Different hoods
 

I have a 1961 stepside with what I think is the original hood. It is the two nostrils and the horizontal pieces that go to the blinker lights. I was told that Chevrolet in 1961 also put regular hoods or hoods that looks like a 1962 hood on the 61s and the nostrils were made for the GMC. Anyone have any information on the hoods specifically the 61s if all of them had the nostrils?

Re: Different hoods
 

The 60-61 hood is different from the 62-66 hood. 60-61 Chevy hoods have the two humps with removable blinker housings. Those housings are the same shape both years, just different designs. The 60-61 GMC hood also has two humps, but the front panel is different. The 62-66 Chevy hoods are all the same, but 62 used clear lenses for the blinkers. 62-66 GMC are also the same with the same distinction of lenses in 62.

Red hood: 60-61 GMC
Grey hood: 60-61 Chevy
3rd pic: 60 turn signal pods
4th pic: 61 turn signal pods (the white ones)
5th: 62-66 Chevy

Re: Different hoods
 

Hey,
Thank you very much for the pictures, very helpful. I’m restoring the 61 as a daily driver, plus. I’m not a purest, and don’t like the nostrils of the 61, and am considering swapping hooks out. If I do that, I will restore both hoods and paint them both, maybe woodsmoke blue, and probably use the 62-66 hood and just keep the other, just to keep the whole thing together. It had a seized 300 6 cylinder in it, but I couldn’t break it free, so I pulled a 327 out of a 67 vette and rebuilt it .30 over, and working on motor mounts now. I figure I have another year to have it on the street, but I love the project. Back to the hood... I’m assuming that if I can find a 62-66 hood, it will match right up? And just to be clear, I have a pal that says he’s an aficionado on these trucks, and he told me that the 61 Chevy could have had the flat hood as the nostrils were an option. I’ve never seen one or heard of this, have you? He wants to trade me hoods, so there may be some kind of skullduggery involved. Again, thank you for your response.

Re: Different hoods
 

Them ain't nostrils, theys jet ports! :lol:

Re: Different hoods
 

I'm glad I could help with the info.
Your pal is pulling your strings on the info he's giving you. All 60 and 61 Chevy trucks had that hood from the factory. GM stopped using that hood in 62 because the 62-66 hoods were much cheaper and easier to stamp.
If you want to trade, don't trade for a hood that's in worse condition than the one on your truck. The 60-61 hoods are much harder to find in good condition as GM stopped producing them when they switched hoods. That's why you see so many 60-61 trucks with the 62-66 hoods.

Also, post up some pics of your ride!

Re: Different hoods
 

And for this reason, I would always keep the original hood. Even if you don't like the looks of it.

Got it thanks. I will post some pictures of the project when I get back to Oregon. I am in Florida now and actually get to Georgia, specifically Atlanta, about once every three months. Was that last picture of the 62, yours?
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Re: Different hoods
 

Booth,

Also be mindful that the hood latch style changed in the later years.

The 60-61 style hoods use a latch with the release handle pointing down, accessed in the gap between the hood and the grille support.

The 62-66 style latch release handle points toward the driver side of the truck and is accessed in the rectangular hole in the front of the hood.

The latch panel that bolts to the grille support is the same for 60-66 with either style hood.

Re: Different hoods
 

Yeah, the last picture is my 63. Those other two hoods are ones I bought, thought about using, but then sold to fund more of my truck lol

Re: Different hoods
 

Thanks to all. I will post pictures when I figure out how to do that from my pictures.

Thanks all

Booth