68 Hood Alignment Issue
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 769
Likes: 36
From: Goose Creek SC
68 Hood Alignment Issue
I need to raise the front surround area of my car about 1/4" across the front and both corners. The picture shows the alignment issue exaggerated because the hood is sitting low at the back. However, if it were raised up to proper height in back the front would still be low in relation to the hood. The body was taken off this frame years ago by a previous owner and reinstalled along with the drive train but then no further work was done. I'm wondering if there is a way to do a mechanical adjustment to elevate the whole front nose about 1/4"?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
Very common 68 issue. There are no supports on the innerfenders like the later ones. You can jack it up and install the supports, and or, add braces from the headlight bar to the cross member.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 769
Likes: 36
From: Goose Creek SC
Adding braces to lift and support it at the headlight bar sounds interesting. I bought those corner braces but I don't think they alone would handle the stress it will take to push that surround up. I will have to crawl around under there and see where they might go. Thanks for the suggestion. Would love to hear from someone else who has had to do this.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
Adding braces to lift and support it at the headlight bar sounds interesting. I bought those corner braces but I don't think they alone would handle the stress it will take to push that surround up. I will have to crawl around under there and see where they might go. Thanks for the suggestion. Would love to hear from someone else who has had to do this.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 769
Likes: 36
From: Goose Creek SC
Update: Well I ended up going to Jamison's in North Charelston with my issue and got some professional help. It seems the '68 was prone to having this type of problem and by the time the '69 model year came along that had taken a number of corrective actions (ahhh, the saga of the '68). As was mentioned some supports were added, reinforcement of the head light cut out area, plus a little more beef in the nose in general. Jamison essentially added the later year upgrades plus some more 'glass' to stiffen it up. This included carrying the ridge under the fender in the surround area fully around the front radius, which unfortunately I did not capture in the photo. If I get the opportunity I will do that and post it later. Other than that see picture for current condition. Of course the next step will be to grind and fill, but you get the picture. Also, I had the whole car bead blasted to take it down to gel coat which is obvious in the attached photo. (And yes that is an OEM, not aftermarket, L88 hood, although the car isn't.)
Last edited by 68/BB; Jul 23, 2011 at 07:31 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 173
Likes: 0
From: Fritsla Sweden
I have the exact same issue on my 68 roadster. Dodn't know this was a known 68 issue before reading this thread.
How does these braces look like? Can they be bolted into a 68 without irreversible changes?
How did you correct the misalignemnt when installing the brackets? Jacking up the hood surround someway....or?
Martin
How does these braces look like? Can they be bolted into a 68 without irreversible changes?
How did you correct the misalignemnt when installing the brackets? Jacking up the hood surround someway....or?
Martin
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 769
Likes: 36
From: Goose Creek SC
Jamison replaced the header bar under the nose just forward of the hood. The braces mount to the fender wells and come up snug under that header bar. On the '69 and later they were screwed or bolted to the header bar but I'm not sure if he attached these or just put them tight up against it to support it. I'm not sure how he raised the nose up. I assume he may have jacked it just a bit. It only needed to be raised about a 1/4 inch. I imagine that if he held it up in position when he laminated a couple layers of fiberglass over the nose that probably helps hold it with the added stiffness. I will try and get more details when I talk to him next week. Essentially he added whatever changes were made at the factory to improve that nose with stiffness and strength. He asked me going in if I was a stickler for correctness and I told him no, I just wanted it fixed to last. All I know is that he didn't add anything that wasn't "Corvette" OEM, just not '68 OEM. Which is fine with me. I'm going after a nice driver, not a correct restoration.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 769
Likes: 36
From: Goose Creek SC
I found another before picture of the underside of the broken corners. This shows the old header bar which was in pretty good shape on this side. The other end had some rust damage. You can see how the front takes a sharp dip right in front of that broken radius which caused the gap. I'm sure when that bar was removed and the corners were cut out you could put that nose anywhere you wanted. Then hold it in place with the repairs. This is the area of the corner that I mentioned above that now is "trussed" up with reinforcement under it instead of just being a thin flat section. The ridge underneath it really stiffens that part of the nose up. I believe that area you can see on the inner fender right below the hood hinge is the general location that one of the support brackets goes.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,912
Likes: 12
From: Schaumburg (Chicago) Illinois
I had this problem too on my 68. I thought it was unique to me but I guess not. I remade 1/2 of each hinge which lowered it a bit. Then I jacked it up a bit. The combination did the trick. Frustrating though but it has to be done.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 173
Likes: 0
From: Fritsla Sweden
My 68 L36 also needs some attention in this area since the hood sticks up 1/4" or so. How difficult is it to correct this? If someone wants to share the exact procedure I would be grateful.
Can the 69 support braces be purchased somewhere and installed on a 68 without major fabrication work?
It sure would be nice to fix that annoying misalignment once and for all.
Thanks.
Can the 69 support braces be purchased somewhere and installed on a 68 without major fabrication work?
It sure would be nice to fix that annoying misalignment once and for all.
Thanks.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,033
Likes: 503
From: myrtle beach sc
Army
So people know, early to middle 68's did not have the following; a front reinforcement rod going from the radiator support to the front of the nose, two triangular shaped reinforcements that bolt to the ends of the headlight header bar and also to the inner fender, two " twist " reinforcements that go from the front headlight reinforcement ends, to the front bumper outer brace ( dog leg ). I think the 68 AIM shows them. All the large suppliers should carry them. Lou.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 173
Likes: 0
From: Fritsla Sweden
I was thinking of trying to correct this on my 68. Here how it looks right now (showing the hood sticking up, and also excessive gaps at fender/door):
Can this really be corrected with simply loosen the front frame rail extensions bolts slightly while supporting them with jacks and then carefully jackup the extensions? Anyone with hands on experience?
Thanks.
Martin
Can this really be corrected with simply loosen the front frame rail extensions bolts slightly while supporting them with jacks and then carefully jackup the extensions? Anyone with hands on experience?
Thanks.
Martin
