WS6-Style Hood Install - Snarling Scoops For The Street

The hood also came with new bolts for the striker and safety release. The 13mm size is retained for the striker, but the release is now an 11mm bolt like the struts.

Satisfied with the test-fitting and the resulting alignment and gaps at the nose, headlight doors and fenders, the next step was bodywork and paint.

Once the Trans Am arrived at J.D.'s Paint & Body, technicians removed the hood and all of its associated hardware from the T/A and sanded down the black gel coating with 3M 180-grit sandpaper to accept the R-M 800K primer. Our hood needed some minor filler work and sanding to smooth it on the driver side, then the hood was cleaned off with 3M Wax and Grease remover and sprayed with primer

Once the two coats of primer were dry, a tech block-sanded the hood with 3M 320-grit sandpaper to ensure a smooth surface prior to painting

J.D. painted the bottom of the hood with the factory color matching BASF RM Diamont paint. Our Light Pewter Metallic Trans Am received paint code 382E. You can also see that the hood has an opening for the front of the intake airbox, making it a functional Ram Air. A total of three basecoats were applied to both the underside and top of the hood. There was no wet-sanding performed on the hood after the basecoat

J.D. applied three coats of RM Diamont clear to the top of the hood and treated it to 2,000-grit wet-sanding. The bottom was left the way it was, giving it a consistent look with the engine bay.

Once we bolted the freshly painted hood on the T/A, we installed the supplied nostril grilles and stood back. After following the proper steps, we were able to get this cost-effective Ram Air hood alternative to fit like a factory piece, and give our Trans Am killer looks. If you desire to make this hood fully functional, you'll need to install the WS6 lower airbox. This will raise the air lid approximately 1 inch and allow cold air to come through the nostrils.

Here's a look at the hood after paint. It was buffed using Hi Temp 357 Magnum compound, polish, and 3M Swirl Mark Remover. The light reflects off the fresh clearcoat like a mirror and the color was spot-on.