speegle]

Picture 2 - those ribs/gussets may have added to increase the rigidity of that section of the hood. Maybe some lot gorillas were pushing the hoods shut with such force they were bending the leading edge. I wonder if Pic 1 has a 65 date code and 2 a 66 date code - or if it was a running change in 65.

The version of the under structure was also shared with the regular Mustangs. These specific structural changes took place during 65 Mustang production if I recall correctly. Looked into it in the past but can't recall if I published the survey

Of course it would be better if we had date codes for each car or at least for Mustangs the real completion dates like we have in 67 and up cars. There were multiple shipments of hood frames made to the supplier to turn into the Shelby hoods through out 1966 production based on the date codes from the frames that have been collected.

[gt350hr]

Hey Randy, do you have any pictures that would show the 2 different scoop openings? That's something I was unaware of and would like to understand better.

Thanks,
Steve

     Steve ,
         I am photo challenged. My scoop looks like yours on a carryover. The flat portion of the hood extends slightly into the opening and the lower corners of the scoop are ''angular". I "assume" these hoods were done by Berry Plastiglass. At some point ( well after serial 1200) the scoop opening went to a "cutout" style. By that I mean the opening was molded ''closed" ( by appearance) and then cut open. This method "may" have been because of a supplier change away from Berry , I am not sure. Anyway the lower flat portion of the scoop opening does NOT extend into the scoop opening as ours do. Maybe Jeff has some pictures of what I am describing.
    Randy

[SFM6S087]

While we're waiting to see if any better pictures get posted, here are two shots of my current hood. It's an original 1966 GT350 hood, but not original to my 6S087.

Randy, (or anyone else), can you identify this hood type by that scoop opening? Early? Late? Cutout? Molded? Angular? Closed? Whatever?

Please ignore the odd shade of blue in these pics. I had to do a little brightening in Photoshop to get the details to show and that caused a change in the color.

Steve

[SFM6S087]

Here's a picture of the other corner of my hood. It has a sharper cutout angle where the scoop meets the body of the hood. The other side looks more rounded at that joint. Could be that one of these areas has had some past repair work. I don't know the history of this hood except that it's from a 1966 GT350 - as told to me by Jim Cowles when he purchased it to use during the restoration of my car.

In any case, I post these pics here for the more knowledgeable forum members to use as examples to teach us something about the different versions of the fiberglass over steel hoods.

Steve

[gt350hr]

While we're waiting to see if any better pictures get posted, here are two shots of my current hood. It's an original 1966 GT350 hood, but not original to my 6S087.

Randy, (or anyone else), can you identify this hood type by that scoop opening? Early? Late? Cutout? Molded? Angular? Closed? Whatever?

Please ignore the odd shade of blue in these pics. I had to do a little brightening in Photoshop to get the details to show and that caused a change in the color.

Steve

     Steve,
        This one "to me" is a later hood. You can clearly see the rounded lower corners AND the flat portion of the hood stops at the top of the scoop. This "to me" was a labor saving move as the scoop opening was closed and then cut open after released from the mold.
   Randy

[gt350hr]

Here's a picture of the other corner of my hood. It has a sharper cutout angle where the scoop meets the body of the hood. The other side looks more rounded at that joint. Could be that one of these areas has had some past repair work. I don't know the history of this hood except that it's from a 1966 GT350 - as told to me by Jim Cowles when he purchased it to use during the restoration of my car.

In any case, I post these pics here for the more knowledgeable forum members to use as examples to teach us something about the different versions of the fiberglass over steel hoods.

Steve

       Steve, this opening is closer but the flat portion of the hood is still ending at the scoop opening. let me try and get a photo ( unless someone else can before me)  of the corner of my hood so you can see that and how the  flat portion of the hood extends in and how it is cut.
  Be patient.
   Randy