Adjusting the Hood

[Bob Chadwick]

My hood is in place and is sitting square in the opening. The problem is the edge alignment. When I put the rubber blocks in place to raise the low spots, the top end of the hood is too high. How do you adjust this thing? Can the latch be adjusted to pull the top end of the hood down?

 

[Yoda]

Bob,

Take a look at this Thread and see if it helps any

Bud

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Thanks for the info Bud. That is what I was trying to do. My probelm is that the hood is perfect for the windshield, but low in the middle. When I add the rubber bumper it is perfect in the middle, but up about a quarter inch at the windshield. I guess I just need to play with it.

 

[joe1975]

Hey Bob the theroy around here is a hood with this problem was proped up along a wall that end down pushing the ends out. Mine has the same problem I'm going the rubber block route as soon as it gets hot and adjust the spring down a little at a time If you come up with a better solution Please let me know

 

[Bob Chadwick]

I don't have one Joe. I was playing with it some today and got it a little better but no where near where I want it.

How do you adjust the spring down?

 

[bill81vette]

Bob,I noticed today mine is the sane way,must be the way the were manufactured

 

[joe1975]

Yours is a 77 I think the latch is a little different,but there still has to be a way of pulling it down. Mine has a screw down spring by the latches. I can get it down but the bow in the hood is low I have the rubber blocks I'm just waiting on the hot Louisana sun for some help

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Bob,
My 82 hood sits about 1/8" higher in the rear, but it's level in the center. I have seen a lot of them that way.

 

[paintdaddy]

This is a common problem with late c3 hoods.I painted a 78 pace car hood last month and the rh rear corner was higher than the other side .I played with it but it always ended up too low in the middle on the same side.Ive always marked up to a manufacturing defect.Same problem with factory 70 442 fiberglass hoods.They are all too low on the lh front corner.

 

[Bob Chadwick]

I've got it a little better but just haven't had a chance to play with it in the last week or so.

 

[herron]

My '81 has a hood that is too low at the front (hinge end), but seems just about right everywhere else. Is there some way to correct this? Would those rubber spacing bumpers help?

 

[paintdaddy]

The hinge needs to be shimmed either in the body side or hood side.

 

[gmjunkie]

I've got it a little better but just haven't had a chance to play with it in the last week or so.

I can adjust that Hood Bob!!!But you and Mark will have a Frigging COW!!!!!!!

 

[paintdaddy]

Hey Junk,dont worry about me.I never claim to be the best,just as best I can.Just when you think you know it all,someone else knows more.

 

[herron]

The hinge needs to be shimmed either in the body side or hood side.

OK...what exactly do I do? I've never had to try to do this before. What kind of shim material, and where do I get it? And I presume you are you talking about where the hinge fastens to the hood (or body)?

Or are you talking about those rubber spacers from the earlier thread? I assume those go along the lip where the hood and fender come together.

 

[gmjunkie]

Hey Junk,dont worry about me.I never claim to be the best,just as best I can.Just when you think you know it all,someone else knows more.

Well there were some years that were worse than Others!! My 78 New was really bad low on the on the left side in the middle about the wheel at that Swooped part behind maybe 3/8's of a inch!!! MY Buddy who's name I will not mention because I certainly would not want anyone to think he is a Butcher,because he is not in any way shape or form!!! He has lay-ed up more C1,C2,C3, door to door fronts than I have Installed in my Lifetime!!! And there is people here that Know him,or at least have heard of him!!!When I was younger he was my mentor or tormentor which ever it happen to be at the time!!otfl I was at his shop one day to check on some stuff he was Laying up for me, and we started Looking at my NEW Vette and I started B*tch'n bout the way the hood fit!! He said that ain't Big Deal I can Fix that,he got a Rubber Mallet and a block of wood, popped the inner fender 3-4 times and broke it loose from the surround panel down the hood jamb,took a heavy putty knife and knocked the bonding adhesive out that had oozed out the bottom shut the hood and pushed the surround down where it was high till it fit the hood and said that will work!!!Went in his shop got a drill, 3 pop rivets and some bonding adhesive,shut the hood,pushed it down till it fit and had me open the hood and drill 3 holes in the jam to the inner fender while he held it and then crammed some bonding adhesive between the jam and inner fender,push it down,had me put the 3 pop rivets in and said.drill them rivets out in a day or two and fill the holes!!My Car was only 3 weeks Old,I bout had a Heartyake It still fits for over 28 years!!!! And I've used his method many times!!

 

[paintdaddy]

I would have been scared for my new car too.The generations before us had alot of knowledge to get things done.Back on the hood alignment,Go to the local parts store and ,usually in the help section,and get a shim assortment pack.They are "U" shaped peices of sheetmetal that will range in different thicknesses.Get some help,loosen the hood and slide the shims in and retighten.You may have to try different thicknesses until you like the hood alignment.

 

[bmotojoe]

If one has no patience this method will not work,
Here is what I have seen some do with the replacement hoods for the C3. Don’t install the rubber blocks yet. Find some of the white hard block Styrofoam they use to protect electronics. If your hood is low on one or both sides in the middle cut a piece of block width wise to fit in the rain gutter where the rubber blocks would fit, its Ok to cut the Styrofoam longer then the rubber blocks if you want. Now because the Styrofoam will press down a little when the hood closes its Ok to cut it a little higher then the new rubber blocks. Close the hood slowly to make sure the blocks are not too tall. This is going to take time and you will most likely end up cutting new Styrofoam several times as you build the hoods contour back to where it should be. From the heat of the engine compartment and the sun you can actually retrain the glass to fit correctly again. After your hood sits correctly remove the Styrofoam pieces one at a time measuring the height of each one and then cut your new rubber blocks to the height of each Styrofoam block. New replacement rubber blocks from what I understand are most often a field cut item.
Brian

 

[Bob Chadwick]

I can adjust that Hood Bob!!!But you and Mark will have a Frigging COW!!!!!!!

You're making me nervous man.

 

[herron]

I would have been scared for my new car too.The generations before us had alot of knowledge to get things done.Back on the hood alignment,Go to the local parts store and ,usually in the help section,and get a shim assortment pack.They are "U" shaped peices of sheetmetal that will range in different thicknesses.Get some help,loosen the hood and slide the shims in and retighten.You may have to try different thicknesses until you like the hood alignment.

Thanks.