Replacing C4 Hood.. Tips for installing
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,597
Likes: 237
From: Bartlett Illinois
Replacing C4 Hood.. Tips for installing
SO I am swapping the hood on my 90.. old one had some issues when I bought the car years ago. I bought a replacement last August and I finally got it painted. The new hood is sitting on the car, hinges are snug on the hood side and frame side. I have plates blocking the latches until I am ready to latch it etc.
Any tips for alignment? especially the strikers.. I will put the inner fender wells off. I don't have the prop rod attached to the hood. should I remove the strike plates to help align the body of the hood then work on the latches?
Just looking to see what others have done.
Any tips for alignment? especially the strikers.. I will put the inner fender wells off. I don't have the prop rod attached to the hood. should I remove the strike plates to help align the body of the hood then work on the latches?
Just looking to see what others have done.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,597
Likes: 237
From: Bartlett Illinois
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 810
Likes: 58
From: Alva Florida
I had to do a lot of modificatione to the plates on the hood (I have a Toledo Pro hood) and I was surprised how "off" it was. I ended making the bolt holes quite elongated to position them correctly! Plus I had to grind away some of the plate, as it was hitting a bend in the hood. I finally got it to work perfect, but lots of trial and error. I thought I mounted the hood wrong! Also, the pins on the sides can be aligned by loosening the rail bolts on the side untill they go in naturally. I broke the plastic guide on one side because I forgot to check that alignment. I also took a big gob of clay to lower the hood to see if the pin/plate alignment was close, and that helped a lot.
I love the hood now that it's done! I painted mine (myself) after it was installed, by the way.
As stated, patience, and emergency release cables are great insurance!
Good Luck!
Last edited by cadmaniac; Aug 9, 2016 at 11:01 AM.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,597
Likes: 237
From: Bartlett Illinois
YEah I will see what I can do for e-cables, I have the emergency hood tool as well
I am replacing an OEM hood with another OEM, so I am hoping to mitigate some of the fitment issues
I am replacing an OEM hood with another OEM, so I am hoping to mitigate some of the fitment issues
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,597
Likes: 237
From: Bartlett Illinois
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,597
Likes: 237
From: Bartlett Illinois
hood 90% done.. both latches are on and working fine. I might need to remove the passenger one and elongate the holes a bit. but it is popping with out issue.
I have the lower guide pins removed as i need a couple parts (then I can install them)
I have to install the headlights still and a few other little things and the car will be ready to go
I have the lower guide pins removed as i need a couple parts (then I can install them)
I have to install the headlights still and a few other little things and the car will be ready to go
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers
Joe Kucinski
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained
Joe Kucinski
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 222
Likes: 11
From: Plymouth MI
hood 90% done.. both latches are on and working fine. I might need to remove the passenger one and elongate the holes a bit. but it is popping with out issue.
I have the lower guide pins removed as i need a couple parts (then I can install them)
I have to install the headlights still and a few other little things and the car will be ready to go
I have the lower guide pins removed as i need a couple parts (then I can install them)
I have to install the headlights still and a few other little things and the car will be ready to go
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,597
Likes: 237
From: Bartlett Illinois
I don't have any that show the progression. I might have a couple.
I set the hood on the car on Monday night.. held in with 4 bolts to the hood and the 4 hinge bolts
I have about 6 hours in adjusting it and the front fascia, 3 hours was 2 of us working on it. I still need to work on one striker plate and adjust it better but is does work well right now..
I still have left:
- install headlight covers and buckets to headlight assembly and then install
- Install upper inner fenders
- route hood light wiring correctly
- install license plate cover
- Install/adjust side alignment pins
- Re adjust front bumper, I needed another shim to push it out more, I made 1/4 thick ones so now I need to remove an OEM one to get the spacing I want
I set the hood on the car on Monday night.. held in with 4 bolts to the hood and the 4 hinge bolts
I have about 6 hours in adjusting it and the front fascia, 3 hours was 2 of us working on it. I still need to work on one striker plate and adjust it better but is does work well right now..
I still have left:
- install headlight covers and buckets to headlight assembly and then install
- Install upper inner fenders
- route hood light wiring correctly
- install license plate cover
- Install/adjust side alignment pins
- Re adjust front bumper, I needed another shim to push it out more, I made 1/4 thick ones so now I need to remove an OEM one to get the spacing I want
Last edited by -=Jeff=-; Aug 11, 2016 at 11:56 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 222
Likes: 11
From: Plymouth MI
I don't have any that show the progression. I might have a couple.
I set the hood on the car on Monday night.. held in with 4 bolts to the hood and the 4 hinge bolts
I have about 6 hours in adjusting it and the front fascia, 3 hours was 2 of us working on it. I still need to work on one striker plate and adjust it better but is does work well right now..
I still have left:
- install headlight covers and buckets to headlight assembly and then install
- Install upper inner fenders
- route hood light wiring correctly
- install license plate cover
- Install/adjust side alignment pins
- Re adjust front bumper, I needed another shim to push it out more, I made 1/4 thick ones so now I need to remove an OEM one to get the spacing I want
I set the hood on the car on Monday night.. held in with 4 bolts to the hood and the 4 hinge bolts
I have about 6 hours in adjusting it and the front fascia, 3 hours was 2 of us working on it. I still need to work on one striker plate and adjust it better but is does work well right now..
I still have left:
- install headlight covers and buckets to headlight assembly and then install
- Install upper inner fenders
- route hood light wiring correctly
- install license plate cover
- Install/adjust side alignment pins
- Re adjust front bumper, I needed another shim to push it out more, I made 1/4 thick ones so now I need to remove an OEM one to get the spacing I want
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 222
Likes: 11
From: Plymouth MI
