d#mn aluminum hood!

Wow! That takes me back. I owned a couple MGTD's, a 1954 and a 1955. I wish I'd had access to fiberglass hoods and fenders for them. The original fenders were made of heavy gauge steel, like tanks, but when there was a fender-bender, they were almost impossible to reshape.

Sounds like you may have a winning business idea!

 

I have an aluminum hood on my 97 Volvo 960 with 110K miles on the clock and I'm having no problems with it.

I keep hearing the Prius has an aluminum hood. It was a real surprise to me since it weighs so much.

 

Aluminum hood saves 15-20lbs easily, why not? It is also stronger than steel, resist rust. The hood is also higher than the engine, you want as little weight as possible up top

 

I would take an entire aluminum body if the price was right.

Tom

 

More malleable than steel seems to be the issue here. A steel hood would probably spring back from hits that the current hood can't...

 

Your MGB also came from the 50s, where they haven't figured out how to build a safe or a reliable car. The chassis on that thing is softer than a piece of noodle, jack up one side and try to open the door if you don't believe me.

RX-7 was one of the few cars I know that came with the option of steel or aluminum hood from the factory, the difference was over 20lbs on that vehicle.

I don't know the exact grade of aluminum or steel Toyota uses, but I am pretty confident that they would pick a piece of aluminum that is strong enough to be part of the front end of a vehicle......

 

The car would also be 15-20lbs heavier, it would handle even worse. I would admit that aluminum does cost more.

 

Aluminum is mixed with other metals to produce a variety of aluminum alloys, and these alloys are subsequently given a spectrum of heat strengths. So just because the Prius hood is made of an aluminum alloy does not necessarily mean it is more prone to denting than some other material. For decades aircraft structure and aircraft skin have been made from aluminum alloys - quite successfully.

As for my 2010 Prius - no dents so far.

Jim

 

that's right. so stiff that most of them are totalled. there is a reason why miata are great sports and race cars and why mgs aren't

 

I've actually contacted a few of the import tuners in the Southern Cal area to see if they make a CF hood for the new Prius. I guess my initial reason for it would be lighten the car (although the weight savings would be barely substanital), but then my ulitmate reason would be to have a something that looks different. I have a winter grey metallic with the solar panels, so the look of a black carbon fiber hood might match the blackened glass and solar panels... Too bad none of them have contacted me back.

 

118,185 miles of driving my 2004 makes me wonder about cause. Since all I had was a bunch of tiny pits from all the winter sand & salt, I'd suspect a non-driving event.

For me, the color of aluminum & silver paint makes the tiny chips pretty much impossible unless you're standing on top of them. No rust bleed or steel flaking to ever wonder about (a big deal here in Minnesota) sure is nice. The reduced weight is obviously a perk too.
.

 

All Miata's have aluminum hoods. Doesn't seem to be a problem there. I assume the angle of the Prius hood as well as aluminum being softer metal combine to be a problem.

 

My NSX was all aluminum and never had a problem with dents.