Hood Clearence Problems
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,234
Likes: 19
From: Freestate Corvette Club! Elkridge, MD
St. Jude Donor '17
I remember reading about the need to grind down a lead bolt a little bit - can you tell EXACTLY where the clearence issue is? If not a thin slice of Green Florist foam taped to the hood may help (it will leave an imprint of what is hitting)
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 7,370
Likes: 8
From: Slave to the evil empire
Cruise-In V Veteran
St. Jude Donor '04
I have an early version of the original ACI blower hood and when I had my mag I had to grind a flat spot on the forward flange where the blower case and front snout bolted together but this wasn't a good cure so I also ground a small spot on the inside of the hood about the size of a quarter and then installed a felt pad.
I never had "serious" clearance issues, I was always able to close my hood and the only reason I did all of this clearancing was that after I installed the supercharger I noticed over time that it was wearing on the underside of the hood.
I never had "serious" clearance issues, I was always able to close my hood and the only reason I did all of this clearancing was that after I installed the supercharger I noticed over time that it was wearing on the underside of the hood.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 490
Likes: 0
From: LaPLATA Md
I bought my mag used and it was ground down already.I used to close my stock hood by letting it drop from about 3" high so both latches would catch.Well after smoothing the underside of my aci hood and test fitting for clearance,the 2nd time I closed it that way it hit and cracked the hood!!
Not as much clearance as I thought.I talked to ACI and they said you have to set the hood down gently then push down each side where the latch is.Expensive lesson!! 
VERY TIGHT FIT, FYI 
Not as much clearance as I thought.I talked to ACI and they said you have to set the hood down gently then push down each side where the latch is.Expensive lesson!! VERY TIGHT FIT, FYI
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 788
Likes: 1
From: Lombard IL
I feel your pain, as I too have had the spider cracked hood. I'm not even going to mention what hood I have but of the guys I have talked with, it seems all the major players making these so called blower hoods, none (ok most) of them seem to have some clearance issues. What's up with that? Man-0-Man, does that frost me. I just finished refiberglassing my hood and started to repaint it. I have ground down the blower to where the center bolt is just about flush with the rest of the casing, and I am really keeping my fingers crossed that it will be ok. I took some plumbers putty (for lack of anything better to use to check my clearance). Seems like approx 1/4 to 3/8ths of an inch. Am I missing something or is there a reason they don't just make the hoods with another 1/2" or so of clearance. Sorry to ramble on but this is a touchy subject. 
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
The problem is that you can clearence the hood while it is not running and then once you get into it the motor will raise under the torq load and rub the hood. That is where we are having a serious issue. We feel the only way to correct the problem is to fill in the center of the hood and then grind underneath for clearence. Pretty poor way to make a hood functional when they advertise that it will work. Well, welcome to the world of after market parts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,340
Likes: 1
From: hamilton nj "Life's tough......It's even tougher if you're stupid."-John Wayne
Originally Posted by rudolph schenker
Along the same thought, just curious if anybody has had any clearance issues with the Caravaggio blower hood? 
The only clearance issue I had was during my rear end swap. When the rear was lowered the back of the motor also went down and the rear pulley on the mag caught the edge of the rear brace on the hood and put a small hole in it.
Solution? Open the hood next time!!
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 431
Likes: 0
From: Browns Mills NJ
It amazes me that ACI says it is an issue but won't do anything about it. With the number of hoods they sell, you would think they would want to make it better and have less complaints.
I was told this was the reason LPE made thier hood so tall. They got tired of dealing with ill fitting hoods from other manufactures and customers complaining about cracking after closing thier hood. Supposedly the LPE hood will clear without any clearancing or rubbing.
Jersey
I was told this was the reason LPE made thier hood so tall. They got tired of dealing with ill fitting hoods from other manufactures and customers complaining about cracking after closing thier hood. Supposedly the LPE hood will clear without any clearancing or rubbing.
Jersey
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,710
Likes: 0
From: Langhorne PA
Originally Posted by Ragtop_Rob
I remember reading about the need to grind down a lead bolt a little bit - can you tell EXACTLY where the clearence issue is?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 184
From: Ohio
Hoods
Originally Posted by Z_fox
I had an issue with my hood clearance. I ground down the problem area on the mag and took some material off of the bolt too. Polished up the area and you would never know it was touched.
The Big Dog
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,340
Likes: 1
From: hamilton nj "Life's tough......It's even tougher if you're stupid."-John Wayne
Originally Posted by z06cab
Budmount, I'm going to Caravaggio's tomorrow to pick up my hood!!!
Any other probs. beside that for fitment issues??
Any other probs. beside that for fitment issues??
Good Luck
PS:
When you there ask them if the are going to do a GP on thier Convertible Hard Top!
Bud
Racer
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 275
Likes: 1
From: Romeo MI
Originally Posted by arkansascorvette
Get a J & D high rise hood. No grinding, perfect fit for $995. Have mine vented at the rear. 1 inch of clearance in the vicinity of the Maggie. 
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
From: Batesville AR
J & D hood
J & D Corvette
800-838-8353
www.jdcorvette.com
Check the pics link at the left side of my post, to see the hood in question
800-838-8353
www.jdcorvette.com
Check the pics link at the left side of my post, to see the hood in question