If you can push the hood down after adjusting the stop you will need to adjust the spring so it will hold the hood down. loosen the large nut and turn the pin in.

Sorry your having a ruff time of it, not an easy task the first time. If I were closer be happy to help ya out.

 

That's a big nut where the spring is at. My adjustable wrench doesn't open up that far

 

Time to get a bigger wrench, that's what I did. Or could try channel locks, use something to pad the nut, like a strip of rubber or wood.

 

 

Plan B would be to mark the location of the assembly remove it and put it in a vice. Just be sure to mark it well as you want to put it back exactly in the same location. You may also be able to get the striker pin to move with a large screw driver.

 

I tried moving the striker pin with a large screw driver and it didn't move at all.

 

Pardon my coming late to the party....

IIRC, the BIG NUT on the striker pin simply secures the striker pin to the 3- screw plate it is attached to. Loosening the striker pin and adjusting it (in or out) is to establish the height of the hood when the hood is latched.

IF the position of the striker pin is to be adjusted laterally, then loosen the bolts holding the striker pin assembly just enough so the striker can 'self center' when the hood is closed. And, to assist with the alignment, the plate can first be removed and the contact surfaces be greased to better allow alignment.

Once the striker is self aligned, tighten the striker plate bolts. NOTE: This adjustment is somewhat iterative. I found by spray painting the striker point and closing the hood (while the striker plate bolts are loosened just enough) I was able to better assess how well the striker pin was aligning with the latch. But also... DO NOT attempt to align the position of the hood by moving the striker pin. That leads to not being able to release the hood, and THAT will make you a sorrowful soul damn quick! SELF ALINGNING the striker pin via LOOSENING the striker pin plate is A LAST step in the process - after all positioning adjustments have been made.

Just my 2¢ (having been there, done that [several times!].

OOOPS! My bad. Read another post on hood alignment on another FORUM, and in the interim accidentally dropped my thoughts here (WRONG POST/FORUM). OMG! I'm so ashamed....LOL!

 

Paul all he tiring to adjust it the closed hood height see his pics in post 15. Looks like less than an 8th inch.