Cutlass Aluminum Hoods

[Guest TwoDoorBuickMan]

My 1988 Cutlass was recently damaged in a hail storm. Most of the damage is to the hood. I have a friend who has an aluminum hood from a 1984 Cutlass he wants to sell me. I could buy the aluminum hood and get it painted for a few dollars less than it would cost to fix the steel hood.

Other than a modest weight savings is there any advantage or disadvantage to an aluminum hood?

Would I need to change the hinges?

Any information would be appreciated!

[joe_padavano]

The hinges are also aluminum and use lighter springs than for the steel hinges. The only advantage is the minor weight savings. Be aware of galvanic corrosion. Anywhere steel and aluminum parts contact (bolts, hinges to fenders, latch, etc) you need to use a special anti-corrosion coating.

[NTX5467]

When the earlier '80s GM G-cars were new, there seemed to be no real rhyme or reason to which cars got what, the parts books listed them for the same applications, but to make sure which one you had to replace it with "same". "Same" for the issue with the strength of the hood springs or gas struts. I don't recall anything about the hinges, though . . . be that as it may. Several years later, there was only ONE GM replacement part number, which did not reference the base material. The new "default mode" was "steel", which also needed stronger springs/struts to hold the hood open.

In the world of EPA emissions "weight classes", I suspect that with certain engine/equipment combinations, the aluminum hood was needed to decrease weight enough to not put the car in a "heavier" class for emissions testing. After the vehicles got some age on them, as is normal in many parts cases only ONE part replaced several prior parts. Another area where this happens is in fan clutches. And, in some cases, front fenders where the orig was a "plastic" and the replacement is "metal".

As Joe notes, the hoods have their "associated matching parts" which are part of the total combination.

Enjoy!

NTX5467

[Guest TwoDoorBuickMan]

I appreciate the information. Do either of you know of problems other than the galvanic corrosion that might be caused by the heavier springs with the lighter hood. The dent free aluminum hood is very tempting when I look at the 30+ dents in the steel hood.

Thanks again for the information.

[D Yaros]

I would be leery of going with the heavier (std.) springs on the aluminum hood. Best to get the proper hinges/springs if you want to avoid bending the hood. It can/does happen. I folded the hood on a customer's VW once when working in a gas station!

[joe_padavano]

I appreciate the information. Do either of you know of problems other than the galvanic corrosion that might be caused by the heavier springs with the lighter hood.

Yeah, there's a risk you will bend the hood. The aluminum hoods are less stiff than the steel ones (steel has three times the stiffness of aluminum for the same thickness of material).

[NTX5467]

Even steel hoods can be bent when closing due to stiff hinges (needing lube), as 1973-1981 Chevy pickups . . . for which a reinforcement brace kit was devised for when AFTER you bent the hood, cracked the side metal in the process, you could bolt the reinf bars on a not have to replace the hood IF the condition of the rest of the truck wasn't worth it.

Even IF you can get the hood carefully closed with the heavier springs, the springs can exert pressure on the hood and bow it so it doesn't match the fender line. In the world of Mopar, the Challenger T/A and AAR 'Cudas had fiberglass hoods from the factory. Even with the lighter springs (from the factory just for those cars/hoods), in the summer, it was not uncommon for the hoods to bow upward. Many owners took the springs off of the hinges and got prop rods to hold the hood open . . . end of "bowing" problem

NTX5467