86rxNa

So went to swap my steel hood for my aluminum hood and realized the bolts to take the brackets off are under the fender. What should I do and how bad is this going to screw up my aluminum hood if I just swap the hoods and no brackets?

clokker

iTrader: (2)

I did that seven years ago and haven't seen any problems.

86rxNa

Ok just what i wanted to hear, ty clokker.

misterstyx69

iTrader: (142)

just undo the 10mm bolts on the side of the hood..undo the windshield washer tube and lift the hood off.
Replace..
DONE.

You may find that you will now have to "slam" the hood as the new aluminum hood is lighter than what the latch was used to,seeing it is now looking at a 28 pound hood instead of a 56 pound toboggan.

clokker

iTrader: (2)

Supposedly, Mazda used a special hood latch for the alloy hoods.
Compared side by side, there is no discernible difference except maybe the spring.
I tried both, couldn't tell any difference.
YMMV.

86rxNa

Cool, im gonna swap em today. I have the latch from the aluminum hood, if its tough to close ill have to look at switching it. That sounds a heck of alot easier than trying to remove the hinges.

Aaron Cake

iTrader: (1)

For good measure though I suggest some dielectric grease between the steel hood hinge and aluminium hood.

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

Mazda lists 4 different LHD latches.

there is a steel hood and no alarm, AL hood with no alarm, and then steel with, and AL with alarm.

86rxNa

Roger that on the dielectric grease, why so many diff hood pieces. Shoulda kept it straight aluminum. This steel hood is ridiculously heavy for a sports car.

86rxNa

Say something about this photo





All scribed up waiting on backup to arrive.





Someone come help me pull her out lol!





Almost 30 years old still looking great!

rx7racerca

iTrader: (1)

I just stretched the hood latch spring on mine when I swapped an aluminum hood on, so that the hood didn't need slammed or dropped from too high to latch easily.