1965 Big Block Hood

[Jim B.]

Hello
i have started some restoration work on a 1965 396 car. The car will likely not be a Top Fight car but I have ambitions to restore it to as close to its condition when it left the factory as i can. That said, the car was apparently involved in an accident that damaged the left front quarter panel and hood. Repairs were made long before I acquired the car. The hood was apparently replaced and the car now has what i believe to be an original 1966 BB hood complete with the hood prop on the drivers side of the car. (the holes on the left forward part of the hood where the "Corvette" emblem was previously located have been filled). I have been searching for an original 65 BB hood but am not optimistic that I will find one. I am beginning to consider options to modify the hood I have to relocate the hood prop to the correct side of the car. Looking for thoughts or suggestions on this idea.

I think something similar to this was done at the factory for the early 66 BB cars only in reverse, (65 hoods were modified to have the hood prop located on the left side)

Thanks in advance for ideas/thoughts

Jim

[Bill W.]

Re: 1965 Big Block Hood

Jim . Good luck with your 396 . Original hoods can be found at swap meets and on Ebay . I found mine on Ebay years ago , it had about 1/2 inch of cracked black paint on it and looked like it was silver when new . It was on a 66 and had holes drilled for the hood emblem but not the big holes for mounting . If you find a used one be sure to measure the length & width so you dont end up with one that was modified to fit a wreck . A 66 hood could be made to work on a 65 but I have never seen a modified 65 hood on a early 66 .Reproduction 65 hoods are made but I'm not sure how they would fit or judge .Mine was ink stamped April 1965 under all the paint on the underside . If possible send me your vin # and a list of orig. known options . I might have some past information on your car . Here are some pictures of my hood underside . I have seen different size rivets used I dont know if it was a AOS / STL. difference ? I have also seen pop rivets on GM hoods but they were service parts .
Bill Williamson pondpeoplel78@gmail.com DSCN1931.jpgDSCN1927.jpgDSCN1928.jpgDSCN1929.jpg

[Bill M.]

Re: 1965 Big Block Hood

Jim
Try to find a 65 hood. It is next to impossible to fill in the emblem holes without them reappearing down the road.

[Joe R.]

Re: 1965 Big Block Hood

Jim,

I found a used original 66 BB hood at Corvettes at Carlisle a few years ago. 65 is probably harder to find, but Carlisle is a good place to look if you can wait till next summer.

Joe

[Wayne M.]

Re: 1965 Big Block Hood

Gotta love the curves; some wag has described it (on another site) as a prophylactic.



c

[Tom D.]

Re: 1965 Big Block Hood

Some number of early '66 hoods have the prop attaching point on the right (passenger) side.

I know of a '66 with a '65 hood on it. The only issue: The owner wants a matching Nassau Blue 1966 hood in exchange for his 1965 hood. "Matching" is a key word here. You might end up painting his entire car after the hood swap...

[Tom D.]

Re: 1965 Big Block Hood

And, the one reproduction I have seen is about 4 pounds heavier than a GM 396 hood... A thicker top surface for sure.

[James W.]

Re: 1965 Big Block Hood

It was discussed during the advanced judging school at the recent NCRS National Convention that the differences in St. Louis and AO Smith bodies carries over to hood fitment. This being the fender curvature from the front to the back of the hood. That being at least on a SB car. An AO Smith hood will not fit properly on a St. Louis body car and vice versa? I know that AO Smith did not build big block cars in 1967 because they couldn't get the hood paint striping right but did AO Smith build bodies in '65 and '66?

I know on a SB hood there is know way to tell what company built it but if you happen to find a '65 BB hood that is not the same as the body build company will you have fit issues?

I have to replace the hood on my AO Smith built '65 L79 equipped car and have bought a used hood for it I hope to fit the used hood next week to determine any fitment issues before prepping the hood for paint.

Regards,

James West

[Gene M.]

Re: 1965 Big Block Hood

The lower front edge of the original hood typical is not painted, just over sprayed but not blacked out. Also the fiberglass is white on a 65. It is possible to have an early 66 hood in white glass. But later in 66 the fiberglass is gray. So there are other issues to be NCRS build correct too.

[Wayne W.]

Re: 1965 Big Block Hood

AOS did build BB bodies in 65-66. My opinion is that there is no difference between AOS hoods and St. Louis hoods. Hoods would generally be white glass early in 65 changing to light gray through the year and to very dark gray near black toward the end of the year 66.

[Tom D.]

Re: 1965 Big Block Hood

Here is an early 1966 Hood on a 1965 body. Hood prop attaches on passenger side. The wet areas make some spots look darker, but the hood is mostly dry in this photo. This hood fits much better than the reproduction I mentioned before.

[Tom D.]

Re: 1965 Big Block Hood

The guy who sold this particular '65, and "about 5 others" that year, just called me today! He's 87 and still working part time. He remembers the buyer (Tom Morgan of Allentown) and says the options were no doubt influenced by a "genius" parts manager named Bobby Eck. Dealer was Dankel Chevrolet and Mr. Eck is long gone. Jim Dantzer was an influence towards Corvettes also. He was a co-driver on the PA hills with Mr. Morgan.

Buyer Tom Morgan went hill climbing with it in May of 1965, after switching from his Jag. XKE. Tom Morgan also did hills with a 1968 Camaro, then another 1969 Camaro after that.

[Stewart L.]

Re: 1965 Big Block Hood

James brings up an interesting point, that some claim that AO Smith bodies were different than St Louis bodies. Wasn't there only one manufacturer of Corvette body parts during the production run? Does anybody know if it was Chevrolet or a sublet vendor? So if there was only one parts manufacturer shipping parts to Smith and St Louis, how could they be different other that the normal loose tolerances that existed between the parts? The front ends were jig assembled before they were installed, and I could see variances between the jigs. Anyone that has done much Corvette body work knows there is a lot of variance from car to car, but I don't see how hoods from St Louis could be different than hoods from Smith.
I have a 65 AO Smith Corvette sitting in my garage next to a St Louis 65, both with original front ends and hoods. I am not seeing any difference from hood to hood or front end to front end.
Is there any Facts out there that document any differences?

[Gene M.]

Re: 1965 Big Block Hood

James brings up an interesting point, that some claim that AO Smith bodies were different than St Louis bodies. Wasn't there only one manufacturer of Corvette body parts during the production run? Does anybody know if it was Chevrolet or a sublet vendor? So if there was only one parts manufacturer shipping parts to Smith and St Louis, how could they be different other that the normal loose tolerances that existed between the parts? The front ends were jig assembled before they were installed, and I could see variances between the jigs. Anyone that has done much Corvette body work knows there is a lot of variance from car to car, but I don't see how hoods from St Louis could be different than hoods from Smith.
I have a 65 AO Smith Corvette sitting in my garage next to a St Louis 65, both with original front ends and hoods. I am not seeing any difference from hood to hood or front end to front end.
Is there any Facts out there that document any differences?

This from John Hinkley should help explain the reason the differences occur. http://www.lbfun.com/warehouse/tech_.../A.O.Smith.pdf

The fixtures positioned fiberglass a bit differently so fit, curvature and appearance differ between the two plants. If you actually try to interchange bonded assemblies you will note the differences.

[Wayne W.]

Re: 1965 Big Block Hood

One supplier of raw parts. Any difference would be in assembly.