'65 Hood Alignment
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Wadsworth OH
'65 Hood Alignment
Hello all,
Have not posted for a while so I'll give it a shot. The gap between the leading edge of the hood and the front clip seems to be getting larger and larger over time, can the front clip be sagging? I adjusted the hood to it's limit. Is there a way to "jack up" the front clip to align with the hood edge? Front body mounts? I do want to get body and paint done someday but don't have the $$ right now - I'd leave it alone but people always ask me, "why is that gap so wide?"
Thanks.
Have not posted for a while so I'll give it a shot. The gap between the leading edge of the hood and the front clip seems to be getting larger and larger over time, can the front clip be sagging? I adjusted the hood to it's limit. Is there a way to "jack up" the front clip to align with the hood edge? Front body mounts? I do want to get body and paint done someday but don't have the $$ right now - I'd leave it alone but people always ask me, "why is that gap so wide?"
Thanks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
Hello all,
Have not posted for a while so I'll give it a shot. The gap between the leading edge of the hood and the front clip seems to be getting larger and larger over time, can the front clip be sagging? I adjusted the hood to it's limit. Is there a way to "jack up" the front clip to align with the hood edge? Front body mounts? I do want to get body and paint done someday but don't have the $$ right now - I'd leave it alone but people always ask me, "why is that gap so wide?"
Thanks.
Have not posted for a while so I'll give it a shot. The gap between the leading edge of the hood and the front clip seems to be getting larger and larger over time, can the front clip be sagging? I adjusted the hood to it's limit. Is there a way to "jack up" the front clip to align with the hood edge? Front body mounts? I do want to get body and paint done someday but don't have the $$ right now - I'd leave it alone but people always ask me, "why is that gap so wide?"
Thanks.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,693
Likes: 3,683
From: Central Arkansas
Does your car have the nose support rods installed that bolt near the headlight opening frames? On 66 cars there is also one in the center that bolts to the nose reinforcement bar just in front of the hood - not sure about 65s. These help align the nose and support it. However, as noted above the radiator support provides the support to the frame and even a little sag or misadjustment of the nose support rods wouldn't seem like it could allow the panel gap to increase in this area.
Is it the original hood? I wonder if someone replaced the hood and prepared the gap at the front too wide, and as time goes by you are getting more aware of it.
Dan
Is it the original hood? I wonder if someone replaced the hood and prepared the gap at the front too wide, and as time goes by you are getting more aware of it.
Dan
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Wadsworth OH
Thanks for the replies. I'll check on the nose support rods tonight. My dad had this car since '67 and never replaced the hood or anything, I'm now the 3rd owner. Seems like if I reach under the front clip and pull up on it I can almost get the hood to align - although the contour of the hood and clip don't seem right. I'll try and send some pictures tonight, my computer is very slow.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,693
Likes: 3,683
From: Central Arkansas
Was the car ever hit in the nose? They can sometimes get tweaked with a downward nose tilt when hit across the nose or down low near the grill. Years ago body shops weren't too concerned about getting them 100% right - they were just another old car.
Dan
Dan
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Wadsworth OH
Sorry, took some pictures but can't post them.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 528
Likes: 5
From: Templeton Ca
hood alignment
Im having a problem with my hood also . The right front corner of the leading edge of the hood is about an eighth inch higher than the front clip . I've tried to find a way to lower the corner of the hood but cant seem to work it out . The rest of the hood is aligned really well . Im thinking there has to be some twisting caused by the hood latches that is causing it to raise up some . Any ideas ??
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,926
From: Washington Michigan
Im having a problem with my hood also . The right front corner of the leading edge of the hood is about an eighth inch higher than the front clip . I've tried to find a way to lower the corner of the hood but cant seem to work it out . The rest of the hood is aligned really well . Im thinking there has to be some twisting caused by the hood latches that is causing it to raise up some . Any ideas ??
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,246
Likes: 21
From: Going too fast over the hill. Iowa
The sagging complaint has been posted many times. My original unhit front end sagged low enough after 25 years that I modified the hinges to lower the leading edge.
I drilled out the pivot shaft and filed the hole in the lower hinge halves downward and the hole in the upper hinge halves upward - until the hole was large enough to take a plastic insert made to fit in the rubber bushings of the accelerator linkage. I united the halves with a 1/4uss bolt and a nylock nut. The nut allows the hinges to be tightened until the flanges of the plastic inserts have no gap between them - which as a side effect removes all the rattle and vibration typical of GM hood hinges.
I looks like this when installed:
I drilled out the pivot shaft and filed the hole in the lower hinge halves downward and the hole in the upper hinge halves upward - until the hole was large enough to take a plastic insert made to fit in the rubber bushings of the accelerator linkage. I united the halves with a 1/4uss bolt and a nylock nut. The nut allows the hinges to be tightened until the flanges of the plastic inserts have no gap between them - which as a side effect removes all the rattle and vibration typical of GM hood hinges.
I looks like this when installed:
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,693
Likes: 3,683
From: Central Arkansas
Here is a good example of some hood fit problems. Pretty car otherwise.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1966-...QQcmdZViewItem
Dan
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1966-...QQcmdZViewItem
Dan
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,246
Likes: 21
From: Going too fast over the hill. Iowa
Here is a good example of some hood fit problems. Pretty car otherwise.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1966-...QQcmdZViewItem
Dan
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1966-...QQcmdZViewItem
Dan
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,246
Likes: 21
From: Going too fast over the hill. Iowa
If the hood is less than a quarter of an inch higher than the nose and it's even across the front (not like the ebay car), IMO the hinge mod will handle it. You can replace the hinges at repaint/repair time, or just put shims under them then.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 27
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From: Wadsworth OH
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
Likes: 1,874
From: Greenville, Indiana
If your hood is high to the headlight panel and flush to the fenders, you're going to have to do some surgery on the exterior body panels. Not cheap and no way I know to shortcut it.
That E-bay car front end was a mess, wasn't it?
