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Hood Alignment

  • Thread starter Thread starter Loaded510
  • Start date Start date Aug 19, 2016

Loaded510

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Aug 19, 2016
#1
  • Aug 19, 2016
  • #1
Having trouble aligning my hood, there's a big gap between the left fender and it's scraping against the right fender. I noticed the engine bay frame that's connected to the fender is a little bent in. Could that be the problem? And is that a pricey fix?




 

a91what

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#2
  • Aug 19, 2016
  • #2
Looks like that car was in a rather significant front end collision.
@Davedacarpainter should be able to help
 
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Davedacarpainter

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Yeah, it's been hit somewhere in it's past.

Would you take more pictures of the front for me?

You will probably need to have the frame pulled to really fix it right.

Just hard to tell without more and better pictures though.
 

Loaded510

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  • Aug 19, 2016
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Davedacarpainter said:
Yeah, it's been hit somewhere in it's past.

Would you take more pictures of the front for me?

You will probably need to have the frame pulled to really fix it right.

Just hard to tell without more and better pictures though.
Click to expand...

These are the other pics I have, but I can take some more when I get off work.
 

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Davedacarpainter

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When I get off work I'll look on my iPad, bigger screen will be helpful
 

mikestang63

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@Davedacarpainter you think he may have some room to move the fenders out for clearance?
 
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Davedacarpainter

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I just looked at it at home. It's easier to see on my iPad instead of that little 2" screen on my phone!

It looks better than I thought.

I can't see the gap at the back of the hood, what's it like? Is it even from side to side?
 

Davedacarpainter

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mikestang63 said:
@Davedacarpainter you think he may have some room to move the fenders out for clearance?
Click to expand...
There is a small amount of adjustment for that, but, based purely on the pictures we have, I think the hood just needs adjustment. It kind of depends what the gap at the back of the hood looks like.

Sure, the right side has been tweaked a little, but not enough to cause that misalignment, I would think. The latch probably has been knocked over a little to the left too. Easy fixes, depends on that back of hood gap.
 

mikestang63

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#9
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right, but the front to back alignment won't fix the gap problem between the hood and the fenders, unless I am looking at the pics wrong. I don't see enough gap on both sides? He needs to adjust the fenders out a little, no?
 

Davedacarpainter

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The gap at the back will tell you if the hood is just misaligned. I'm thinking, if there isn't much problem from the wreck damage, that the hood gap will be tighter on the driver's side than on the passenger's.

It's pushed quite a ways towards the driver's side, if it just needs to have the hood and latch adjusted, the fenders may be alright except for that small buckle in the right fender.

It might just need the latch adjusted slightly to the right. That might fix it all.
 
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Loaded510

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  • Aug 24, 2016
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Davedacarpainter said:
The gap at the back will tell you if the hood is just misaligned. I'm thinking, if there isn't much problem from the wreck damage, that the hood gap will be tighter on the driver's side than on the passenger's.

It's pushed quite a ways towards the driver's side, if it just needs to have the hood and latch adjusted, the fenders may be alright except for that small buckle in the right fender.

It might just need the latch adjusted slightly to the right. That might fix it all.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply! I will try adjusting the latch when I get off work. Hopefully that'll fix the gap issue. It's been such a pain in the *** lol
 

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Davedacarpainter

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  • Aug 24, 2016
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Loaded510 said:
Thanks for the reply! I will try adjusting the latch when I get off work. Hopefully that'll fix the gap issue. It's been such a pain in the *** lol
Click to expand...
Wow, I looked at the hood picture. Your front end is tweaked to the right definitely.

It will need to be pulled straight again with a frame machine. If you lived close to me, I would do it for nothing for you.

You probably could adjust the latch a little, but even a little will cause the right rear of the hood to dig into your cowl panel.

Do you have any friends that work in a body shop? If you do, then you could probably get it pulled for a fifty (or a bottle of good bourbon @madmike1157 !).

It really will need this done though.
 

Loaded510

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Davedacarpainter said:
Wow, I looked at the hood picture. Your front end is tweaked to the right definitely.

It will need to be pulled straight again with a frame machine. If you lived close to me, I would do it for nothing for you.

You probably could adjust the latch a little, but even a little will cause the right rear of the hood to dig into your cowl panel.

Do you have any friends that work in a body shop? If you do, then you could probably get it pulled for a fifty (or a bottle of good bourbon @madmike1157 !).

It really will need this done though.
Click to expand...

Dang, I was really afraid I would have to get it straightened out too.

Unfortunately I don't have any friends that work in a body shop. How much on average would something like that cost me?
 

Davedacarpainter

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Loaded510 said:
Dang, I was really afraid I would have to get it straightened out too.

Unfortunately I don't have any friends that work in a body shop. How much on average would something like that cost me?
Click to expand...
Good question, I've never had to pay full boat for it myself, I've always been on the inside. Let me ask and see.
 

Loaded510

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Davedacarpainter said:
Good question, I've never had to pay full boat for it myself, I've always been on the inside. Let me ask and see.
Click to expand...

Ok thanks!
 

Davedacarpainter

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  • Aug 24, 2016
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I went and talked to one of our estimators about it.

Now, a few things to consider. First, you should take the fenders, bumper and hood off yourself to save you some money before you would take it to a shop.

Our flag rate for frame time is $55 per hour.

First you'll have two hours just for set up on the frame machine, then you'll probably have about four hours actual pull time. This is just a guesstimate from where I sit and look at your pictures too.

Based just on that, you have $330.

I would go to a shop and have a little talk with the guys there. Explain what you have and ask how you could keep the cost at a minimum. Bring the vehicle if it's running well enough.

Your flag rate may be more in your area as well. Just go talk to the guys (gals?) and see what they'll do for you.
 
Last edited: Aug 24, 2016
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Loaded510

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Davedacarpainter said:
I went and talked to one of our estimators about it.

Now, a few things to consider. First, you should take the fenders, bumper and hood off yourself to save you some money before you would take it to a shop.

Our flag rate for frame time is $55 per hour.

First you'll have two hours just for set up on the frame machine, then you'll probably have about four hours actual pull time. This is just a guesstimate from where I sit and look at your pictures too.

Based just on that, you have $330.

I would go to a shop and have a little talk with the guys there. Explain what you have and ask how you could keep the cost at a minimum. Bring the vehicle if it's running well enough.

Your flag rate may be more in your area as well. Just go talk to the guys (gals?) and see what they'll do for you.
Click to expand...

ok that's not too bad...thanks so much for your help. There's a shop down the street from my house so i'll talk to the guys over there next week. Hopefully they'll have a decent rate.
 
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Davedacarpainter

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Loaded510 said:
ok that's not too bad...thanks so much for your help. There's a shop down the street from my house so i'll talk to the guys over there next week. Hopefully they'll have a decent rate.
Click to expand...
The hourly rate will be fairly stable in a local market, so whatever they quote you will probably be parroted by the other shops.
 
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