Was asked to check out and compare a hood for someone over the last couple of days and thought I should share some of my findings with the members and other viewers.
This post focuses on how the frames and supporting plates located between the steel frame and the fiberglass outer shell.
The "fingers" were designed to secure the reinforcement plates to the sheet frame. There are also some welds but the finger attachment came first and is the focus of the difference found.
The plates have slots or long thin holes cut in to each in a number of locations and the fingers on the frame are bent at a 90 degree angle, slipped through the slots in the reinforcements and then bend over to hold them in place.
Here is a series of side by side comparison of the reproduction example on the left and the originals on the right
Hope this helps others make an informed choice if they find themselves in the position where they have to determine originality
Fingers up close
Center of the hood at the front edge with the hood latch pin and loop area
Forward corner of the hood where the hood pin hole was added. You may also notice that the reproduction does not have the reinforcement, second metal layer in the picture around the hole or where the owner finger is located
And the hood hinge area that was reinforced also. Repo has the plate just not attached like an original
