A "WOODY" Hood?

While driving around today I spotted a "Woody" style station wagon and I thought this might work for a replacement hood for my son's LT155 White tractor. The existing molded hood is trashed completely so if we keep this mower he will need to put a lid back on it.

I think it might be cool to build him a replacement hood made from thin plywood. I'd probably mount the finished wood panels to a lightweight metal frame of some sort. Just to hold the wooden hood on. I'm not a welder (yet ;0-) so I expect to use hardware to hold things together.

So... What do you all think about the idea?

A 2 x 2 wooden frame with some 70's basement era wood paneling would look pretty neat I think. If you had sides on it like a stock hood. No welding required.

A 2x4 hood frame would work for sure. I'd have to paint it black IMHO.

Ever seen a conestoga wagon? Now THAT would sure make a unique mower hood HA HA HA! Just a few hoops and some (fireproof) canvas or burlap and we might have something.

I still like the idea of a true WOODY style (see Chevy Chase's 80's movie "Vacation") if you don't know what I'm talking about. Also the old woody Jeep Wagoneer from the early 60's. Just take some thin plywood and mount it to a metal frame. I dunno, but since my son's project mower is missing a hood this might work.

2x4 would be to much, at most id use 2x2, but personally id use a 1x2 for the frame work

richie thomas wrote:

2x4 would be to much, at most id use 2x2, but personally id use a 1x2 for the frame work

Yeah that's much more reasonable. What would you suggest for joining the wood pieces together? If you're making simple 90 degree angle cuts some good ol' nails should work. That would take quite a few nails (or deck screws). The cost would be cheap and the time involved wouldn't be bad. Not very elegant though if you're objective is a nice finished look but there may be other options.

There's also dowel or biscuit wood joinery that might work with some good Titebond Original wood glue. (locally manufactured I might add...) A good glue up job should be as strong or stronger than the wood itself. Problem is there's some special jigs/tools for doing dowels etc.

Aside from dowels or biscuits some steel angle brackets and screws would make a nice 90 degree joint. I just don't think angle brackets and wood screws would hold up for very long (just about the time you're enjoying the ride things are likely to break).

Not forgetting my original "Woody" hood concept I suppose PVC pipe (instead of 2x2s) would provide the strength and options to create a hood frame using something other than basic 90 degree angles, it would be cheap, and could be cut and assembled with simple tools like a hacksaw, sandpaper, and PVC cement.

One of the paint/decoration ideas I have had for my rig was to find some sheet metal with a fake wood look and do the woody hood on the sides and paint the rest of the tractor either powder blue or pea soup green to go for that 70s / 80s station wagon look. It'll be interesting to see that idea come to life, but with actual wood.