Hood alignment

[Ed]

The front end of my hood next to the headlight bucket where the hinge is, is out of allignment. The hood sits about 1/2 of an inch higher than the headlight bucket. I've tried to move the hinge but I can't get them even. What am I missing?

[EScanlon]

You don't say whether it is BOTH sides of the hood or just one.

If it is both sides, you need to move both hinges downwards in order to get the hood to "level" out with regards to the sugar scoops.

Look at the hinge closely and you'll note that there are 3 screws for each of the hinges. These screws provide not only front to back adjustment but also up and down, and to a limited degree side to side (although this is not a parallel side to side adjustment)

You've already done some adjustment so we need to back track a bit.

First of all look at the general alignment of the hood, and here I'm referencing how the hood fits in the opening between the fenders and to the cowl. Don't look at flush with, but rather evenly spaced on each of the 3 sides.

This is your first adjustment that needs to be made. Is the spacing to either side of the hood even with the other side? Is the space even from the top of the hood (closest to the windshield) to the bottom (by the sugar scoops)? How about at the cowl, is the space the same (approximately) as the side space? How does the bottom of the hood line up, as seen from the top, with the sugar scoops?

If all those are "ok", and here is a subjective term, because if one side is at 3/8" and the other is 7/16" then it's up to you how anal you want to be as far as aligning it. Then again if one side is 1/2" and the other is barely 1/8", then it isn't in the opening properly and you could possibly have problems. Also with the overall fit. It could be that at the top you have 7/16" on both sides of the top of the hood and on both bottom sides you have 5/16", meaning that the opening tapers down by an 1/8". You can get in there and play with the fender mount, and do a LOT of work, but in reality it's going to be frustrating to get it to align PERFECTLY.

Adjustment to the space between the hood and cowl is done by the back and forward placement of the hinges. Side to side is more complex and can involve spacers on one side or the other of the hinge bracket at the hood, or in extreme situations the hinge mount on the side fender. Uneven spacing along the sides of the hood generally shows up on BOTH sides of the hood at the same time, with one side showing the opposite of the other. i.e. the top is narrow on the right side while being too wide on the left top, AND the spacing is too wide on the bottom right and too narrow on the bottom left. If you have spacing differences on one side but NOT the other, then it's more than likely the fender on the uneven side as opposed to the hood.

The main key here, the spacing around the hood's 3 sides (cowl and two fenders) should be approximately even. If it is, then you're properly aligned within the opening. Now we can move on to FLUSH.

Flush involves looking at the fender and the hood surfaces and how they relate to one another. Let me forewarn you that you're not going to get them to line up exactly. If you'll note the fender has a slope TOWARDS the engine compartment while the hood has a slope towards the fender. What you need to do is level the hood with regards to the fender in such a manner as to not make it look like a STEP.

Before you can align the hood to the fender and sugar scoop, make sure the sugar scoop outline is in fact aligned to the fender. I have seen Z's where the sugar scoop is actually out of line with regards to the fender, i.e. the scoops top edge "dives" down from the top edge of the fender. This is going to make it next to impossible to align the front (or bottom) of the hood to the sugar scoops, since it's top edge isn't in two separate pieces and it should be what you align your scoops to, and not the other way around.

However, if the scoops are properly mounted then the generally profile of the fender / scoop should match the profile of the hood.

Ok, presuming no problems with scoop to fender.

If at the top of the hood (by the cowl) it is flush with the cowl and the top of the fenders and the inspection panels, then you're fine. If not, check the hood latch pin first. This is the MAIN component that will pull down the hood to the level it needs to be. Take note that the rubber bumper stops on the side of the cowl do in fact push on the hood, and you need to adjust them as well. What I do is to first lower the bump stops below the level I'm working to. Then using the hood latch I adjust the hood until it rides even with the cowl and the fenders, or the "best" fit I can. Then I adjust the bump stops UP to support the hood and not push up on the corners.

Then moving down the hood. The edges should line up with the fenders all the way down to the sugar scoops. Your post says that at the front is where you're having a problem.

Again presuming both sides.

Open the hood, look at the hinge and note that you can adjust it front to back as mentioned before, or within a given range up and down as well as how and where it pivots.

Sometimes the adjustment to get it lined up in front by the sugar scoops involves bringing the front edge of both hinges down a bit, while leaving the back edge of the hinges at the same height. This essentially shifts the pivot point (where the scissors cross) downwards and hence lowers just the front part of the hood while generally NOT moving the back edge of the hood down. (it will change it's angle slightly, but not a lot, as a lot is NOT required).

You'll have to do both hinges evenly in order to align both sugarscoops. Loosen the back bolt just enough that it will alow the hinge bracket to shift, but not move freely. Then loosen the front bolts. Be careful here, it might involve closing the hood, reaching up and behind the grill in order to get to the hinge mounting bolts (that is NOT the ones that mount the hood to the hinge, but rather the ones that mount the hinge to the car). loosen them, carefully open the hood, push down gently until you can feel or see the front edge of the hinge shift, then tighten everything back up and check for fit.

You'll do this several times until it finally does what you need / want it to.

Now, you also have a small amount of adjustment on the hinge to hood mounting bolts, although this is usually a very small amount in relation to the hinge base adjustment.

Hopefully this helped clarify it. (sorry for the length, but panel adjustment is somewhat of an art.)

Enrique Scanlon

[Ed]

Originally posted by EScanlon

Sometimes the adjustment to get it lined up in front by the sugar scoops involves bringing the front edge of both hinges down a bit, while leaving the back edge of the hinges at the same height. This essentially shifts the pivot point (where the scissors cross) downwards and hence lowers just the front part of the hood while generally NOT moving the back edge of the hood down. (it will change it's angle slightly, but not a lot, as a lot is NOT required).

Thanks, the hood is aligned on all 3 sides. I was just having problems down by the sugar scoops. Your directions should help alot. My problem was that I moved the entire hinge down. :stupid:

Thanks

[EScanlon]

Let us know if it worked or didn't.

The hard part about posting "advice" is not knowing if you described something successfully, so that others may duplicate it, that to you seems easy.

Enrique