Why do my lessons learned have to be so expensive? 


ahhhh... you guys... 
trust me, my bud's built a few...
over a 426 hemi Cuda.... 
OK...crazy day...went to the lot took the hood...took it to the paint shop...got sidetracked when i saw my Blazer with its wheels back on it and parked in the parking lot...anyway, back to the hell
They showed me the repop hood...man it was perfect...except that butt ugly front end...I told them I just couldn't do it...so they unloaded the hood
I go over to the blazer which is now blocked in 400 grit. It will be painted next week.
Walk back to the hood and tell the bodyman I am sorry I have to do that to him but I cannot put that hood on my Blazer and then we walk over and look at the used hood I brought him. He looks it over real good and says it is rusted out...once again...it looks ok to me...paint looks flat as far as I can tell....he took a wire brush and scraped the paint off the front and it looks like swiss cheese...full of holes...
I'm ticked at this point...load the used hood back up and take it back to get my money...they kept $17 "core" charge....
I get back to work...and start thinking...Desert Car Kings on Velocity...I give them a call...actually they are Death Valley Auto Parts....ask about a 1974 Blazer hood...guy tells me they got one in unbelievable shape hanging in the loading bay...said they found it on the yard and couldn't believe how perfect it looked so they brought it in and hung it on the wall...that was a year ago...
I told them to send it to me...so I got a nice original Arizona hood on the way...and as a neat side story it is coming from the television show parts yard...![]()

The yard is literally 5 mins from my house.![]()
Wow! how often do you go there to look?
think I can trust that the hood will be in excellent shape as they say?

You better hope its an original hood and not a nice 79 repop. I can't tell you how many people are advertising genuine Dana 60 front axles on Craigslist that are actually 10 bolts.![]()
How much did this cost?it can't be a repop...they don't make the smooth front in repop and this one has a smooth front...I made him check..I have to trust that he did...he even knew what color the hood was...and he owns a K5 himself...so he knew about the 73-78 deal
How much did this cost?
I told you I have 2 sitting here.
If I knew you'd pay shipping I would have sent you one.
I have 2 here but too far for shipping

Wow! how often do you go there to look?
think I can trust that the hood will be in excellent shape as they say?
I would think with the reputation that yard has they wouldn't steer you in the wrong direction. 

yeah, I like my masking and shop prep done the day before.. let's everything settle... come in fresh.. final wash and tack.. mix, squirt...
tho my entire collision painting career in my 20's of 1500+ car's was basically between 5 pm and midnight, Monday thru thurs, after an already long day of prep and masking...![]()
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