RedTwilight Posted August 31, 2015 Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 While block sanding and prepping the H.O. Fibertrends hood for primer I kept thinking of what to do with the scoop bezels on the hood. This area has been bothering since I purchased the hood. The bezels are moulded in on this hood and a separate piece on the factory hood. Ideally I'd like to cut out the moulded in bezels and make a bracket to mount the factory bezels to. But the way it's moulded I wouldn't have enough of a "lip" left on it to make everything fit and look properly. My other option was to take a dremel, files, and sandpaper to deepen an slightly undercut the lines around the moulded in bezel to make it look more like the 2 piece. The problem with this will occur after it's painted. The paint would end up filling the are that I would have sanded out. Just about negating the effect. And my last option is to fill in the mould lines and smooth the scoop. This would by far be the easiest and quickest way. But I'm afraid that it may take away too much from the original factory look. Of course this may be a moot point and may actually go along better with the rest of the body work. The rest of the body will be Saleen side skirts and rear bumper, factory Cobra front bumper with Mach 1 chin spoiler, and either Shinoda Boss, S281, GR40 or custom rear spoiler. Also I plan to paint the car HOK Candy Apple Red; so the grooves or lack there of will end up being noticed. Scoop as moulded. After guide coat and a little block sanding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yeahloh95 Posted August 31, 2015 Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 you could always come back with some black paint and pin stripe the groove to make it look two piece Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedTwilight Posted August 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 you could always come back with some black paint and pin stripe the groove to make it look two pieceGood idea but my little bit of OCD (nowhere near Dan's level) wouldn't allow me to do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Det_Riot Posted August 31, 2015 Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 If you aren't coming back and Pinstriping it and there's no way to cut it to make it functional, smooth that bitch in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedTwilight Posted August 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 If you aren't coming back and Pinstriping it and there's no way to cut it to make it functional, smooth that bitch inAt the moment that is looking to be my best option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95riosnake Posted August 31, 2015 Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 You could maybe emphasize the parting line by taking a small dremel cutoff wheel and carefully cutting a groove in the center of the parting line possibly. Then sand, sand, sand to smooth the parting line down into the cut you just made using a piece of sand paper glued over a wood block edge. I think with a deeper parting line, once the hood is painted it should look like a separate scoop at first glance. I think smoothing it in will lose the factory look completely. I wouldn't personally choose that option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
410sn95 Posted August 31, 2015 Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 Smoothing it in will look weird imho. Make it look two piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prokiller Posted August 31, 2015 Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 can you take a picture further back. like of the whole hood? i'm having a hard time visualizing it smoothed in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedTwilight Posted August 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 You could maybe emphasize the parting line by taking a small dremel cutoff wheel and carefully cutting a groove in the center of the parting line possibly. Then sand, sand, sand to smooth the parting line down into the cut you just made using a piece of sand paper glued over a wood block edge. I think with a deeper parting line, once the hood is painted it should look like a separate scoop at first glance. I think smoothing it in will lose the factory look completely. I wouldn't personally choose that option. I think I'm going to cross this option off. The fiberglass is not thick enough for my liking in this area. And the paint may fill in the gaps more than I'd want. Not to mention wet sanding in this area will be a bitch! Smoothing it in will look weird imho. Make it look two piece. This is my thinking as well. And if I'm gonna make it look like it I may as well do it right! can you take a picture further back. like of the whole hood? i'm having a hard time visualizing it smoothed in. And what the underside looks like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prokiller Posted August 31, 2015 Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 i don't think it would look bad smoothed. it will just be different then the norm. i think as long as you do something with the inlet you'll be fine. whether you cut it out or paint it black. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95riosnake Posted August 31, 2015 Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 I think I'm going to cross this option off. The fiberglass is not thick enough for my liking in this area. And the paint may fill in the gaps more than I'd want. Not to mention wet sanding in this area will be a bitch! I would hope the hood is thick enough to scribe a 1/16" deep line with a Dremel. But if you were worried about the thickness, you could always scuff the underside where the scoops are and add some layers of fiberglass cloth and resin, then blend the area where you add thickness using some filler before paint. The underside of the hood looks to need some finish work before paint anyway. Making it two piece would be the best looking option IMO, definitely labor intensive but I think if I were in your shoes that would be the route I would begrudgingly go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedTwilight Posted August 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 i don't think it would look bad smoothed. it will just be different then the norm. i think as long as you do something with the inlet you'll be fine. whether you cut it out or paint it black. No matter which way I end up going I planned to open the scoop up and also use the factory mesh grill insert. I would hope the hood is thick enough to scribe a 1/16" deep line with a Dremel. But if you were worried about the thickness, you could always scuff the underside where the scoops are and add some layers of fiberglass cloth and resin, then blend the area where you add thickness using some filler before paint. The underside of the hood looks to need some finish work before paint anyway. Making it two piece would be the best looking option IMO, definitely labor intensive but I think if I were in your shoes that would be the route I would begrudgingly go. Making it 2 pieces is unfortunately the I'm leaning toward. I want the final product to be on par with the rest of the car. I've been thinking of how to proceed with this option. So far I would cut the moulded piece out leaving about a 1/4" or so. Then dremel and sand the raised portion down to leave a lip for the factory bezel to sit on. Next I'd make a couple of plates for the bezel to bolt to. Finally reinforce it all with some fiberglass on the underside. I'm not sure if I'll smooth the central area on the underside. I'm leaning toward leaving the texture and spraying that part in black. As a bonus I'd save a lot of weight this way. I also wanted to add some heat extractor scoops to the front of the hood similar to the Terminator hood. But shot this down because of the area needed for these would be impeded by the bulge in the center of the hood. And the was no other way to make it look like they belonged there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RideTech_Ryan Posted September 1, 2015 Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 I think it would look good all smoothed out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95riosnake Posted September 1, 2015 Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 Here's a photoshop with them smoothed in, might help with your decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackmage Posted September 1, 2015 Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 I say smooth it out. i guess i should update my browser before posting next time haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedTwilight Posted September 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 Here's a photoshop with them smoothed in, might help with your decision. Not bad. Thanks for the quick chop.But with the level of detail that I hope I could achieve with the car I am going to first try implementing the factory bezels. If that fails then I will fall back on smooth option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95riosnake Posted September 1, 2015 Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 Not bad. Thanks for the quick chop.But with the level of detail that I hope I could achieve with the car I am going to first try implementing the factory bezels. If that fails then I will fall back on smooth option. Oh definitely. I fully support trying to use factory bezels. Just showing what it would look like smoothed if you end up having to go that route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackmage Posted September 1, 2015 Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 have you thought about smoothing them out and then cutting the opening out to allow the scoop insert (honey comb piece) to mount in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedTwilight Posted September 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 have you thought about smoothing them out and then cutting the opening out to allow the scoop insert (honey comb piece) to mount in? No matter which direction I decided upon, I had planned from the beginning to use the factory grill insert. It's just the bezels that I'm trying to make my mind up on. I really want to use the factory bezels. always have. I just need to quit being lazy and get my ass in gear! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prokiller Posted September 1, 2015 Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 i really like the smoothed in look. its different, but as long as you use the inserts then it will be close to make people take a second look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
