I need a little help. I just put my hood back on after a winter of replacing the engine . I have it aligned pretty good as far as fit between the fenders and cowl. My problem is the rear corners. I can't get them to sit down flush. After the hood is closed I can push the corners down and they look good.
I have read your basics of hood aligment and tried your procedure of pivoting the hinge down on the back but still no success. Is there something I am not understanding in your procedure that would help me out?. Is it possible the springs are too weak?
Any suggestions appreciated
BTW this is for a 65

Thanks

If the springs were too weak, just the opposite would happen.

I have NEVER seen a hood that couldn't be adjusted down TOO LOW in the back.

So let's get back to the "Basics".

Darn it, I don't have my Skylark anymore to go out and take a look at. And my Gran Sport is in pieces with the hood hinges in a box somewhere.

I forget where the slotted hole is on the hinges. Maybe someone else will chime in.

As I remember the front bolt (to fender) is sloted, as well as at least one in the rear. You can take out ONE bolt and look, reinstall it then take out another and look, to see which ones are sloted.

Anyway, you have have one at the extreme end of the slot and you are pivoting on it instead of MOVING the the hinge in the right direction.

The hinge needs to be rotated back. If you were to loosen all the bolts but the front JUST A LITTLE so it will move. Have a friend push up on the FRONT of the hood, just as if he is opening it further than it wants to go. Then tighten up the bolts. Do this on both sides at the same time would be fine. Your buddy has to hold the hood up the entire time.

After doing that, if it didn't do the job, loosen all the bolts EXCEPT ONE of the rear ones (pull the bolt out all the way and see if the hole is sloted in the hinge, if it is NOT sloted, that is the perfect one to leave tight and loosen the others). Do the same thing, after loosening the bolts hve our buddy lift up on the hood, opening it more. Tighten the bolts up.

Try the hood and see how it fits. If this isn't working post again.

I have seen many times where there is a little burr on the hole and the bolt isn't loosened up enough, the burr keeps the part from moving. But on a hood hinge there is so much leverage I doubt this could be a problem.

Let me say this, the hinge shoule move a LOT when you do this. If the hinge doesn't rotate a LOT there is something wrong.

By the way, again, if the hood fit before,how could it be ANYTHING but adjustment? As far as the springs, they have been RELAXED all this time with the hood off the car. If anything they would have MORE tension which would "push" the hood up in the back as you discribe.

Did you pull the hinges off the fenders? Or did you simply pull the hood off the hinges and leave them on the fenders?

If you did that later, than the hinge springs may be playing a part in this in that they have MORE tension as I describe. I don't ever remember seeing this, but if I did I would have simply adjusted the hood down and forgotten about it.
Brian

Thanks Brian. I will try again. I had this problem last year also and just decided to deal with it now. I have never had the hinges off.

Thanks again

Did you put a new cowl seal on the car? They tend to be too hard and hold the hood up. Very common problem.

No new seal. I think I may understand how to do this a bit better now. I am pretty sure the front bolt to the fender is the one that is slotted. I have been trying to pivot the rear bolt down. It does move a bit but not much. When I get home tonight I am going to try again. I was thinking if I moved the hinge up at the front bolt the hood would raise and I think it will at the front but it will lower the back. Then I can adjust the front bumper stops down to get the hood to lower in the front. Sound Right??

Dumb question, but have to ask. Did you change anything on the motor? For comparison, my '69 sits the same way. I had played and played with the hood an can not get it to sit down in the rear corners. Finally, one day I happen to have the hood and the light hit the chrome air cleaner just right for me to see a ripple on it near the top of the dome. Can barely see it, but sure enough the air cleaner is just hitting the forward portion of the rear hood brace (rear triangulated shaped brace). I will have to deal with this later. I do not have a real high intake (Performer 2-0) and have a drop base air cleaner that places the lid just above the top of the carb as is. But sure enough, I tried setting the hood with the air cleaner off - perfect fit. As soon as I reinstall - hood is up in the back. Just a thought!

Originally posted by GRN69CHV:
Dumb question, but have to ask. Did you change anything on the motor? For comparison, my '69 sits the same way. I had played and played with the hood an can not get it to sit down in the rear corners. Finally, one day I happen to have the hood and the light hit the chrome air cleaner just right for me to see a ripple on it near the top of the dome. Can barely see it, but sure enough the air cleaner is just hitting the forward portion of the rear hood brace (rear triangulated shaped brace). I will have to deal with this later. I do not have a real high intake (Performer 2-0) and have a drop base air cleaner that places the lid just above the top of the carb as is. But sure enough, I tried setting the hood with the air cleaner off - perfect fit. As soon as I reinstall - hood is up in the back. Just a thought! Good suggestion, but no, it is not hitting the air cleaner for sure. I can easily push the hood down in the corners and it stays. It has to be just a hinge alignment problem. I will give it another shot tonight.2 years ago i didn't have this problem but it seems it sort of snuck up on me last year. I have my hood up so often I was thinking it was worn out springs :D
Just another hurdle to jump with this old car
Thanks for the input

Thanks Brian, I got it.
Once I got it through my thick skull to raise the hinge on the front it brought the back end down. I then lowered the bumper stops and adjusted the latch. Shes sittin pretty now graemlins/thumbsup.gif