So ever since I got into xj’s I always thought the cowl hoods looked pretty cool and served a good purpose if actually functional. With nobody producing a steel one and fiberglass not really being something I wanted, I figured I’d try it on my own. And here is the result! Let me know what you guys think and give me any tips and advice to refine it.

I started with a junkyard hood and began taking some measurements. The cowl is 23” wide front and back and I decided to go 2-1/4” for the final height at the rear. I cut away the outer shell and then used one of those long flimsy wood saws to cut the sealer that held the skin to the hood frame. To get the shape I used an old pool leg from a Walmart pool and it actually worked well haha. To make the shape I cut 1/4” steel rod from Lowe’s at my height for the rear, welded it on and then added more supports up the sides so it would have some kind of strength to it. For the sides of the cowl I used 16ga steel also from Lowe’s and just made cardboard templates to shape and cut that. Here is some pictures.









so I’ll admit, my bondo skills are lacking and therefor when my whole jeep goes to be painted in the spring I’ll have the hood gone over professionally and it will look much better but for now it works, and I’m happy enough with how it looks. Now here is some pictures of it painted and on the jeep, I don’t think it looks too bad at all, if you guys have any questions please ask!

 

ya know, that looks pretty good. and functional. good job.

 

It looks great man

 

Nice work!

 

Nice one.
How are you preventing water from going in the engine bay? I want to do the same to mine but haven't figure out a way to avoid rain from going in. It rains 8 months a year where I live so I cannot afford to get that much rain going in the engine bay.

 

I haven’t gotten that far yet, when I pull it back off for the body work to get re done I might add a lip to the back to hang over the vents below the wind shield, I’ll have to see because then clearance becomes an issue between the cowl and wiper arms

 

Most cowl hoods have an inch or so of overhang for this very purpose. just place a sheet of metal in place right on top of your cowl, and turn your wipers on. Then get out, slide the sheet metal towards the windshield as far as you can without messing with the wipers, give yourself about half an inch of clearance. Once you have it there, mark it and cut it. Weld it in place, get your body work on, and let the professionals fix it up when you go to repaint. Should be good to go from there. I do like the fact that you kept the factory hood lines, but there are many aftermarket universal options you can use as well incase you don't like the end result. Both fiberglass and metal options, so you can choose which route you decide to take. Good job on thinking outside the box

 

Good work on the hood.

 

Looks uncannily similar to the all steel cowl induction hoods Reflexxion produced back in the 1990's Nice job.