Hood Dilemma

[99horsey]

The paint near the seams on the under side of my ’06 hood started bubbling up a few years ago (just out of warranty). It spread around the front lip and the paint chipped off of the front. I cleaned the loose paint off the best I could and touched it up and it looked ok for a year or two (I knew it would be a temporary fix). Now the paint is chipping off even faster and it’s time for a permanent solution.

I’ve read every thread I could find on this forum and others about repaint success (or lack thereof) and am not confident that I can get someone to repaint my hood and not have the problem come back. Is that the general consensus? Has anyone had long term success with a repaint? Since there’s no way to clean inside the seam where the contamination starts the bubbling, will it always eventually come back?

If I have to replace the hood, I don’t like the options I’ve found. I can buy a new Ford OE aluminum hood (~$1000), but what are the odds that will be contamination free and not end up with paint bubbling? Or I can buy an aftermarket fiberglass hood. My problem with fiberglass is I don’t know how they will hold up long term either and I would prefer to keep it close to stock looking.

I can’t decide what I want to do because I’m not wild about any of my options. What do you guys think? What would you do?

 

[Steve@Tasca]

Nearly impossible to stop an aluminum hood from corroding over time, especially if you're in a climate with real winters.

Fiberglass or carbon might be the best option in the long term.

 

[AnotherS197GT]

I had mine done under warranty and it held up for about 2 years before it started slightly bubbling again. I painted the hood with the help of a friend while we painted the rest of the car. Again, it lasted for about 2 years before it came back. I ended up getting another hood from someone else with bubbling on the underside instead of the leading edge. IMO, not much you can do aside from get a fiberglass hood or get it fixed every couple of years. I'm not a professional though. I think once it starts, you are kinda screwed. It seems to be a problem with a lot of Ford aluminium panels.

 

[weather man]

Lets hope they do better with the new aluminum pickup.

 

[99horsey]

Nearly impossible to stop an aluminum hood from corroding over time, especially if you're in a climate with real winters.

Fiberglass or carbon might be the best option in the long term.

I live in a climate with real winters, but only drive it 3 seasons.

I had mine done under warranty and it held up for about 2 years before it started slightly bubbling again. I painted the hood with the help of a friend while we painted the rest of the car. Again, it lasted for about 2 years before it came back. I ended up getting another hood from someone else with bubbling on the underside instead of the leading edge. IMO, not much you can do aside from get a fiberglass hood or get it fixed every couple of years. I'm not a professional though. I think once it starts, you are kinda screwed. It seems to be a problem with a lot of Ford aluminium panels.

That's what I'm afraid of happening to me.

Lets up they do better with the new aluminum pickup.

No kidding!

 

[mrt2you]

i have been a body man for around 30 years.
i have repaired a LOT of hoods with this problem and most of them weren't ford hoods.
the way i repair this problem for my own car, not a warranty job.
i use PPG products so i don't know other manufacturers paints.
remove the hood from the car.
take a cleaning disk on a angle grinder to remove the paint on the seam all of the way around the hood.
sandblast the seam.
apply acid etch 2 part primer, DX 1791/1792 to the blasted area. use proper flash time between coats. apply 2 coats
then the next day lightly scuff the etch primer and apply 2 coats of epoxy primer. DP 40LF mixed with DP402LF catalyst.
the next day apply seam sealer to the seam. i use masking tape to limit the areas where the sealer is applied and to look good.
after the seam sealer drys refinish the under side of the hood.

if you want the job to last you MUST sandblast, apply corrosion resistant primer and seal everything up with seam sealer, or the rust WILL return.

when repairing under warranty you only get paid for clean and featheredge the bad areas, apply corrosion resistant primer, and refinish.

 

[weather man]

i have been a body man for around 30 years.
i have repaired a LOT of hoods with this problem and most of them weren't ford hoods.
the way i repair this problem for my own car, not a warranty job.
i use PPG products so i don't know other manufacturers paints.
remove the hood from the car.
take a cleaning disk on a angle grinder to remove the paint on the seam all of the way around the hood.
sandblast the seam.
apply acid etch 2 part primer, DX 1791/1792 to the blasted area. use proper flash time between coats. apply 2 coats
then the next day lightly scuff the etch primer and apply 2 coats of epoxy primer. DP 40LF mixed with DP402LF catalyst.
the next day apply seam sealer to the seam. i use masking tape to limit the areas where the sealer is applied and to look good.
after the seam sealer drys refinish the under side of the hood.

if you want the job to last you MUST sandblast, apply corrosion resistant primer and seal everything up with seam sealer, or the rust WILL return.

when repairing under warranty you only get paid for clean and featheredge the bad areas, apply corrosion resistant primer, and refinish.

I would rep you if I could. Excellent tech share.

 

[99horsey]

i have been a body man for around 30 years.
i have repaired a LOT of hoods with this problem and most of them weren't ford hoods.
the way i repair this problem for my own car, not a warranty job.
i use PPG products so i don't know other manufacturers paints.
remove the hood from the car.
take a cleaning disk on a angle grinder to remove the paint on the seam all of the way around the hood.
sandblast the seam.
apply acid etch 2 part primer, DX 1791/1792 to the blasted area. use proper flash time between coats. apply 2 coats
then the next day lightly scuff the etch primer and apply 2 coats of epoxy primer. DP 40LF mixed with DP402LF catalyst.
the next day apply seam sealer to the seam. i use masking tape to limit the areas where the sealer is applied and to look good.
after the seam sealer drys refinish the under side of the hood.

if you want the job to last you MUST sandblast, apply corrosion resistant primer and seal everything up with seam sealer, or the rust WILL return.

when repairing under warranty you only get paid for clean and featheredge the bad areas, apply corrosion resistant primer, and refinish.

Awesome info! Does this add a lot to the cost of a repaint? i.e. will it cost nearly as much to get the OE hood repainted with this method as it would cost to buy a fiberglass hood and get it painted?

How do we find someone that knows what they're doing and would follow this method? I talked to a few body shops and they all wanted to media blast the seam, but no one talked about seam sealer which seems like it would be key.

 

[o2sys]

I've owned 3 Japanese cars with aluminum hoods, none had problems but the ford. This was driving in all seasons including salty winters.

 

[99horsey]

I've owned 3 Japanese cars with aluminum hoods, none had problems but the ford. This was driving in all seasons including salty winters.

Not every S197 has the problem (though it seems like the number is high). I wonder what the percentage is with problems.

 

[o2sys]

I think it was the design of the hood that causes the problem. It has an over hang and water creeps in from the seam.

 

[99horsey]

I think it was the design of the hood that causes the problem. It has an over hang and water creeps in from the seam.

If that's the case, it would seem like we're screwed no matter how it is prepped/repainted. I would also think if that's true it would mean that every 05-09 hood exposed to the elements would eventually have the problem, right?

 

[o2sys]

My original hood had this problem, a replacement oem take-off I bought had this problem as well.

Maybe not every 05-09 but a certain batch probably.

 

[99horsey]

My original hood had this problem, a replacement oem take-off I bought had this problem as well.

Maybe not every 05-09 but a certain batch probably.

The odds don't sound in our favor. I found some aftermarket aluminum replacement hoods on ebay for under $500, but I'm thinking that's taking a big chance - if Ford can't make a hood and prep it properly for paint, anybody can screw it up as easily. If I could find somebody as knowledgeable as mrt2you locally to take care of it, I would feel better. Without that, I may be stuck with the fiberglass route.

Has anybody here bought one of the prepainted Cervini's hoods? I wonder how the paint match is. They run about $1,100 shipped so would be the cheapest new hood option...

 

[BleedinBlue]

Not every S197 has the problem (though it seems like the number is high). I wonder what the percentage is with problems.

I'm on my third mustang (sn95 new edge and an 06 s197) and this is the first car I've had with this problem. I guess I was due.

 

[99horsey]

I'm on my third mustang (sn95 new edge and an 06 s197) and this is the first car I've had with this problem. I guess I was due.

The New Edge cars had some sort of plastic/resin hood (not fiberglass - I forget what it is called). So you didn't have it on your 06 but you do on your 11? That's discouraging - I thought it was more a problem for the earlier S197s. I hope the aluminum hood on my F150 doesn't have issues...

At this point, I'm kind of leaning toward a pre-painted Cervini hood. The only worry is how the paint would match. They don't charge a lot for their paint jobs so if I eventually wanted to get it repainted along with the fenders and bumper to get it all to match, I wouldn't be out that much.

 

[claudermilk]

The New Edge cars had some sort of plastic/resin hood (not fiberglass - I forget what it is called).

Probably sheet molding compound (SMC). I know it's used in a lot of body panels (IIRC, Saturns, Viper, Vette, etc). I didn't know the New Edge used any at all.

 

[99horsey]

Probably sheet molding compound (SMC). I know it's used in a lot of body panels (IIRC, Saturns, Viper, Vette, etc). I didn't know the New Edge used any at all.

That sounds familiar. Both the hood and the trunk lid are the same material.

 

[o2sys]

I've had Duraflex, Trufiber, and Saleen hoods all of them in fiberglass and Trufiber was the best out of all.

Duraflex - This was my first hood, Saleen replica, cheap like $300 shipped. This was the worst out all three I've own. Lots of prep work required, the surface came with a porous finish (inferior gel coating) that is almost impossible to smooth out because the body filler can't get in it good enough but thinner stuff like paint and clear coat will. It was very thin so it was super wabbly and but the overall fitment was not as bad though. I would still rate the fit a C+.

Trufiber - Finish was smooth, very well packaged for shipment. Very well made with proper backing plates on the hood latch and hood flange locations. Very little prep required very high quality and sturdy fiberglass material. It was heavy, 40lbs but also due to the design (had vents, scoops, and ram air). Fitment was A-.

Saleen - This was an original Saleen fiberglass hood off a S281E model before they offered it in Aluminum. Same quality as Trufiber, slightly thinner (less layers) than trufiber or just a different gel coat. Fitment was surprisingly bad but not as bad as the Duraflex. Not as heavy either. I would rate the Saleen fitment a B-.

With all that said, I would go with Trufiber again if I had to get a new hood. But nothing fits like the OEM aluminum hood and its so lightweight.

 

[99horsey]

I've had Duraflex, Trufiber, and Saleen hoods all of them in fiberglass and Trufiber was the best out of all.

Duraflex - This was my first hood, Saleen replica, cheap like $300 shipped. This was the worst out all three I've own. Lots of prep work required, the surface came with a porous finish (inferior gel coating) that is almost impossible to smooth out because the body filler can't get in it good enough but thinner stuff like paint and clear coat will. It was very thin so it was super wabbly and but the overall fitment was not as bad though. I would still rate the fit a C+.

Trufiber - Finish was smooth, very well packaged for shipment. Very well made with proper backing plates on the hood latch and hood flange locations. Very little prep required very high quality and sturdy fiberglass material. It was heavy, 40lbs but also due to the design (had vents, scoops, and ram air). Fitment was A-.

Saleen - This was an original Saleen fiberglass hood off a S281E model before they offered it in Aluminum. Same quality as Trufiber, slightly thinner (less layers) than trufiber or just a different gel coat. Fitment was surprisingly bad but not as bad as the Duraflex. Not as heavy either. I would rate the Saleen fitment a B-.

With all that said, I would go with Trufiber again if I had to get a new hood. But nothing fits like the OEM aluminum hood and its so lightweight.

Thanks for the info. Good to know about the Saleen. I love the way those look but have only seen the fiberglass version for sale and they want $900 + freight. Which TruFiber did you have? I like the A45 but I don’t know if it would clear my alternator with the DOB kit installed. Did you have hood pins with the TruFiber? Their site says they recommend them with all hoods. Have you seen a Cervini hood in person to compare with the TF? Sorry, lots of questions!