PowerDome Mod
#26
11-28-2011
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 834
Likes: 3
From: Rutland VT
Pics of the fillers for the grill-clearance slots I worked on this weekend. I'm not 100% sold on them yet--with them being made out of fiberglass, then 'glassed-in, and then body filler to finish them off, I'm a little worried about them cracking with the hood being opened and closed. It certainly would be a major fail if I got the whole hood finished and painted, and then the first time that I slammed the hood shut, the inserts cracked!! I might experiment today with a different option. What I have in mind is not quite as finished-looking as the 'glass inserts, but I think it will work better long-term.
Fresh outta the molds:
Trimmed:
Test-fit:
'Glassed:
Partially filled and finished:
MikeR
Fresh outta the molds:
Trimmed:
Test-fit:
'Glassed:
Partially filled and finished:
MikeR
Last edited by StxDangerRanger; 01-11-2012 at 07:07 PM.
#28
11-28-2011
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 834
Likes: 3
From: Rutland VT
#32
11-30-2011
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 834
Likes: 3
From: Rutland VT
#33
12-01-2011
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 834
Likes: 3
From: Rutland VT
I got the fillers (Version 2.0) done last night-I think they'll work out really well.
Clearance slots all cleaned-up and marked:
New filler piece--made out of vinyl cove base material, nice and thick, durable as Hell, and will pretty much disappear once the hood is painted black:
Relief cuts in the fillers exactly where the grille mounting ears will land when the hood is closed:
Passenger-side mocked-up:
Driver-side mocked-up:
Don't worry--the screws are strictly for mock-up--I'll be using these panel fasteners during final assembly. Should look almost "factory".
I guess I'm pretty much done now until it gets some color.
MikeR
Clearance slots all cleaned-up and marked:
New filler piece--made out of vinyl cove base material, nice and thick, durable as Hell, and will pretty much disappear once the hood is painted black:
Relief cuts in the fillers exactly where the grille mounting ears will land when the hood is closed:
Passenger-side mocked-up:
Driver-side mocked-up:
Don't worry--the screws are strictly for mock-up--I'll be using these panel fasteners during final assembly. Should look almost "factory".
I guess I'm pretty much done now until it gets some color.
MikeR
Last edited by StxDangerRanger; 01-11-2012 at 07:09 PM.
#36
12-02-2011
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 834
Likes: 3
From: Rutland VT
#37
12-06-2011
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 834
Likes: 3
From: Rutland VT
I'm considering drilling a row of 1/2"-5/8" holes in the flat panel on the underside of the scoop-I'm thinking it would relieve any pressure that could get built-up between the 2 distinct layers of the hood due to any air entering thru the clearance slots. I'd hate to risk any delamination.
Plus, I need something to do!
MikeR
Plus, I need something to do!
MikeR
#38
12-06-2011
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 834
Likes: 3
From: Rutland VT
#41
12-10-2011
Nice work.
Why holes underneath, why not on the top side, something similar, orderly and it would release some of the under-hood heat ?
With the holes on the back, underside edge the air will be forced into the engine bay from the rear, right. I was wondering if that would create high pressure inside of the engine bay and in turn try to force air out of the radiator from the inside. This in turn would reduce the cooling efficiency of the radiator.
May sound far fetched but I had an ’88 Ranger STX, 5.0L, HD radiator, electric fans, etc and although it never boiled over it ran HOT, HOT, HOT mostly on the hy-way at speed and sometimes when the heavy foot got started.
Always wondered why; picked up the rear of the hood, allowing trapped air to move out and the temp dropped 15 degrees.
When I talked to a Ford Engineer friend, he told me that what was happening was the air was trying to go through the radiator and trying to get in the engine bay from under the truck almost stopping the air flow, by picking up the rear of the hood it eliminated the problem.
Thinking on those lines is why I mentioned the above, sorry to confuse things, just something to think about.
Looking good.
Why holes underneath, why not on the top side, something similar, orderly and it would release some of the under-hood heat ?
With the holes on the back, underside edge the air will be forced into the engine bay from the rear, right. I was wondering if that would create high pressure inside of the engine bay and in turn try to force air out of the radiator from the inside. This in turn would reduce the cooling efficiency of the radiator.
May sound far fetched but I had an ’88 Ranger STX, 5.0L, HD radiator, electric fans, etc and although it never boiled over it ran HOT, HOT, HOT mostly on the hy-way at speed and sometimes when the heavy foot got started.
Always wondered why; picked up the rear of the hood, allowing trapped air to move out and the temp dropped 15 degrees.
When I talked to a Ford Engineer friend, he told me that what was happening was the air was trying to go through the radiator and trying to get in the engine bay from under the truck almost stopping the air flow, by picking up the rear of the hood it eliminated the problem.
Thinking on those lines is why I mentioned the above, sorry to confuse things, just something to think about.
Looking good.
#42
12-11-2011
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 834
Likes: 3
From: Rutland VT
I worked on it a little bit this morning before the Pats game came on. I got the vinyl mesh cut that I'm going to use to finish off the inner scoop panel (where I drilled the vent holes). I got it from McMaster-Carr. It was supposed 48", but it ended up only being 36" wide, so there's a joint in the middle. I fabbed-up some trim pieces out of some 1/16" aluminum that I had kicking around-one for the center of the panel where the mesh joint is, and one for each end. Polished the aluminum up nice--set-up looks pretty good in mock-up. I might end-up putting some carbon fiber DiNoc on the trim pieces if I have any left; if not, the polished aluminum will look just fine once everything is painted black. Sorry, no pics.
MikeR
MikeR
#45
12-14-2011
Member
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
From: LA. Calif
hood mod measurments
Looking at the under side of your hood ,it appears the hinge mounting hole are not even, do you have 2 left hood hinges. Measure side of hood to the centerline hood hinge holes on both sides see if they are the same ??
I guess ford used left and right hinges on some rangers & 2 lefts on some model rangers. I run into this doing the same project hood as you.
I guess ford used left and right hinges on some rangers & 2 lefts on some model rangers. I run into this doing the same project hood as you.
#46
12-14-2011
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 834
Likes: 3
From: Rutland VT
The mounting pads are not symmetrical. When doing this swap, you use the P/S hinge from the newer truck, and the D/S hinge from the truck that the Power Dome came from (thanks to wvcat for the heads-up on this). So Brian, you're doing this mod also? Got any pics? How's it coming along?
MikeR
MikeR
#48
12-15-2011
The mounting pads are not symmetrical. When doing this swap, you use the P/S hinge from the newer truck, and the D/S hinge from the truck that the Power Dome came from (thanks to wvcat for the heads-up on this). So Brian, you're doing this mod also? Got any pics? How's it coming along?
MikeR
MikeR
