MUNCLE MIKES · CASTING GUIDE
The HoodThe roof is the moving part
The Hood’s long engine and short cabin make an unusual profile. Its sliding roof is the feature to check first: a later related model was made without it, while an early car may simply have lost or damaged the part.
Compare the cabin and the ends of the body
The Hood was made in the United States and Hong Kong in 1971–72. US examples have a black interior and clear glazing; Hong Kong examples have a dark-brown interior and blue glazing. Small grille and tail-light differences provide additional comparison points.
Use straight front and rear photographs alongside the underside mark. An angled view can hide the detail you need.
Inspect the roof without forcing it
A black-roof treatment is documented on Hong Kong examples. That does not authenticate every dark-painted roof. Look at the entire car and ask about repainting or replacement parts.
Check the roof edges, mounting and fit in its normal positions. If it binds, leave it alone. Filing contact points or forcing the mechanism changes the car and can turn a minor condition issue into a broken part.
Hiway Robber has no sliding roof
The 1973 Hong Kong Hiway Robber omits the sliding roof. It has a black interior, blue glazing and a base revised for through-hole wheels, including protective details around the axles.
A roofless The Hood and an intact Hiway Robber are therefore different purchases. Compare the base and interior before labeling a missing roof as a factory variation.
For another early casting with a moving cover, see the Tri-Baby guide.
The moving roof is the distinction
Do not read “roof omitted” in a shortened description as meaning the whole cabin must be open. Compare the roof construction and underside together. Taking a movable piece off an original The Hood would not establish a factory Hiway Robber.
