Centering hood

[six-tee-nine]

Question for the guys that have more expierience with B bodies......

I've just put the doors and fenders on my 69 for panel alignment to get going with the final blocking and getting the body lines back crisp.
I'm at the point where I really cant seem to move both fenders anymore, becase the result is at his best at this point.
The gaps between the hood and both fenders are nice and even on both sides but on the right side the gap is just a little smaller then on the left.

Is it possible to for instance put shims or washers between the hinges on one side to slightly move the hood a bit more in the center of the opening?

If I open the hood and push it to the left of the car and then close its instantly better but after opening/closing a couple of cycles it seems to reposition back out of center.

I am aware that you cant apply modern days standards in panel alignment on these cars but I hate old cars with totally misaligned body panels because the person who put it together was too lazy to do it right......

[tan top]

  you could shim them , I suppose , but that's a jerry rig fix  !  there is no need for shims on the hinges !   have you got a pictures of how it is  ?  have you put the hood lock/ latch on ?   , when ligning up the hood / deck lid , you don't want any locks / catches on  , because even they can be set one side ro the other &  up or down  , & that will pull the hood / deck lid over to one side or the other  , when clicking it shut .  the  grill assembly  should not even be fitted at this point ! , that should be the third to last thing to fit to the front end  ,  with bumper being next , then lower front panel , leave bumper brackets a little loose , for final alignment etc


put all door locks /strikers , hood & deck lid locks / latches on after everything has been lined up

[six-tee-nine]

No, the latch or any other hardware is not attached. Even the springs are not on the hinges, it only rests on the adjustable bumpers in front on the rad support.

Overall the complete alignment of the front end is pretty satisfying, I need to tweek the passenger door a bit. Went of with the doors, then followed by the fenders. Fender to door and fender to cowl is nice, hood to cowl is nice, and blends in with the fenders, so everything is very nice altough the hood does'nt seem to be in the middle between both fenders.
Lower front valance is also installed at this point. The reason for this is that the right fender was banged up and the inner structure was bent including the lower valance because the bumper pushed everything backwards. After I hammered it all back to its original form it is now put together.
The real issue is that my left fender should move inwards towards the hood and the right one should move away from the hood but they both wont go further.

What you said about the latch is maybe my solution because the difference is no more then 2 millimeters....

I'll try to snap some pictures when I'm at it later today.....

[tan top]

oh previously had a wreck  ,  hmm  was the hood damaged ?  how were the gaps before ?   , hinge might be bent ,
think I would  fit the springs back to the hinges  maybe if the rivits are worn in the hinges , with out the spring , it allows side ways movement 

[cdr]

there are rubber bumpers on the fenders that help keep the hood centered , three on each side  

[Charger-Bodie]

Just open the hood a shove the hood over. Seriously.

[cdr]

Just open the hood a shove the hood over. Seriously.

yep

[Dino]

Just open the hood a shove the hood over. Seriously.

yep

  That's how you do it. 

[six-tee-nine]

Will give it a try..... I guess I'm just to gentle with it...

@ TT it kissed something with the bumper and the nose of the fender, not a real wreck hinges and hood were undamaged.

I guess Brians trick with the rubber bumpers CDR mentioned will make me fix this. Sure I know of the body bumpers but they wont be installed untill after paint.

[RallyeMike]

x4 on "shove it" 

The hood should be aligned rather than relying on the rubber bumpers to shift it into to place. The bumpers are secondary.

BTW, I was just reading my 57 Dodge service manual on gap alignment for the hood and trunk and and it shows the same types of processes - bend stuff to make it fit. I wonder if the 69 Charger service manual says anything similar? 

[myk]

Question on the hood hinges.  If a hinge is bent, is it acceptable to try and bend/hammer it back into shape, or should it be discarded and replaced with a straight one? 

[Dino]

Question on the hood hinges.  If a hinge is bent, is it acceptable to try and bend/hammer it back into shape, or should it be discarded and replaced with a straight one? 

No harm in trying as long as it wasn't bent in half by the incredible hulk.  The metal would be a little tired after that.   

[myk]

Ok, I'll give it a shot with a BFH...

[ottawamerc]

I concur "shove it over" I was very surprised when my body man showed that to me also worked with the doors taking 40 plus years of warps out!

Scott

[tan top]

@ TT it kissed something with the bumper and the nose of the fender, not a real wreck hinges and hood were undamaged.

oh , right I see , that's good  

x4 on "shove it"  

The hood should be aligned rather than relying on the rubber bumpers to shift it into to place. The bumpers are secondary.

BTW, I was just reading my 57 Dodge service manual on gap alignment for the hood and trunk and and it shows the same types of processes - bend stuff to make it fit. I wonder if the 69 Charger service manual says anything similar?  

X5     what the other guys say          shove it