Best way to align hood catches?
 

1975 L48 - Thank you in advance: I've been tinkering and made the mistake of loosening my hood catches to do some detailing. I used an awl to scribe lines in the metal where the edges of the catch mount meet the firewall and also around the edge of the washers where they sat on the mount. I reinstalled everything to where it looked like it should go, but now I can't get the hood open! It laid down and accepted the pins but now it won't release from the passenger side. I'm going to try again in the morning when I can get another set of hands to help me on that side. Is there a tried and true way to mount the catches so they will be in the best/correct spot to always release? It was fine before, so I clearly did not get them reinstalled properly. It also seems like the spring/pins are not long enough? I had always thought the spring was supposed to compress when the hood rests on the pin, and then walk to each side and press gently to seat the hood so there is enough spring tension to "pop" the hood when the release is pulled. I have a little slack on each side and do not have enough threads to raise the pins anymore. Do they make extended length pins?

Here are good instructions as well as the tool at Willcox.

http://repairs.willcoxcorvette.com/1...ent-procedure/

Awesome! I'm going to make one out of wood...

That's what I did, here are the measurements:

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...bb18ac4ee7.jpg

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...da6ec495ae.jpg

Make 2, one for each side so you ca align both side at once. It will be easier and since your making them yourself its just time on the lathe

I think I'm going to do just that. I appreciate all the forum assistance!

If made properly you only need on for the car.

The hood alignment tool leaves the hood raised enough that you can get in there to tighten the bolts up and move to the next side. I've never needed two on a car unless the hinges are toast and then I'd suggest to the customer to replace the hinges and then align the hood.

I'm not sure if the time to turn one down out of wood would be worth the difference in just buying the tool but my father used to make furniture and he'd probably do the same thing.

Ernie

I found the instructions before Ernie was offering the tool for sale and I used some scrap 3/4" wood.
Two holes with a 2" hole saw and one hole with a 1&1/4" hole saw and I glued and screwed it together.
Not precision work but good enough for a one use tool.

What is funny Pete, is that I made this tool probably 25 years ago on my lathe out of aluminum... never did I ever think they would be something someone would wan't.

Now we run over 300 of them a year, it's one of our best sellers we have. Plus what people don't realize is that it works for 1960-1962 and 1963-1967, it's just a different set of instructions on how to use it. But the thing works like a champ.

I'll tell you what Highlander1732, email me at service@willcoxcorvette.com. If you're willing to pay the shipping (and you'll need to send me a mailing address) I'll send you one that is a cull that'll work just fine. Might cost you 4 bucks or so... but easier than making one out of wood... :D

Ernie

Thanks so much. I did make two using an old pressure treated 4x4 scrap. I cut the square blanks, then trimmed them up up with a chisel. I wrapped a piece of copper wire around the lower portion to keep it from splitting from the weight of the hood and they worked perfectly. I may list them for sale on the forum! lol

I used the dimensions from your photo and made a couple in an hours time with a scrap of old 4x4. These were a lifesaver and should be in everyone's tool kit. Cost me an hours time but they worked beautifully. Thanks very much for the assist.

Ernie, thanks so much for the offer. I ended up crafting a couple from wood in an hours time. I would gladly spend for a higher quality, longer lasting set from you, but was under a bit of a time crunch and had to act fast as the buyer's carrier is showing up in another day or so. I have no doubt that yours are worth every penny and (sadly to say), I'm selling my C3 so I won't need a set long term, at least until I spring for another. Thank you for all your quality posts as they have been invaluable to me during my C3 ownership. My '75 roadster is the first C3 I've ever owned and this forum and your depth of knowledge in particular has been critical to my learning curve. I'm keeping my C4 but it doesn't have the soul of my C3. Two in college forces my hand unfortunately...but I'll be back. Just saw a really nice '79 with low miles for 10K...lol

My pleasure.... I tried.. :D My father used to own a wood working shop so doing them from wood would be easy if you have the right tools... no doubt a wood one would work just as good as one made from aluminum. Take care and have a great Srping.

E

Hmm, never thought of turning up an alinement toll although I have a lathe. I just put masking tape over the catch holes and then a little copper coat(because of its dark colour) grease on the pin ends and then lowered the hood until the pins touched the masking tape, once I had the spot created by the grease on the pin centered I tightened everything down and it all works perfectly.

Ya..... but I had to align my hood again tonight, I had it back too far and it was impinging on the shield box. So I just loosend the driver side hinge on the hood and let it slide down a hair, then did the passenger side. Checked the gaps then used the Willcox tool agian.

I just loosened the drivers side pin plate, lowered the hood with the tool installed onto the pin and reached in and hand tightened the pin plate. Then I went over to the passenger side and did the same thing. It literally took longer to type this than it did to readjust both pins and they worked like a charm. Its fast and perfect everytime

Damn thing works...that's for sure :rofl:

Ernie