Alternative to hood scoop...

[proudlakester]

Hi All:

The time has come to pay the piper for the placement of my engine and for additional changes I've made during the rebuild.

Bottom line: A hood scoop just isn't gonna work for me. I don't particularly like them in the first place, and the resulting changes I would need to make to keep one would produce an ill-proportioned joke.

One thought was to go w/ a bump in the hood w/ a plenum and remote air filters..., but that won't work either.

The solution I think I'm settling on is the following:

1. Fabricate a shell to enclose the existing hole in the hood and accomodate the protrusion of the carb above the hood. The general idea would be to leave a hole in the shell of sufficient dimensions to accomodate the carb throat/inlet. One of the styling objectives of the piece will be to avoid sharp angles and slab sides..., I want it smooooooth. The shell will be affixed w/ either pop rivets, or some sort of low key clean, but visible, hardware.

2. Incorporate into the shell some type of louvers to help promote air flow through the engine compartment..., to supplement the side vents. Also will hopefully help dissipate heat during shutdown/cooldown.

3. Whatever air cleaner I choose will be mounted atop the shell..., i.e., the air cleaner will not be enclosed.

Yes..., this will be a somewhat unconventional look. Yes..., it means I have to remove the filter everytime I pop the hood. I'm cool with that.

But now..., I get to avoid a freakish scoop, and I can run w/ any air cleaner I want. The visibility of the air cleaner sorta goes with the "basic" mechanical look I've taken w/ the car.

(I'll try to take some pictures this afternoon w/ the hood set in place, to illustrate the problem)

What say ye?