1969 Mach I functional Hood Sccop

[Nigel]

Has anyone made the hood scoop functional on the Mach I? I know that that was a silly question. But how much did you cut without butchering it. And if so do you have any pictures? This is a orginial hood and I need it done right the first time.

[horsehead]

Years ago i may have done that but not now. I wouldn't cut up an original hood. Your not going to get any real benefit out of doing that. Those scoops were mainly designed as an appearance thing only. Like they say-- It's your car though.

[Nigel]

Thanks, I am just debating it.

[gsxrken]

This comes up now and then, and it seems that folks don't understand the airflow realities. If you cut a hole in the hood, at speed high-pressure air flows through the hot radiator, picks up heat, and escapes out past the air cleaner. You won't get cooler air to your carb.

The reason all the various shakers out there (Ford, Mopar, Pontiac etc) have a giant foam seal on a huge air cleaner base is so that underhood air cannot get out the hole, and the carb is isolated from engine heat and can only breathe cool outside air. (Well, some actually have vacuum dampers that open at certain points, but that's not relevant here.)
Shakers exist if you want to go that route. About the only reason I could see hacking a hole in a hood under a scoop is if that is what it took to fit a tunnel ram and still close the hood.
It's your car so do what you want, but thought I'd put that out there as you are a new member and may have not seen those threads. Good luck.

[Nigel]

Thanks, I will keep it original. I am bidding on a scoop on ebay now.

[horsehead]

So i take it you don't have a scoop at all now and a flat non-cut hood. If you get the original scoop and put in the signal lights that go in it you will have to cut two oval holes at the rear of your hood for it to sit completely flat. For the light bezel to recess a little. FYI ---but shouldn't be any big deal. Don't know if they have a template for that or not.

[frdnut]

I made the scoop functional on mine.You have to drill a bunch of holes in the hood for the scoop mounting studs anyway so cutting a hole for some fresh air seems like a no brainer to me..In my case I also wanted the additional clearance the scoop provides.

[horsehead]

A little fresh air and venting under the hood never hurts anything. If you really don't mind cutting it Just get an oval or round plate (of course smaller than the scoop width) mark it and jig it out.. Take your time---lay 2'' wide painter's tape and lay it down around the marked hole so when you jig it out it won't mess up your existing paint. I've got some hoods here that you were not believe how they were butchered cutting hole's in them. That's right neat there frdnut---good job.

[sportsroof69]

I made mine functional out of necessity.

[GypsyR]

I like everybody's replies so far. The main thing to remember is there is no measurable performance benefit from such a scoop no matter which way you go.
I have one that I will have to drill a brand new hood for but I have no illusions about it. It will be there because I like the look.
I wasn't aware I might need some extra clearance for the lights. Mainly because I don't have any yet. Thanks for the heads-up Horsehead.

[horsehead]

No problem---yeah, it's not much, only like a 1/4-3/8's inch or so they extend down past the lower edge of the scoop but they do. If you look under the hood of a 69 that had the scoop from factory you can see the oval shaped holes from the bottom also. PS---also gave you access to plug the lights/harness in.

[actionjackson]

I'm putting an original torino scoop on my 67 fastback project because I think they look better than a flat hood and I need the clearence for an air gap manifold. With the K&N filter up into the scoop it has to help somewhat, well it can't hurt anyway

[The_Dude]

Early hoods had a pie shaped cutout.

[Tarmac_69_Mustang]

Originally Posted by sportsroof69

I made mine functional out of necessity.

Have you ever driven that when it rains?

Other than the rain, that looks like a great idea! I was actually thinking of somthing like that so i can fit a 1" spacer under the carb.

[sportsroof69]

Nope. I only drive the car in good weather. The breather sits a little higher now because of the nitrous plate. I must admit that I stole the idea from Maxum offif here.