Restomod opinion desired - Ram Air on a 73 vert - Nasa Hood or shaker?

[Animal Lawyer]

I expect to have the car back next week from resolving the immediate mechanical concerns (swapping to 1970 manifold, holley 670 cfm Street Avenger carb, Pertronix II rtr distributor and hookers, as well as redoing the factory air)) Now I need to decide what (visible) mods I want. I want ram air, just cant decide whether to go NASA hood (which while visually correct for this year, was not available for the 351c-4v) or go shaker (ala 1969 stang). The car is and will always be a driver and pleasure vehicle. I don't intend to race (other than the occasional parkway indiscretion) and I understand that the choice is purely a personal aesthetic decision) but I am open to opinions (though I must admit that I have already rejected the purest restore to factory perfect concours state and never let its tires ever touch pavement again option, out of hand).

Anyone care to weigh in?

 

[Fabrice]

I'd keep this hood intact and go for a nasa hood instead vs make a hole in it and then drive it and touch no more.
It's looking gorgeous as is! 

 

[72MustangSprint]

Get NACA hood , not sure how 69 shaker would look on a 73

 

[mjlan]

I have not seen a better hood treatment than the O.E. scooped hood with blackout. The blackout would really pop against the yellow.

But that's my $0.02. Your car looks great whatever you decide!

 

[Hemikiller]

I've seen 71-73s with the Shaker, and the 68-70 "CJ" style scoop and they look wrong. They get lost in the flat expanse of the 71-73 hood. 

IMO, you need a wider, flat scoop if you don't want to go to the NACA hood route. Something like a 69-70 Cougar Eliminator scoop would be my preference. 

https://secure.cougarpartscatalog.com/69scoop.html?a=GoogleProductSearch&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8fr7BRDSARIsAK0Qqr5iERLoUJFhKPIK1cWr5pYhA3f_yRJHl9uGgqvtWTpy8tM2-KzOzKUaAgXLEALw_wcB&pk_campaign=689785599&pk_content=154423720703&pk_kwd=&pk_medium=cpc&pk_source=GoogleAds&sessionthemeid=26

 

[Animal Lawyer]

I am leaning towards the naca hood (I found a brand new one up in your area Hemikiller that I may pick up this weekend for $150. (someone ordered it and then never installed it). I wouldn't cut my original hood if I went shaker, I would buy a repro. None of the changes I am making require permanent modifications to the car and I am saving all removed parts (in case anyone wants to restore it after I'm gone). I like the way the naca hood with the blackout looks on the yellow (see photo, not my car, but the shaker has always appealed to me in all its iterations (especially the hemi cudas and challengers). Does anyone have a template for lining up the centerpoint of the mach 1 hood locks (I am afraid to let my body shop do it freeform)?

 

[detritusmaximus]

Go here...

http://www.fordramair.com/new/products/shakers.htm

 

[Fabrice]

@Animal Lawyer " I wouldn't cut my original hood if I went shaker, I would buy a repro"

oh, there is a repop of the flat hood now? Didn't know that. Or is it a polyester one? You have a link?

edit: you have experienced the magic of the new edit features on the forum, you removed your original image by adding it to the second.

 

[72MustangSprint]

@Animal Lawyer " I wouldn't cut my original hood if I went shaker, I would buy a repro"

oh, there is a repop of the flat hood now? Didn't know that. Or is it a polyester one? You have a link?

edit: you have experienced the magic of the new edit features on the forum, you removed your original image by adding it to the second.

Have not seen repo of flat hood. I saw a NOS one for $1500.00 on fleabay.

 

[Don C]

I agree with Hemikiller, Mustang shakers are too small, would look like a Piper Cub sitting on the deck of the USS Nimitz.

One I've thought might work is one from a 1965 Thunderbird. They're more towards the front and look good on the rather large T-bird hood. The only bad part, only the first 3 or 4 inches is removable, the rest of the way to the back is molded. I like the looks of the NACA hood, but with all of the repops going on cars they've become rather common place.

 

[Lazarus]

Definitely partial to NACA/NASA hood myself. I think the actual shaker is a little small on a 69/70 (no offense to anyone; I just prefer the scoop in those years) and would be really small-looking on our body style’s giant hood. 
 

I don’t think they make repro flat hoods to cut in any case. The big question is whether to do a Boss or Mach 1 blackout on a NACA hood!  I couldn’t decide so I have the big boss rectangle on my gray car and the mach 1 on the yellow!

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I would go with original type NASA hood. Others just look out of place. 

 

[cwalker509]

Naca hood would be MY preference but everyone has a bias

 

[luxstang]

69 Mach1 scoop on mine: 

 

[SVO2SCJ]

I am of the opinion that "if it wasn't available for the car the year (era sold) then it looks OUT OF PLACE.   Same goes for the use of wheels not introduced by factory until after year!       The other thing is if you keep your original hood intact ...you can always sell, put back on and resell the ram air.        Of course that depends IF you purchased the correct springs, plenum, flappers, seal, hose and ram air cleaner /snorkel and heat shield and manifold fittings -then you have value!

Mark

 

[droptop73]

I like the NASA hood and went with the Boss 351 stripe. 

And the 71-72 front bumper. The pic is from the day I picked it up from the body shop.  Yup, matte dark gray to match the wheels, not black. 

 

[Animal Lawyer]

so I finally bit the bullet and bought the naca hood, ordered the scoops, locks and mounting kits, still need to decide which blackout scheme (Boss or Mach 1) and get the stencil, cut the lock holes and get the ram air kit (Classic has it on sale right now with discounts and free shipping that bring it down to about $60 less than Ohio Mustang's price (basically save the $50 shipping cost). While I prefer supporting a smaller community involved business... (My wife already feels I am way too far invested into this project). Oh well, boys and our toys...

 

[droptop73]

I think you'll be happy with your choice. 

I'd recommend mounting the hood and checking the shape and gaps before paint. I found mine to have too much arc and it has bugged me since it was put on the car. It got to me this summer while riding in the passenger seat and I took the chance and tweaked it into shape.  

 

[California 72]

Being that opinions on this are highly subjective, especially in this case, playing devil's advocate might be a better route. Maybe the larger scoop that was available on the '69 Boss 429 is large enough for the massive hood on the '73. Now, personally speaking, throwing a "shaker" on it is like seeing those cop cars from Smokey and the Bandit with the T/A type scoop or what's been something that totally escapes understanding, the faux hood scoops and fender inlets we see appearing on minivans in our area. Some things just don't belong or said differently, just because you can doesn't mean you should. In the end, it's what you like not what we think, who am I to judge.

 

[73StangJK]

I went with a fiberglass 71 - 73 Mustang Mach-1 hood from http://www.carhoods.com/

I basically rivet and gorilla glued on some brackets so that I could use my existing hood hinges with lighter springs. It's been on the car and holding without issue for over a decade now. Wild to think I painted the stang so long ago now. That DIY paint job was not perfect and needs touchups now for sure. I learned a lot about paint and body work in the process. Many people asked me to do their cars after seeing mine and I was like eeeee.... No?