Aesthetics Over Function

• It's important to understand that all stick-on Mustang hood scoops are not functional ram air hood scoops. This means there are no performance considerations to take into account. However, they are completely reversible, and you have to make no permanent modifications to mount them.
  
  

Finding the Center Line

• Ford did everyone a huge favor when it designed the hood on late-model Mustangs like the S197 by forming a clear center-line ridge that travels from the rear of the hood to the front. Although the ridge does not lift up very far from the hood, the ridge is easily definable and will serve as an accurate locator for adding a hood scoop.
  
  If you have an early-model Mustang (like a Fastback) where the hood does not easily reveal a center line, eyeball what you think is the center line and lay blue painter's tape from the front of the hood to the back of the hood, trying to get as close to center as you can. Then find the center line by measuring half the width of the hood using the edge as your guide. Using tape will prevent any unwanted scratches in the paint.
  
  

Applying the Paint

• Almost all hood scoops are prepped for painting but require the final paint to be color-matched to the car. The color of your car fades over time, and any items such as a hood will require professional painting by a person trained in color-matching automotive paint. There are many places that will sell you pre-painted hood scoops. But be cautious, as they have no way of predetermining the amount of paint fade your car has experienced.
  
  

Applying the Tape

• The urge to use glue is common because it will give the tightest seam between the hood and the scoop. But the long-term effects will not be worth it, because glue will weaken from the heat of the hood and will damage the paint. Using the double-sided tape provided by the hood scoop manufacturer will give a very nice seal between the Mustang's hood and the body. Apply the tape to the scoop, then join it with the hood. Use the center line on the hood and the marked center line on the scoop to line everything up.