DaveB

Aluminum hoods came on a number of different cars. I stripped an 86 Base that had the AL hood, the 87 Sport has an AL hood, and the 89GTUs has AL hood. The 89 GTU has a steel hood, the 88 GTU has a steel hood, and I just bought a 90GLX with a steel hood. I really don't know.......
I sold an MGB this week with an AL hood. Does that count?

db

Rxmfn7

iTrader: (4)

Anyone know the reasoning of using a steel hood at all?? I never understood why they even made them in steel in the 1st place. The aluminum hood I have a stripped from a 88 SE.

Gershom

I know the aluminum hood will bolt up fine...what I am concerned about is the spring on the latch and if the steel hood latch will be too much force and possibly crease or bend the aluminum....and I have heard that bolting aluminum body pieces to steel will cause problems later on in the body shop with spraying the car and longevity of the paint.

Rxmfn7

iTrader: (4)

The aluminum hood I put on my GXL (used to have steel hood) fits fine, you just have to slam the hood instead of just being able to drop it Im amazed at how much lighter the aluminum hood is vs steel....its alot.. (30lb diff)

DaveB

If you strip the paint to the bare aluminum, then you should use a conversion chemical solution on it to prepare it for paint. The Dupont is a 2 step process which is not that very difficult.

The only time that there is a problem is when you mix dissimilar metals on adjacent panels. For example, my Healey has steel outer fenders, stainless fender beads, and aluminum shroud panels. When I took it apart to paint it, there was some electrolosis going on among the panels.

If you don't strip the panels, you should be fine. The hood hinges shouldn't be a problem either.

db

DOD_ROTARY

I think it may depend on what class in auto-x you plan to be competitive in. STS, STX, Street Prepared, or just stock. My brother and I both auto-x rx7's. He has a "heavy" s5 sport, I have the "light" s4 base with no ps or air. At the last auto-x in the stock class I had a 6 second lead on best lap times(i got 3rd in our class). Maybe a lot to do with skill, but the car matters. We both have pretty equal tires too. I think the best might be go with the s4 and add the high performance brake pads, lsd, front sway(rear kicks you out of stock), adjustable shocks, and the best tires not of "R" compound if you want to stay in the stock class(and whatever else may be allowed for the stock class). I know the lsd wont keep you in stock class but no one will notice trust me.

Gershom

Thanks DaveB you are the first person to have knowledge of that topic on here.....I will post pics of my car when it is done!! REXXERS RULE!!

snake eyes<l><l>

hehe i pick her up today (cant wait!) my new car

Snake Eyes<l><l>

X605

im gonna have to go with 86 base, CHEAPEST by far, a million out there, so if you gut parts and brake them theyre always availible, im thinkin money, if i wasnt then id say 91 gxl....doesnt have all the power windows and junk......extra suspension adjusters and what not

FC3S Brian

Do what I'm doing then

I have an 86 base, and an 86 GXL donar car I picked up for $150.00

Taking the 5 lugs, wheels / tires, sway bars, brakes, and LSD off that and adding them to my base :]

DrifterFD3S

I just took some of the interior out of my GXL and there is about 50-100 lbs to be lost just from the door panels, headliner, rear carpet, side panels, and those useless mats (prolly sound deadening) that are laid down under the carpet that seem to weigh like 15lbs each

jdubs99

Brakes are pertinent to stopping, not to speed. If you are about to take a serious turn at an auto-X, the extra speed you can keep because you have upgraped brakes more than makes up for the time you need to re-accelerate AFTER the turn you just made. Cars bleed speed faster than they accelerate, especially after rounding a turn, no matter if you are cruising the course at 50 MPH.

Then again, most auto-X aren't going to throw in a turn that requires a crazy apex to follow. It's all relative.