Good day gang. New to the board and looking for some market feedback.
I work for a company that manufactures private label products for the aftermarket. Most fiberglass and CF hoods as well as Carbon Fiber suspension parts.
We have a client that has asked us to come up with a Dodge magnum hood design. Companies already paid us to think up something and manufacture a 100 units.

So questions here are what ideas or thoughts do the members here have for a hood?
What general design would be nice? Ram air or cowl induction?
Stock height or raised?
Fiberglass or carbon fiber?
Are hood weights a concern?
I noticed a few members had made comments about wanting a hood like the newer model vipers. Any thoughts on that?
Were looking to R&D between now and the next 45 days and then get into production 30-60 days after that. So say about mid to late summer. Something in time for SEMA (hopefully)
We'll be designing the products and manufacturing but would not directly be selling the products.
Product pricing would be based off of production numbers but most of our mustang fiberglass hoods sell for around 400.00. But I guess that’s all up in the air.
Any photochops would be cool as well.

So far i've been pretty interested in the new srt design personally.

 

One thing you should be sensitive to is that while a lot of people look to the SRTs a lot of other owners readily think back to the late 1960's. In this vein a number of people have put old "r/t" emblems on their car because they don't like the newer plain "rt" emblem. Similarily I would prefer a base 1970 Challenger style air intake and of course a shaker style hood. And if you are going to do it "right" make it ram air and in any case with enough stiffening that it doesn't vibrate.

 

Hear Hear! All of the above!

 

tehre was a shaker hood on a magnum at autorama and it looked Great.

 

Nichepi,
Just check out Grinners Ride! Here is the link to the manufacture. (www.rksport.com) He has the Sweetest Hood that I have seen on the Magnum so far. Seems to me I also saw an underneath photo of the Hood showing how the Air is ducted from the Hood Scoop to right above the Air Cleaner Box, where a CAI would go. Very Cool... Also, I liked the option of the Viper Hood Vents, as they serve for exhaust vents for the Hot Air rising in the Engine Compartment. Cool Air in, Hot Air out, very efficient. Be sure to make your Hood better that Grinners, otherwise, you may be wasting your time and money...

 

I would like to see a hood that has a cold air intake scoop on it, to be able to get fresh cool air to the intake system.

I agree that some of the older hoods look great.


Bob

 

Yes I reviewed the stuff from RKsport and Classic design. I've had mixed reviews on the RKsport unit plus their price is quite high.
I seem to get alot of individule slooking for something really more retro like the 70's stuff but not as dramatic as the RKsport unit.

 

Nichepi,
OK. I posted my last opinion in haste, and have since searched the web for perfect model for you to go to R&D with. Quite simple actually. Seems to me that the only flaw in Grinner's Hood is that the Air Scoop is elevated too high from the base of the hood. Only my opinion. Although the SRT team seems to have got that part right. So, just combine the (2) hoods into (1)! Make a Hood for the Magnum that looks like the Charger SRT-8 Hood Scoop and install Viper Vents at the rear of the Hood like Grinner's. There, you have a winner, and (1) potential customer. As long as you manufacture in Southern California anyway, since you don't distribute. (Gotta support local businesses only!)

Here is a link to the ugliest Air Scoop out there yet. (http://dgmotorsports.com/graphics/magnum-hood.jpg) Some say it looks Old School, I say it looks bad... Very Bad. Ohh, I gotta go, getting sick after looking at that link... [sm=smiley11.gif]

 

i think the dgmotorsports hood is the best design so far. i don't like the fake viper washboard vents of the rk hood.
the srt10 scoop is perfect the way it is. i don't want a fiberglass hood, too unstable. go with oem plastic like a saturn or carbon fiber, or steel, or aluminum.

what someone thinks is the worst hood, i think is the best, go figure.

 

Well our company has a different approach to hood manufacturing. Some of our new products incorporate a foam core which allows for lighter weight while increasing structural integrity and reliability. I'm sure CF might be an option. But that will be up to our client.
Most of R&D and development is done instates and depending on price structure it could be made over seas.
Our manufacturing facility is on the west coast but not in California.
Well be building the units and shipping the complete build to the client location where the client will distribute all products.