[Shotimes] Hood question

[Donald Mallinson]

Even if the plus hood is just 10 pounds lighter, I think it 
is much better looking or at least distinctive.  If you have 
never driven a plus, the first time you do, you will be 
amazed at how big that "power bulge" or bump is on that hood.

When I first heard about the hood, I asked some of the 
people in Florida involved with the Firehawk SHO's if Ford 
had designed that hood for them.. In addition to lighter 
(Even 10 pounds is very welcome on any race car!) it also 
allows more room underhood for air movement, and cooling, 
and something that I have wondered about, that higher hood 
might even provide a tiny bit of downforce on the front end 
for high speed cornering?  Maybe, just maybe.

But the race team members had never heard of the plus hood, 
so it wasn't designed with the race cars in mind as some 
special parts are.  Just some designers idea of something 
special.  Maybe we can find out some day how that hood got 
designed and put into the production mix.  IF anyone knows 
for sure, or has contacts, let me know.  I would love to do 
a story on it for the club and posterity.

Don Mallinson
SHO club

James F. Ryan III wrote:
> Excellent point, John.  Many people desire the Plus hood because they equate
> fiberglass/plastic with light weight.  However, after almost 12 years of
> owning my '91 Plus I would tell people that it's not light weight - but they
> wouldn't believe me.  After I installed my SHO Shop front strut tower brace
> and had to eliminate the hood struts, I would still tell people it wasn't
> light - but they wouldn't believe me.  Earlier this year Mark Nunnally
> weighed both SHO hoods (steel and Plus) and found that the Plus hood was
> only 10 lbs lighter than the steel.