Changing/swapping hood style, can I do it?

[Nairod]

I have started rebuilding a very rough buggy with a sort of Mercedes grill shape to the hood. I do not like the look at all. I can hardly bear it.

I've tried hunting around in this forum but have not seen anything about a complete hood swap. I have some questions, I sure hope you guys have the answers.

1. Are hoods mostly all compatible where they contact the dash and the fenders? Will they fit the body without much alteration, it is just the nose design that is different?

2. Are there sources for aftermarket hoods? I am looking for the sleek nose look, like Manxes and their clones.

3. Anyone reshaped a bulbous Mercedes-ish hood into a nice looking streamlined one?

I would be willing (very) to swap if my hood is considered to be desirable in some applications.

Thanks!

PS I see there is a way to show a quote from a response in your own response, it's in a box so you can tell where it came from. How can I do that?

[Dal Churchill]

Before anyone can help we'd have to know which buggy you have. Photos would be a huge help.

There's a "Quote" button in the top right corner of a person's post that you can use. Simply delete the bits you don't need and then add your own response underneath.
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1974 Beetle. Bus/Porsche/Rover V8 (Buick 215ci) Baja. (Unfinished project)
1979 Beetle. 1641. Ex-Modern Day Luftwaffe Airfield Radio Car. (Daily driver)

[ALB]

I don't blame you for not liking the hood your buggy has, they're pretty f'ugly! I think you're going to have to take some measurements and hunt down the different buggy manufacturers to see how close a fit you can find to what you have. If you can't find one that fits exactly but has the lines you want you'll have to take one that's close, cut it up and glass it back together to make it fit. If you've never done anything with fiberglass it may sound a little daunting, but with a little work you can totally reconfigure a hood to fit another car. We've taken hoods and made them narrower, wider, longer and shorter- all for different offroad racing tube frame buggies friends built. It just depended on the layout of the car and the hood we could get at the time.

If you end up going this route and need some advice, feel free to pm me and I'll walk you through it. Al
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On a lifelong mission to prove (much to my wife's dismay) that Immaturity is Forever!!

[Nairod]

[Busted Knuckle Garage]

Have you considered just finding another body more to you're liking? Seems like it would be a lot less work.

Good luck whatever you do.

Frank
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Frank

[Nairod]

[Dal Churchill]

It's a Dune Runner with the "Mini Mercedes" hood. They made various hoods and bodies that were interchangeable but whether you'd find an alternative hood for sale today I don't know. A hood from another manufacturer could be persuaded to fit but it'd be a gamble if you couldn't try before you buy.

If it were me I'd military/expedition style it. I'd add a light bar and custom made load carrier to disguise that front. I might be tempted to cut out the radiator hump and re-glass it smooth but I'd keep the extra nose height for improved fuel tank space. I think it'd look a little like a Thing front end, maybe with some riveted on load rubbing strips to disguise any joins.

Whatever way you go with it, good luck with the build and please use this thread to keep us updated!
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1974 Beetle. Bus/Porsche/Rover V8 (Buick 215ci) Baja. (Unfinished project)
1979 Beetle. 1641. Ex-Modern Day Luftwaffe Airfield Radio Car. (Daily driver)

[oprn]

Those hoods are kind of butt ugly for sure. I am not sure what a previous owner had in it for an engine but he cut a huge chunk out of the rear apron to accommodate it and a big hole in the rear seat upright for the rad I suspect. You could use a bunch of fiberglass work there as there will be very little strength left in that part of the body.

I would suggest taking pictures of this body around to some body shops, boat shops or even a canoe builder for ideas and estimates on getting it to where you want it. Fiberglass work can be a bit of a daunting task to a beginner for sure!

Good on you for wanting to share this Buggy with the young folks. Teach them to drive a stick because it's becoming a lost art. The poop eating grins will be worth every penny!

[Busted Knuckle Garage]

[ALB]

See the things you're learning already- who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks! And I ain't no spring chicken either (I'm 63- where did the time go?) so don't worry, you're in good company. If you look at the bottom of anyone's post you'll see a PM button- click on it and you then can start a private conversation. I've PM'd you already, so look at the top of the page and click on where it says you have a new message.

Even just wiping off the raised area for the grille on that hood would be an improvement. And if you cut down the sides- oh, I'm getting so far ahead of my self here! Al
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On a lifelong mission to prove (much to my wife's dismay) that Immaturity is Forever!!

[rayjay]

In the Samba Off Road classifieds there's at least one guy in NV advertising used fiberglass buggy bodies and projects all the time so you might could find something you like better.

Plan B. Just finish what you have and wait and see if a hood shows up. With a custom tubular bumper and some fog lights you could hide the center of the hood.

[Dale M.]

Big chunk missing out of rear of body is easily repairable....

Hood, well yes it's ugly but if you can find decent used hood you can probably make it fit....

Have you actually studied how to do FG repairs.... I have repaired a few boats and buggy bodies, yes it dirty work, but If you make a mistake, you just do it over again... There is rewards to learning fiberglass repairs when you finally have finished buggy at local car shows and it gets the attention it deserves....

IT you want to learn FG repairs hang in with what you have and ask more questions and rove I-net for ideas, instructions and material types...

Materials for repairs Are far cheaper than buying another body ...

Last body I did cost me $400, and the repairs maybe $75-$100 for materials. but when finished it was in ready to final color paint and it was worth maybe $800 to $1000...

Dale
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“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns" - Thomas Jefferson.

"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
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All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ...

[brianbernal71]

Dang, I love my dune runner mini mercedes, hood and all. Really separates it from all the other clones.

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62/70 Dune Runner Mini Mercedes "Eugene"
83.5 Westy "Skippy"
81 Rabbit Pickup "Betsy".

[oprn]

Tastes vary. I had a boss once that thought the AMC Gremlin was the most beautiful car ever produced!

Good thing or we would be all driving cars that look alike.

Wait a minute... all the new ones do look alike!!

[Dale M.]

[Nairod]

[Nairod]

[bugvert]

I believe your dunebuggy is a "Road Runner"

See the ads below.

[Nairod]

[tgodber]

Road Runner was the first name but they had copyright problems and had to change it to Dune Runner instead.
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My wife said I never listen to her.
Or something like that!