hood alignment help

[nuh uh no way]

putting this in the s30 section instead of general body seemed like a good idea but i'll understand if this is moved somewhere deemed more appropriate.

 

got a much better hood for my recently acquired 280 but am having real bad alignment issues. i need help figuring out what the problem is. i have a service manual and know how to adjust the hinges but the adjustments described don't seem to do anything about left/right alignment, only front/back. i've also read a few threads here but can't find anyone with a similar problem. here's a picture of how the hood sits, conveniently taken from the 2nd floor:

 

 

the top left and bottom right corners overlap; the hood is sitting diagonally. what could be causing this? the hinges don't appear to be bent. i'm worried this may be a frame issue but am too inexperienced to know for sure.

 

any insight?

 

edit: please ignore the half-sticking-out bumper; that issue'll be resolved after the hood!

Edited October 11, 2010 by nuh uh no way

[johnc]

putting this in the s30 section instead of general body seemed like a good idea but i'll understand if this is moved somewhere deemed more appropriate.

 

got a much better hood for my recently acquired 280 but am having real bad alignment issues. i need help figuring out what the problem is. i have a service manual and know how to adjust the hinges but the adjustments described don't seem to do anything about left/right alignment, only front/back. i've also read a few threads here but can't find anyone with a similar problem. here's a picture of how the hood sits, conveniently taken from the 2nd floor:

 

 

the top left and bottom right corners overlap; the hood is sitting diagonally. what could be causing this? the hinges don't appear to be bent. i'm worried this may be a frame issue but am too inexperienced to know for sure.

 

any insight?

 

edit: please ignore the half-sticking-out bumper; that issue'll be resolved after the hood!

 

To properly adjust the hood you also need to adjust the front fenders and headlight buckets. To properly adjust the front fenders you need to adjust the doors. Start by getting the doors adjust properly compared to the rear 1/4 panels and rockers. From there work forward to get the front clip and hood properly adjusted.

 

All of the above assumes the car is straight and hasn't been wrecked and improperly repaired.

[nuh uh no way]

All of the above assumes the car is straight and hasn't been wrecked and improperly repaired.

 

i don't really know the history of the car so i'm going on that completely unfounded assumption. i'll take your suggestions and get to work on the doors.

[JSM]

John is one hood that different then another? When they put them together at the factory, I'm assuming they just pulled from a pile of them no?

[Leon]

Just use the slotted adjustment available at the bolts that mount the hood to the hinges. There are two on each side. Your hood is cocked to the right side, so adjust the left side down. You have to keep iterating until you get it just right. It takes patience and having another person to help, but I've done it by myself with good results.

[palosfv3]

What was the reason for repaling the hood ? Did the original hood fit square in the opening ?

[nuh uh no way]

To properly adjust the hood you also need to adjust the front fenders and headlight buckets. To properly adjust the front fenders you need to adjust the doors. Start by getting the doors adjust properly compared to the rear 1/4 panels and rockers. From there work forward to get the front clip and hood properly adjusted.

 

All of the above assumes the car is straight and hasn't been wrecked and improperly repaired.

 

i'm really not sure how much adjustment the doors need; they look fine. i took pictures to show you. i hope they're clear enough:

 

passenger side:

and two driver's side pictures. couldn't do a single shot because of the fence. 1:

2:

 

the driver's side fender has most definitely been replaced. i think the problem may have to do with this.

 

Just use the slotted adjustment available at the bolts that mount the hood to the hinges. There are two on each side. Your hood is cocked to the right side, so adjust the left side down. You have to keep iterating until you get it just right. It takes patience and having another person to help, but I've done it by myself with good results.

 

i've tried it in every position but it doesn't seem to be doing anything. the bolts on either side can be even or one side at the top of the slot and the other at the bottom (and then reversed); nothing. it stays misaligned the same way.

 

What was the reason for repaling the hood ? Did the original hood fit square in the opening ?

 

the reason for replacing the hood was that this was the hood the car had when i bought it:

 

 

'nuff said, i think.

 

edit: from that picture, the black hood seems to fit a bit better, despite being all mangled. wish i wasn't at work right now so i could take a look. i'm glad i didn't throw away the black one.

Edited October 12, 2010 by nuh uh no way

[jhm]

It sounds like you've tried to adjust the hood using the extremes of the slots on the hood hinges, and that didn't do anything to improve the hood's alignment. If that's the case, then the hinges themselves may be out of whack (engineering term!). You can either try to bend them or replace them. They may respond if you grab the hood and try to muscle it into alignment....sounds crude but it works sometimes. Obviously need to be careful you don't damage your new hood whilst fixing the hinges. If that doesn't work, a used set of hinges from a part-out car shouldn't cost more than a few bucks.

 

I'm really surprised that playing with the adjustment slots didn't yield any results....they usually allow for a lot of movement in both directions.

 

Good luck with it!

[nuh uh no way]

would anyone mind posting a picture of a straight hinge so i can compare? i'll take pictures of mine when i get home. i really don't think they are bent but without ever seeing another pair (didn't think to look at the junkyard) i don't have any frame (pun so not intended) of reference. thanks for the well wishes but please stay tuned! may need all the help i can get here.

[Leon]

 

I'm really surprised that playing with the adjustment slots didn't yield any results....they usually allow for a lot of movement in both directions.

 

 

Same here. You should be able to take that misalignment out by playing with the slots.

[palosfv3]

Based on the pics of the original hood there is a definate possiblity the the front unibody is swayed from the strut towers forward. It is difficult to measure the body on the Z cars because many of the typical holes used for measurement are absent. The best you may be able to do for a quick check is use the center of the rear hood height adjusting bolt diagonally across to the tip of the opposite fender . These measurements should be within a 1/4 " on the diagonal. If these are beyond the 1/4" you will likely need to have the structure pulled over on a frame machine.

 

Your door gaps and fender gaps are OK. Even if they were not , the gap for aligning the hood that is most important is the rear edge of the hood to the upper cowl grille panel. This gap should be parallel and about 3/16 " wide . The rear of the hood should also center between the inspection covers. There is no side to side adjustment for the front of the fenders. This is why I am stating the front structure could be swayed. It doesnt take much , as litlle as a 1/4 over the factory measurement will cause problems. Resist any suggestion to oblong holes or twist things to fit. It just wont work . you will continue to have to cheat things all the way through. Do it right the first time.

 

A couple of tips for alignment. Remove the hood striker and safety catch before attempting to align the hood. A misaligned striker can also complicate the hood aligning process. Remove the grille and horns for access to the hood and hinge bolts.

Edited October 12, 2010 by palosfv3