Was this ever popular?

I've never liked the look either. Maryland cops would nail you for it. When I went to the big shows in Maryland, all I saw were 1970-72 chevelles red with black stripes and all kinds of chevies with a hole cut in the hood and the carb jacked up with spacers so it would stick out the hole. Down here in Florida you see all kinds of things like old 80's camaros running around with no hood. The trucks have that look here too. Some toyota pos with those rock flinging redneck tires put a big chip in my truck's windshield.