MickPB

I need a good late C4 hood. I've got a lead on one close enough to go pick up for a reasonable price (imho) but.... It has been setting outside for appx 15 years on the ground. I was concerned that it may have sagged and the seller reports that the hood is 70 inches from side to side measured where hood meets the door and fender. My hood measures 69 3/4. I don't see how I get rid of that 1/4 inch because if I bring the doors out at the front the back will not fit right??

Can some others measure their hood and share that dimension.

Any other thoughts on this hood or the fitment?

Thanks
MickPB

DUB

That 1/4" is actually an 1/8" on each side of the hood...and should not be that bad to get to fit....BECAUSE those guide pins that get screwed into the hood and line up with the bracket with the black plastic bushing in it will actually pull the hood inwards and it was designed to do....and this get the hood edge flush with the door edge. Once installed and fit...put it out in the sun and left it get really hot.

Just be careful when adjusting the brackets that hold the black plastic guide pin bushings. They can snap and break really easy if you are not being watchful. It may take a few days to get it if the hood totally correct is still under tension...Then every few days adjust the brackets to pull in the pins when they go down into the bushings.

I doubt you should have any issues because an 1/8"(each side) is not that much and you can manually move the hood that much with very little effort.

I am more concerned with serious water/moisture damage/exposure to the hood. IMHO...it is not good to allow any Corvette hood to get water into the inner support structure.

DUB

MickPB

TTT - Anyone out there got a tape measure and willing to help a guy out. Looking at 5 hours each way to go get this and would like to know if anyone else comes up with 69 3/4 M/L for the width of that c4 hood and where the door and lower fender panel meet up. Thanks - Much appreciated - Thanks

DUB

I can tomorrow...BUT like I wrote.....I have installed so many C4 hoods....that when I install them WITHOUT those 2 guide pins...the hood DOES extend out slightly from the doors and fenders....and as I wrote...1/8" is not that big of a deal. Also...using a tape measure... unless the hood is on the ground so the tape measure is flat with NO BOW in it...you are actually not making a true measurement...unless a tram gauge is used....unless you have a tape measure that is very wide and rigid.

DUB

MickPB

So I found a pretty good GM hood finally for my 95. I saw pretty good because one corner of the replacement hood was repaired by someone previously. The repaired area extends back on a radius of 3-4 inches onto the hood but from underneath it appears that everything beyond one inch is build up on top of the hood.

I am going test fit the replacement hood in a few days and my thought is that if it fits well, I will cut that corner off of the hood that is on the car now and use use it as at least a guide to re-repair the hood.

It has occurred to me that I might be able to graft the good corner off of my hood onto the replacement hood by removing just the outer shell of each and re bonding it to the inner structure and get a stronger results and possibly an easier repair.

I am a bit reluctant to take such a bold move though so I would appreciate some opinions and experience of others.

Thanks in advance
Jeff

DUB

Jeff,
You can do it if you want to do it...and I can tell you it is not going to be easy. It will take time. I have done some serious repairs on the C4 hoods...and when the repair time and all those other concerns come into play and the at cost is right at what new hood costs....I stop.

Which is why in most cases...when I get C4's in my shop and the hoods are damaged...I look at it VERY well and can determine rather quickly if it is a 'loosing proposition' to attempt to repair the hood...instead of getting a new hood. Remember I have to warranty my work....so if it 'borderline'...either get a new hood or take it somewhere else.

DUB

MickPB

Moving a little slow here but I can say that the hood can sag a bit. It spent the winter with a support from the top of the firewall to the bottom of the hood that held it open a foot or so. I also added some weight to each side and finally put a ratchet strap around the whole thing. The pins now have very little stress on them. As soon as I get some crows foot wrenches to get the door handles off and some wax remover, it is time to see what is below the paint on the corner of the hood.