Hood fitting--body men please reply
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,119
Likes: 213
From: Pittsburgh PA
Hood fitting--body men please reply
I fitted my Eckler's L-88 hood yesterday. It went well, but the fenders will need to be cut along the inner ledge to bring the fenders up to the hood level in certain areas. Anyone ever do this? Eckler's directions say to use a putty knive in 1/8 inch increments to separate the inner skirt from the fender, then raise the fender from underneath and putty the gap. Sounds a little intimidating. Would a cutting wheel from inside the wheel well work better or worse?
Drifting
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 1,432
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From: Oxford CT
Don't cut anything. The joint that they are talking about overlaps, so there is a place to bond together. If you cut them apart there won't be anyway to bond them! Where exactly is the hood higher, sides? front? What you may have to do, is a white knukle operation on a finish painted car!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,119
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From: Pittsburgh PA
Originally Posted by Roadster71
Don't cut anything. The joint that they are talking about overlaps, so there is a place to bond together. If you cut them apart there won't be anyway to bond them! Where exactly is the hood higher, sides? front? What you may have to do, is a white knukle operation on a finish painted car!
The hood is slightly high along the passenger side seam near the center of the hood. After sanding both side edges of the hood near the front hinges and messing with the shims, the hood's fit and gaps are very good.
The car needs a re-paint. I had no illusions of simply painting the hood to match. This separation adjustment seems reasonable, and probably wouldn't phase a bodyman.
I'm still holding out for some encouragement and pics. The Eckler's directions show pics, but they are of very poor quality and can't make them out. I probably need to study the joint. Anyone have a pic of the inner fender before it's bonded to the outer fender?
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: corryton tn
Have you tried removing (or adding) the rubber block hood spacers along the hood opening?
I have a book called "Ecklers complete guide to fiberglass repair" showing that operation to bring the fenders up slightly. Its an excellent book and covers lots of c-3 problem areas. You might want to find you a copy somewhere.
I have a book called "Ecklers complete guide to fiberglass repair" showing that operation to bring the fenders up slightly. Its an excellent book and covers lots of c-3 problem areas. You might want to find you a copy somewhere.
Senior Member since 1492
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From: Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me...
St. Jude Donor '09
A lot of L-88 hood buyers found that our hinges were a culprit, causing the hood to sit up higher than it should.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Smile, it's just the internet.
My NOS L-88 hood does not match the fender contour on either side near the center. I considered fixing it, but it would mean altering one or both, the fender and hood. Both are original. I'm just gonna leave them alone and work with hinge height, which is a little high. If anybody gives me guff, I'll just tell'em the general made it that it way. Hey, it's the truth.
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I know this is no help, but mine fit perfectly with no modification to the hood or the car.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: I can walk to MA
Definitely agree with "no cut".
If you need to separate, do it at the original bond seam.
Will this F-up the fiberglass ? no. They were glued together
at the factory - just use the right adhesive.
Before you start splitting any seams, definitely mess with
hinges and spacer blocks. Getting the hood sitting on the
spacers can push the low areas high and the high areas low.
Good luck
If you need to separate, do it at the original bond seam.
Will this F-up the fiberglass ? no. They were glued together
at the factory - just use the right adhesive.
Before you start splitting any seams, definitely mess with
hinges and spacer blocks. Getting the hood sitting on the
spacers can push the low areas high and the high areas low.
Good luck
Team Owner
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From: Florida
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Originally Posted by 73 Vet
OHSIXX: Where did you get your hood?
A friend of mine helped me. We had the old one off, changed the latches, and installed the new one in well under 30 minutes.
My original hood use to drop shut. The L88 will drop shut on the drivers side, but I have to manually press it in on the passengers side. Good luck with yours.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,119
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From: Pittsburgh PA
The hinges are fine. The hood fits very well at all 4 corners. The stock SB hood had 4 shims on the drivers side front hinge and 2 on the passenger side and it fit very well. I removed one shim from under each hinge and the hood is about dead on with the nose/headlight area.
The issue I'm having is the same as CGGorman's NOS, and the Ecklers instructions address it, so it must be common. Breaking the seam looks like the way to go, because you couldn't alter the hood contour. The hood is first quality.
Sounds like I need the Ecklers book or DVD on bodywork. I'll bet the guys who've done scoops and flares wouldn't flinch at this "adjustment". Why couldn't Len be a bodyman instead of a BB builder?
The issue I'm having is the same as CGGorman's NOS, and the Ecklers instructions address it, so it must be common. Breaking the seam looks like the way to go, because you couldn't alter the hood contour. The hood is first quality.
Sounds like I need the Ecklers book or DVD on bodywork. I'll bet the guys who've done scoops and flares wouldn't flinch at this "adjustment". Why couldn't Len be a bodyman instead of a BB builder?
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,556
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From: Seattle WA
ive never heard of cutting the body to fit the hood. that seems kinda drastic. i got mine from ASCD a couple years back (they sold thier molds to vanacorvette) and mine fit like a glove after some hinge manipulation.
New hood 
Love that green 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 984
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From: Florence SC
L-88 hood
I put this same Eckler's hood on my 71 coup. had to raise the fender on the passenger side slightly to make it fit better. Once the skirt and fender are seperated we moved the fender up (not hard at all) and used 1 pop rivit to hold it in place, there was really not that much to the procedure, some of the later 70's I've noticed have a rivit on both sides holding the fender in place on the skirt. One thing you might check, with the skirt and fender serparated, if you loosen the radiator support bolts on the side that needs adjustment you might be able to lower the hood instead raising the fender. I really like these hoods, it is a quality piece, I've also delt with Eckler's a long time and they are eager to help with their prducts, if there is a problem.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,119
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From: Pittsburgh PA
Originally Posted by bracketshark
I put this same Eckler's hood on my 71 coup. had to raise the fender on the passenger side slightly to make it fit better. Once the skirt and fender are seperated we moved the fender up (not hard at all) and used 1 pop rivit to hold it in place, there was really not that much to the procedure, some of the later 70's I've noticed have a rivit on both sides holding the fender in place on the skirt. One thing you might check, with the skirt and fender serparated, if you loosen the radiator support bolts on the side that needs adjustment you might be able to lower the hood instead raising the fender. I really like these hoods, it is a quality piece, I've also delt with Eckler's a long time and they are eager to help with their prducts, if there is a problem.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 460
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I don't understand the technique you're talking about here, but from trying to adjust mine what I did was loosen the bolts that support the front frame piece (while supporting each side with a jack) and lower it down till the hood is even with the fenders in the middle ! Worked for me !!! Rick
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Heck, the stock hood on my '77 L48 doesn't fit right. The fenders are a bit too high in the middle. It's the kind of thing that no one but a Corvette expert or someone who's worked on the car for over half of his life would notice.