Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General Pop your top ladies...

Sorry no ladies popping their top in this post, I just needed to grab some attention. This pertains to my 91GT but also all cars in general. I took my hood completely off to pull my motor out. I put the hood back on, in the same spot according to the paint scuffs and markings where the bolts were originally located. I have been adjusting this thing forwards and backwards, side to side, trying to get it to latch and lock down, but it's still out of alignment. I am frustrated like hell and about to beat the hood down with a hammer, I've spent over an hour trying to get it right.
Maybe I'm just crossed eyed or stupid, but is there
any tips or tricks for getting this hood exactly aligned so it closes properly?

Thanks all

This will not help you now, but in the future try this. Before you remove the hood, drill a 1/8" hole through the base of the hinge, and into the lower skin of the hood (where the hinge bolts to the hood. Do this on driver and passanger side. When putting the hood back on you can use a pick, nial, etc to line the holes up between the hood and hinge. This has worked every time for me.

Chris

Thats a damn good idea. I'll keep this in mind whenever/if I ever have to do this.

joedonut: excellent idea!

Burntu2:
Try tightening the bolts "almost" all the way. You'll have to fiddle with how tight you need to do it before you get it right. Let me explain:

(You will need to have a friend help you)
What you want to do is get the bolts pretty tight.
Then lower the hood slowly and close it gently - don't slam it shut.
Once the hood is latched shut, you will see where the hood needs to be adjusted and how much.
(This is where it gets to be a PITA.)
You want to lift and push and fiddle until you have the hood perfect.
Then pop the hood and have your friend open it very carefully.
As he's holding it, you tighten the bolts slowly and very carefully.

You may have to loosen the bolts a bit and repeat process until you get the hood perfect.

This is what I did to get my CF hood to fit right.

Good luck and HTH.

back in the late 60's i had a 66 mustang.. and worked on quite a few of them... to align the doors or hood on them i would do this: the old popular mechanics magazines. i had stacks of them laying around all the time... take them on each side of the hood and lay it in the opening by the fender and the firewall keeping the hood a good distance from the fenders and the firewall.. lightly tighten the hood, not too hard, you want it to move a llttle as you close it.. no slamming, just let it down easy and see if it goes into place, if so then open it gently and tighten the bolts a little more... keep this up until the bolts are tight and that is your alignment... on a hood it would take two books on the back and one on each side of the hood... if you notice the hood going one way or the other, just put a book in the area where the hood seems too close...if you mess up just untighten the bolts and start over... same with doors... i never had a problem as long as i had the books availabe. if you dont have any get some 1/4 inch thick magazines and use them......