Looking at a teardrop hood for the Galaxie...opinions welcome

[AlanCasida]

As I am considering a performance upgrade(sorry, not FE) to my 66 Galaxie I am also looking at a teardrop hood. I went to some great lengths to keep the 520(460) all under the stock hood but I think it also sacrificed some performance. I had to mill over 1/2 off the base of the Victor intake among other things and even at that the carburetor is so close to the hood I still had to cut my aircleaner base so low I had to cut holes in it to clear the float adjustments and I can't use a carb stud I have to use a bolt. The carb vents are less that 1/2" from the hood.
 Having said all that, I really like the weekend cruiser look and it really surprised people when I ran 11.70s in it all week at the last Drag Week I ran in. I think I will lose that look if I go to a teardrop hood but I am wanting to make improvements that hopefully will bring it down to the low 11s and some of what I want to do will require more hood clearance.  Here are a few pics of it with a teardop scoop sitting on the hood.
 Will it be worth the loss of weekend cruiser status and go for the hood or do I continue to work around the stock hood which I like better? Although the teardrop would look good too.
 
 

[rcodecj]

I like the stock look, it's just cool. What was your mph? Maybe other improvements and dialing it in could get you the low 11's you want.
I have a 460 in my 67 mustang, all under the stock Sprint blinker hood. It always surprises people when they see the engine because I kept the 289 fender badges.

[e philpott]

Teardrop looks good on there to me ! you could probably install a modern Pro Stock scoop on it and it would still surprise people it runs mid 11's

[cjshaker]

Come on, Alan. I finally start running times that are competitive to yours, so you have to up the ante and run faster? I say keep the stock hood and keep the car slooow. 

Kidding aside, I do think teardrop hoods look good on any Galaxie up to '66, and especially the '63-'66 years. It just comes down to what you want for the car. I've thought about performance upgrades to the '65, but then I'll start to lose the cruiser aspect, and I'd like to keep a car that I can hop in and drive anywhere. I think your car is awesome just the way it is; looking 100% stock (except for wheels), but with a nasty bite when you want to show its teeth. Your car is the definition of "sleeper", and it's proven it can go the distance, time and time again.

[TomP]

No scoop, no scoop for you! ( the scoop Nazi)

If it fits under then don't run a scoop just to give more air cleaner clearance... that is "ricey".  There are plenty of SuperStock cars and circle track cars that have minimal carb to hood clearance and they run fine. You can gain room by not using a top lid and seal the element to the underside of the hood with a strip of black sponge type foam. The ***cough*** Corvette***cough*** air cleaner base drops more than most aftermarket ones and can allow a 3" tall element to barely stick above the carb.

Lowering the motor by altering the mounts is another option.

[AlanCasida]

No scoop, no scoop for you! ( the scoop Nazi)

If it fits under then don't run a scoop just to give more air cleaner clearance... that is "ricey".  There are plenty of SuperStock cars and circle track cars that have minimal carb to hood clearance and they run fine. You can gain room by not using a top lid and seal the element to the underside of the hood with a strip of black sponge type foam. The ***cough*** Corvette***cough*** air cleaner base drops more than most aftermarket ones and can allow a 3" tall element to barely stick above the carb.

Lowering the motor by altering the mounts is another option.

When I run it at the track I take the aircleaner off. Since I made my own frame mounts I already have the motor as low as it will go.  I am still thinking it over. What I might do is make my improvements, see what it runs like then run it with the hood off to see how much if any it helps.

[AlanCasida]

Come on, Alan. I finally start running times that are competitive to yours, so you have to up the ante and run faster? I say keep the stock hood and keep the car slooow. 

Kidding aside, I do think teardrop hoods look good on any Galaxie up to '66, and especially the '63-'66 years. It just comes down to what you want for the car. I've thought about performance upgrades to the '65, but then I'll start to lose the cruiser aspect, and I'd like to keep a car that I can hop in and drive anywhere. I think your car is awesome just the way it is; looking 100% stock (except for wheels), but with a nasty bite when you want to show its teeth. Your car is the definition of "sleeper", and it's proven it can go the distance, time and time again.

That's the thing for me too, Doug. With that Ivy Green cloth interior and column shift it makes it look pretty docile. I remember my first pass in DW 2014 the announcers were kind of ho-hum until I ran a 12.20 and they were like good grief!
 I even told my buddy if I put the teardrop on it it wouldn't look right with the interior I have.
 As I told Tom, I'll probably save that for last and see how it runs with the hood and maybe with the hood off.  As for improvements, I am looking at either upping the compression on my 520 to 12.1 or a 11.5 552 rotating assembly.

[badcatt]

Have you considered having your hood cut and the center raised? Make it kind of like a cowl induction hood, but making the raised section about 30 inches wide? Making the angle up a slight slope and only getting about 1 inch more over the carburetor. I know it would take a good fabricator to make something like this, but if done well it might be harder to notice then the teardrop.
I had a dark green 66 LTD I really liked. Wish I still had it.

[Heo]

One alternativ is to cut out the bracing under the hood and stretch it
on an english wheel dont know how much you can stretch it before
it starts to look funny. I think the bubble scoop looks better on the 65-66
than on the earlier models and with that darkgreen paint i think it would
be verry discrete

[shady]

Back in "the day", we would stack washers between the hood and hinges to raise the back of the hood up. Was a very popular fad. Some cars looked good and some didn't. It did keep you guessing what was under there.

[jayb]

I think those teardrop hoods look great on the early Galaxies, not so much on your year, Alan.  I had the same problem with my 69 Galaxie convertible, and adapted a Torino shaker hood to it.  Worked out real well, and the fresh air package picked up 3 tenths (!), although it was only a 15 flat car to start with.

[Stangman]

Badcatts idea wasnt bad although Im a fan of the stock look and beat them with a sledghammer. That being said nice modification on the ram air hoodscoop. I do have an original setup for a 69 mustang.

[Joe-JDC]

Deck the block .150", TFS 460 Intake, mill sides to fit decked block, new stroker pistons for decked block, and keep the stock hood.  Decking the block will give a straighter shot into the port from the intake manifold.  Win/win.  Joe-JDC   (LOL, your money, so it is easy)

[Falcon67]

With a sealed base to the hood, was worth .3 and 3 MPH in 1/8 mile vs underhood air.

[gt350hr]

Come on, Alan. I finally start running times that are competitive to yours, so you have to up the ante and run faster? I say keep the stock hood and keep the car slooow. 

Kidding aside, I do think teardrop hoods look good on any Galaxie up to '66, and especially the '63-'66 years. It just comes down to what you want for the car. I've thought about performance upgrades to the '65, but then I'll start to lose the cruiser aspect, and I'd like to keep a car that I can hop in and drive anywhere. I think your car is awesome just the way it is; looking 100% stock (except for wheels), but with a nasty bite when you want to show its teeth. Your car is the definition of "sleeper", and it's proven it can go the distance, time and time again.

That's the thing for me too, Doug. With that Ivy Green cloth interior and column shift it makes it look pretty docile. I remember my first pass in DW 2014 the announcers were kind of ho-hum until I ran a 12.20 and they were like good grief!
 I even told my buddy if I put the teardrop on it it wouldn't look right with the interior I have.
 As I told Tom, I'll probably save that for last and see how it runs with the hood and maybe with the hood off.  As for improvements, I am looking at either upping the compression on my 520 to 12.1 or a 11.5 552 rotating assembly.

     Alan ,
        If you go with the teardrop I'd be happy to let you test my dual Holley set up. Blue Thunder manifold and two original 710 cfm 427 carbs. Linkage air cleaner , fuel log , gaskets etc. I'd like to see how it compares to the Vic Jr. maybe more trouble than it's worth to you but  I'd offer it to you to test.
    Randy