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MPD Hood Quality & Durability

2K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  redgtosamurai 
#1 ·
Well, after looking at the various aftermarket hoods available, I have pretty much settled on the MPD"GTO Scorpio" hood as being the most aesthetic, at least to my eyes. So I would like to ask any of you who have had installed one for your opinions about it, for example:

(1) Is it strong enough so that you can treat it just like the stock hood for opening & closing, or is it a delicate item that you have to "baby"?

(2) Any rattling, fluttering, squeaking, getting out of alignment, warping ... at speed, in high temperature situations, etc.?

(3) It's fiberglass. Did that present any problems with color/finish matching at your bodyshop?

(4) I am not planning to get the "functional ram airbox" for it - just want the hood for its looks. With the airbox noninstalled, is the MPD hood a "sealed" unit that will not let dust, rain, etc. down through the scoops?

(5) Any other comments or advice (would be most welcome) ...

Thanks in advance! :hail:

Michael Aquino
 
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#2 ·
I have it installed, and I have absolutely no complaints. Very sturdy, the color match is perfect (although I think this has more to do with your body shop than the hood itself). The hood doesn't come sealed, even if you don't get the air box, the hood lets air through from the top to just above where your air filter is. An added benifit of the hood is it feels lighter than the stock hood (haven't put it on a scale but lifting both, you can definately feel the difference). You can see pictures of mine here:
http://www.newagegto.com/forum/index.php?act=Garage&CODE=12&CID=17
That shows the bottom of the hood also and the fiberglass heat shield I made myself to make it more functional.

Also, no rattling or warping that I have seen at any speed.
 
#3 ·
I can only echo cjlannoy's account. I am very pleased with mine as well. The body guy who installed mine used to work at Greenwood Corvettes doing fiberglass fabrication and he said it was the best quality aftermarket hood he has ever dealt with. I am very happy with the fit and finish.

As far as babying it, look at it this way, it is fiberglass and not steel. I don't slam it closed, I let it fall from about eight inches from the latch. I wouldn't close it any harder than I would the hood of a vette for the same reasons.

Since my car is black and the heat is so intense here in Florida my body guy sprayed four coats of clear on it and I have let it bake in the sun everyday (until it rains) for the last month. This way, any curing that needs to finish will be done before he buffs it out. Even like this the hood looks great, just a little orange peel if you stare at it. I don't see any blemishes coming up so feel like it was done very well.

Hope this helps.

Dave
 
#4 ·
To add on to maquino's original post, if you do drive the goat in the rain and since the hood is not a sealed unit...assuming you have the airbox and the whole setup......where does the rain go that is taken in through the scoops? the only place it appears to be able to go from the pics i have seen is straight to the airbox/filter location. is this correct or are there other drain holes i am not seeing.
mike
 
#8 ·
I don't know. That styling just doesn't hit home for me. :wall:
 
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