1980 hood fit
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,540
Likes: 12
From: TX
1980 hood fit
I bought a one owner 1980 vette and the hood is slightly low and the front. 3/16. Do these hood warp over the years? Can it be warped back?
If I adjust it up in the front with shims it will be slightly high on the sides.
If I adjust it up in the front with shims it will be slightly high on the sides.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 1
From: grand prairie texas
Use a hood alignment bumper and move it either way until your hood aligns then glue it down. Here is a link to what they look at from Ecklers.
http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...9&dept_id=1459
http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...9&dept_id=1459
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,540
Likes: 12
From: TX
Im not sure how that would lift the front or nose of the hood the 3/16 when shut. I would like to think I am fairly savvy but not sure how the bumper works in my situation. Can you explain?
Are you talking about the bumpers above the radiator support? I removed them first and no change. It looks like it would make it worse to have higher ones but I may be wrong.
Are you talking about the bumpers above the radiator support? I removed them first and no change. It looks like it would make it worse to have higher ones but I may be wrong.
Last edited by crossram; Oct 2, 2008 at 11:25 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,944
Likes: 22
From: Yooperville MI
The hood surround panel may have lost it's bond to the headlight reinforcement. When the bond breaks at the rear edge of the reinforcement, the hood surround pops up and there will be a gap between the headlight reinforcement and the surround. Check the surround panel directly in front of the hood to see if you can push it down against the reinforcement and regain hood to surround alignment.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
The hood surround panel may have lost it's bond to the headlight reinforcement. When the bond breaks at the rear edge of the reinforcement, the hood surround pops up and there will be a gap between the headlight reinforcement and the surround. Check the surround panel directly in front of the hood to see if you can push it down against the reinforcement and regain hood to surround alignment.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Are there any of the little blocks of rubber along the side? If you remove them the hood will drop in the center and the nose will come up...in time.If some one has tried to contour the hood to the fender line by using the rubber blocks they could have arched the hood too much.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
The hinge pivot must be tight to be able to contour the hood using the rubber blocks and shims.If the pivot is loose and you use a block the hood just goes up rather than bending the hood using the pivot as an anchor point.
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Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 1
From: grand prairie texas
Im not sure how that would lift the front or nose of the hood the 3/16 when shut. I would like to think I am fairly savvy but not sure how the bumper works in my situation. Can you explain?
Are you talking about the bumpers above the radiator support? I removed them first and no change. It looks like it would make it worse to have higher ones but I may be wrong.
Are you talking about the bumpers above the radiator support? I removed them first and no change. It looks like it would make it worse to have higher ones but I may be wrong.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,465
Likes: 0
From: Orange Park Fl
This is what you need. Put them in the channel of the fender under the hood (or be cheap and use heater hose
).
http://www.zip-products.com/Zip/prod...31679760686797
God bless, Sensei
).http://www.zip-products.com/Zip/prod...31679760686797
God bless, Sensei
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 1
From: Lafayette Louisiana
The hood surround panel may have lost it's bond to the headlight reinforcement. When the bond breaks at the rear edge of the reinforcement, the hood surround pops up and there will be a gap between the headlight reinforcement and the surround. Check the surround panel directly in front of the hood to see if you can push it down against the reinforcement and regain hood to surround alignment.
I don't think the fiberglass across the front pops up, rather the metal piece that is bonded falls down giving the impression the glass has poped up. I may be wrong or we both may be right.
Regardless, I don't think everyone here is reading his post correctly. The way I understand it is his hood lines up every where else except right in the center and it suddenly takes a dive as if the center (six inches to either side of center) is warped. My 81 has a similar problem and I have often thought that perhaps the hood had warped at some point. My fix was to customize my hood starting at the dip and take it all the way to the cowl. I guess I didn't fix it as much as I covered it up some.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 128
Likes: 1
From: Gulfport Ms.
I have a similar problem on my '79, the hood lines up at all 4 corners and on the driver's side, but on the passenger side mid way between front and rear it is quite low compared to the fender. I used a contour gauge to compare the fenders and both are shaped the same, it just seems the hood does not have enough arch on the passenger side.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
I have a similar problem on my '79, the hood lines up at all 4 corners and on the driver's side, but on the passenger side mid way between front and rear it is quite low compared to the fender. I used a contour gauge to compare the fenders and both are shaped the same, it just seems the hood does not have enough arch on the passenger side.
http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?p...9&dept_id=1459