Well, got my repro Dura Ace 7402 hoods (or as Shimano calls them, "Bracket Covers"), in white, straight from Poland today. I ordered them on March 21st.
These are the real thing, folks.
As near as I can tell, they are identical copies of the real thing, right down to the "R" and "L" on the inner sides, and of course, "Dura Ace" on the outer surfaces. All lettering is as crisp and sharp as originals. The contours of the hoods are spot-on. I tried to see if the textured top portion was identical as well, but the pattern on both my originals and the copies are too complex to really tell. They look like they may be, though.
The white is very bright, brighter than my NOS originals, and will look good with my white vinyl tape (My originals started out not exactly white, and have only gotten darker with riding). The maker includes a small sheet of instructions to mount the hoods from the back of the lever, as the rubber isn't as flexible as the originals. While the rubber used *may* be slightly firmer, they seem like they will hold up to a bit of abuse. There is very slight mold flash, easily removed with an Xacto knife if you so choose. It's hardly noticeable.
I haven't been able to install these as of this writing, because my original hoods are still in place, and I don't want to tear down the cockpit just yet.
NOS hoods are selling on eBay for between $100 and $150, and don't look to be coming down any time soon. These hoods--which sell for a fraction of what the originals do--are not just reproductions, they may be better than the real things, which are approaching 40 years old. As mentioned, they are one-to-one matches for originals, including all lettering. There are competitors out there making similar hoods, but they aren't exact, and include the repro manufacturer's own logo and surface design. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but something to be aware of.
Because these hoods are so exact, I would hope the original manufacturer doesn't get involved. Because some companies can be protective of their designs, if you are on the market for 100% accurate reproduction hoods for your deteriorating, sticky originals, I would suggest you send an order or two to Poland as fast as you can.
Last edited by smd4; 04-07-24 at 03:24 PM.