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Anybody have any experience with repop hoods. I have too much rust and am contemplating restoring a old 73 hood I have with badly peeling paint, or going with a cheap china reproduction. They are only $130 and are local, so I can save on shipping.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1984-1991-JEEP- ... 9369997%26

Also, is there any reason why a 73 hood wont fit on my 80 wag? I pulled the parts off of the 73 to convert my 80 into a round headlight 73 grill (latch bar, cross bar over grille). Can I just put those parts back on the 73 hood and bolt it onto my 80? Or was there some changes to the hinges or anything along the way?

No. I would curious to see the under side of the hood for that price. It could just be the outer skin.

Since you have the grille off the 73, that hood should fit fine.

Not just the skin, its complete.

It's $250, shipped to your door, however.

I'm local, so no shipping. I'll pick it up at their warehouse.

Then what are you doing here online? Why aren't you dragging your new hood home?

I bet it is paper thin..

Well then, that looks better. I drug my hood around a couple times Ethan. It was loaded with fire wood. Then it wouldn't fit back on the Jeep.

Used hoods are not hard to come by. They seldom rust out. A little surface rust and peeling paint is easy to deal with. No experience with the repop hoods, but in general the repop Jeep body parts are thin, don't fit well, and have poor quality. YMMV.

tgreese wrote:Used hoods are not hard to come by. They seldom rust out. A little surface rust and peeling paint is easy to deal with. No experience with the repop hoods, but in general the repop Jeep body parts are thin, don't fit well, and have poor quality. YMMV.

Thats what Im worried about. I dont care about them being paper thin, I actually would prefer a light weight hood. I would do fiberglass, but there just isn't that much of a weight loss over steel. Im mostly worried about the fit being really bad. (not like any of my other panels fit well...) I can tell a big difference in panel weight/thickness even from my 73 to my 80 parts.

My hood has several holes, or future holes from rust about 2/3s of the way back on the hood. It seems to be rusting from the inside out.

Guess Ill keep an eye out for a good used hood and keep this repop as a backup option.

I went to car-part.com and found a lot of hoods. Of course, they want too much money... Back when I visited CA to see my folks, I would go to the pick-a-parts and look around. Seems like I found at least one Wagoneer per yard. Should be an easy part to find, if they will sell them for a reasonable price.

Also, your private party sale should be way cheaper. I suggest you check your local Jeep/4x4 forums, and post WTBs there.

tgreese wrote:Used hoods are not hard to come by. They seldom rust out. A little surface rust and peeling paint is easy to deal with. No experience with the repop hoods, but in general the repop Jeep body parts are thin, don't fit well, and have poor quality. YMMV.

You'll go to close your hood and it'll fold right in half. Make sure your hinges are well lubed. If they're anything like the fenders, you can almost see light through them.



JR

headhoncho wrote:

tgreese wrote:Used hoods are not hard to come by. They seldom rust out. A little surface rust and peeling paint is easy to deal with. No experience with the repop hoods, but in general the repop Jeep body parts are thin, don't fit well, and have poor quality. YMMV.

You'll go to close your hood and it'll fold right in half. Make sure your hinges are well lubed. If they're anything like the fenders, you can almost see light through them.



JR

You know, That actually happened to me on my old Chevy Blazer. Hood bent right in front of the hinges. I think Ill attempt to refinish the 73 hood I have for now.

DITTO a cheap hood is a cheap Hood. I would be very afraid of the repoop (not mispelled) since the hoods in thicker metal flex already. Fitment & strength are key. Factory hoods are everywhere. If yours just has paint problems then that is not an issue. It can easily be resotored & be a better piece. You're headed in the right direction. Talk to any proffessional body man & it will be the end of the subject.