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[cudabeen]

A few years back I came across a mid eighties Chrysler fifth ave. The fellow showing me the car claimed it had an aluminum hood, he showed me a stamping on the underside that showed "ALUM". I tapped it and it sounded like aluminum (dead thunk sound) and seemed light weight. I didn't have a magnet to try out. Has anyone ever heard of these hoods?

[Dippy.org]

[DobaMark]

There is no aluminum hood listed in any of the factory parts manuals for these cars.

[lsm360]

We wish. They are HEAVY! You can save almost as much weight, if not as much, but swapping to an aluminum intake though.

[DobaMark]

Aluminum is lighter - but sometimes it takes a thicker aluminum panel to give the necessary rigidity which can reduce the weight advantage aluminum has.

Chrysler's big aluminum experiment was well hidden as the Prowler. Then many of those engineers left over the years in various downsizings and such and much of Chrysler's aluminum experience went to Ford and helped with the F150.

[Mike]

The Prowler was a really cool car in more ways then just their appearance. I couldn't afford one when they came down to affordable prices and now they've shot back up again where there's no way I could justify buying one unless I won the lottery.
Chargers had aluminum hoods. I would guess that 300s did too but not sure.