Hood Height Help

[SportoEvans]

Hi all.

I need some guidance as to the position of the bonnet relative to the body.

Mine may not be correct.

I know that normal gaps are around 3mm. However, should there be any difference in height between the bonnet and the body, is there a "normal" height difference or should the bonnet align horizontially with the body?

The right back of my bonnet is 2.5/3.00mm ABOVE the height of the body. The gap ok approx at 3mm.

Interestingly, the left side of the bonnet is only 1mm above, so at any rate there is a difference side to side.

Can anyone explain if there is a procedure to adjust the height of the bonnet.

Currently there are no shims/washers between the bonnet and the hinge that is bolted to the inner fender with 3 bolts.

cheers

[klasikcis]

My question would be what work have you had done to the front of the car since the bonnet was removed. Will wait for others to comment but it is sitting proud of the bulkhead in front of the windscreen so looksks to me like the hinges need filing in the bolt holes to allow the assembly to drop lower. Is there any way of checking the fit with the hinges removed to ensure that it is simply a hinge alignment issue.
Nev

[9er]

The lhs is no worse than most however the RHS is too high, it is common practice to use shims between bonnet and hinge, if it is shimmed remove them.
If not there is some adjustment available at the hinge to body bolts.

[SportoEvans]

Thanks for your thoughts.

No shims in place.

I undid one of the 3 bolts holding the hinge and the bolt opening in the hinge plate is sort of an oval shape with a small amount of space in front & behind an in position bolt but no space above above/below - meaning that the hinge can probably be moved forward or back but not up or down.

Neville - is your suggestion to file out the bolt openings in the hinge plate at the "top" (where my red arrow is) 3-4mm which would then allow the hinge plate (and thus the attached hood) to drop down by same amount?

[klasikcis]

Hi Mark
My first question was have you replaced or changed anything on the front of the car that would cause the altered fit. Ie bonnet or hinges or inner guards. It seems to me that to file out the holes like you have marked would resolve the height issue. proceed cautiously and wait for some more learned builders to make intelligent comment. I have not had a lot of experience but my dad was in charge of bodybuild at Ford Motor Co in Broadmeadows for 20 years and I watched him do some amazing things to get gaps correct.

[Chequered Flag]

The washers are to big

[SportoEvans]

Thanks Chequered - I will change the washers to see if this makes any difference.

Neville - both front outside fenders are new replaced by previous owner bonnet & hinges are original, maybe this has caused the height issue.

I think the best first step is to do as you say - remove hinges and see if the bonnet can fit "correctly".

If so - then a second step could be to enlarge the existing bolt openings as needed to allow for additional downward positioning of the hinges, taking the bonnet with it - unless, of course someone else has a better solution!!.

[Bremith]

resolving similar issues myself at the moment - body guy tells me gas struts are way too strong, will report back when I change them out.

[SportoEvans]

Thanks Mitch

[Merv]

Good point Mitchell. I have seen that before. Try dropping of the struts and see how it fits?

[green gauge]

Wanna swap one of those strong struts for a gutless one, before I start getting use to having the bonnet falling on my head

[Merv]

Or the old broomstick?

[green gauge]

I never leave home without one.

[Ashbaxter]

Having similar issues myself with this.
I removed the struts and the height is pretty good.

The struts appear to be way too strong, are there weaker struts available or is it a case adjusting the hood low to compensate?

[SportoEvans]

Ash.

am tackling this problem slowly and systematically next week.

I will report back.

I am not aware of less strong struts and intuitively the gas strut can not increase/decease hood height as the hinge is not sprung nor has any vertical flexibility at the 2 mounting points ( hinge to body) and ( hinge to hood).

From further research/discussion I believe all the adjustment required for hood/bonnet height alignment is in the hinge bracket with 3 bolts that attach to the inner fender.

I understand that adjusting this bracket to the body was what the factory did during assembly.

Let's see!