DEEPSEA70

I have a sag in the hood of about 1/8" on the passenger side just about over the tire. Also, the front edge on the passenger side is 1/8'' high in the corner; just enough to see the edge sticking up. Do I fill the low spot, and how can I lower the passenger side corner. I think the hood is warped.

DUB

I seriously doubt that you have a warped hood as long as the hood has not be touched by 'BOZO' some time in its life. Possible...but I doubt it...but then again I am not there and able to check it out.

I encounter issues like this quite often. There are 2 ways of repair and it ALL DEPENDS.

First off is making sure that the front crossmember is correctly installed and not all 'jacked-up' and not installed correctly...and adjusted somewhat evenly from side to side..

IF the hood has NO shims under the right hood hinge...which I am sure that they are not in there. There is a chance that you can raise up the top hood surround slightly by adding a shim or two under the brace that is bolted to the front side of the right wheel house...and this bracket supports the end of the support beam that is bonded to your top hood surround for your headlight actuator housings to bolt to. If you loosen the bolt that should already be in the support beam...and using some hydraulic ram to apply pressure UPWARDS CAREFULLY...and see if the top hood surround goes up a little bit. IF it does...then slide a shim in and let off on the hydraulic ram...and set out in the sun if you can. Then the next day...try it again. If you can get it to move and NOT bust the body...which is why I wrote be doing this CAREFULLY. If you go to jack it up and the top hood surround does not move. STOP. This area will need to be filled and contoured to 'trick' the eye and make it so you can not tell you added a filler to get eh panels flush.

If the under-structure is not broken. The low spot at the center of the wheel opening may require the top hood surround to be separated and then apply weight and get the height set where you want it and then get it bonded back in its new position. I have done number of these fit issues also.

I have in some cases...when I have separated the bond at the wheelhouse area...raised up the top hood surround to get it correct at the hinge area...then address the area above the wheel.

DUB

DEEPSEA70

DUB,

This seems kinda radical, but would it be possible to cut the under brace above and below the low spot along the hood, wedge it up, and re-glass it. Just a thought.

Thanks,

Kevin

DUB

First off...in you photo....am I already looking at where fiberglass resin and mat have been applied...below the blue tape????

IF it has...then yes....you can do this..CUT and laminate it.....but remember when you jack up the hood...you have to go HIGHER than you actually want because it will relax back some when the pressure is released. That is where the DEVIL is in the details.

I will add that if laminating...I would get ALL of the red oxide primer off before I laminated anything on it. This is still a bit of fun to due to make sure that you lamination does not fall off. I cover it with masking tape when I close the hood.

Also...I have gone in and separated the top hood surround from the inner skirt right above the control arm area and pressed down on the hood surround and re-bonded it in place....and in some cases...raised this area also. Heat and patience will do this if you choose to separate the bond area without damaging it.

DUB

DEEPSEA70

Thanks DUB,

Yes, all the red oxide will be coming off the entire car.

Another idea- To slightly lower the front right edge of the hood; could the hinge be inset a little by grinding it out and re-setting. Just a thought. Thanks for your help.

DUB

I am NOT stating to do this...because I have had to fix this problem...but I have had many Corvettes come in where SOMEONE ELSE cut out the fiberglass where the hinge mounts to the inner skirt....which drops the hinge.

All I will write is that if your car were in my shop...I would do what I have written. I will shim up a hinge...but NEVER grind fiberglass away. I have had customer standing there looking a the same exact issue....and say the same thing you did. "Just grind it down."...and that is when I hand them their keys and ask them when they can come and get it....so I can get another Corvette in the shop that I can do right.

It is your car...and you can do what you want. AND for what it is worth...I WISH I could grind it away when I get one in like your Corvette...BUT I CAN NOT. To me it is a 'cop-out' because I KNOW how to fix it without grinding fiberglass away. To me it is the whole principle of the 'thing'.

DUB