Brand new A hoods

[Mike DeJonge]

After much deliberation, we have decided to go ahead with making dies for A hoods. These hoods will have the inner structure, and they will look exactly like new hoods. Not pieced together from hand formed pcs, which would require more body work. We are trying to get the dies done so we can debut the new hoods at the lit meet in the beginning of March. much work still needs to be done. These should be priced somewhere just under $2000. A couple of pictures of the initial die which still needs a lot of machining time. I will post new pictures as we move along with this job.

[Joris Koning]

Mike, impressive stuff and a much needed product for 356 enthousiasts out there. Thanks!

[David Gensler]

Mike,
Very cool. Can a complete body-in-white be far behind? Then Canada can join the ranks of Germany and Belgium as great nations which have produced 356s!

And maybe the inner frame dies can be made in such a way as to also produce T5 hoods?

If I ever get back to working on her, 104006 could probably benefit from a new hood. I think in the meantime I'd better sell my used A hoods before your repros hit the market.
DG

[Mike DeJonge]

Original hoods will probably always retain a better value than reproductions, but yes you probably better sell them before the new ones come on line

[Vic Skirmants]

David,
The outer skin on a B hood is also slightly "flatter" than the A, so it's not just a matter of changing the inner frame dies.

[Mike DeJonge]

we know the A outer skin is different than the B hood and also the inner structure is different. there are also 2 different inner structures for the T6 hood, so if we don't run out of money we have a lot of dies to make

[David Gensler]

Vic,
I have always been curious about this difference between A and T5 hoods. I've heard the difference in curvature mentioned before, but have never been certain whether it is fact or conjecture. My B roadster came into my possession with an A hood. I replaced it with a T5 B hood. Though the inner structure differences are obvious, I could never see any difference in the exterior shape either on or off the car. Not that differences might not exist, but my fallible eyes can't detect them. Have you or anyone else devised a means to measure?
DG

[David Gensler]

Mike,
Original, bent, dented, straightened, rusted, re-bent, re-straightened, re-dinged hoods full of bondo will probably retain a better value than a new repro? There are days I worry about the sanity of this hobby!

[Mike DeJonge]

not reworked hoods but good straight, unkinked. try to buy a real good hood for under $2000. you will be looking for a while

[Roy Smalley]

It would be very difficult to find two hoods that are identical; outer dimensions especially. That is one reason the factory used filler to fix the gaps. Hood curvatures are all over the place too. So are the locations of the hood handle. Many times, the handle is actually crooked compared to the long axis of the hood. And take a hood handle off one car and put it on another; rare they will interchange without some sort of tweaking or drilling.

There are probably several parts numbers for A & T-5 hoods to designate inner structure variations and even model to model, but I would like someone to show me there is a consistent difference that is measurable A to B on the upper configuration. I think it is another myth.

[Ron LaDow]

not reworked hoods but good straight, unkinked. try to buy a real good hood for under $2000. you will be looking for a while

Mike,
You don't need to defend the product; no one can find *one* un-rusted/un-kinked/new part at any price.
If yours take fitting like the used-up parts, well, you've still got a winner.

[Mike DeJonge]

thanks Ron
I was going to write a reply to what Roy said, but why start arguing here, no need to do that.

[Steve Swift]

Just think of the market for aluminum hoods.

[Graham Kidd]

Last week I had a needle profine on a New T5 hood,which are still avaliable from Porsche,and compared it to an A,and there is quite a difference in the shape,when I get time I will take some pictures.
As for the A hoods your doing,all I can say is Great! cant wait to see them!

[Mike DeJonge]

the hood you got is being made in Germany, and not by Porsche. It would be interesting to know how much you paid for it