Hood to nose panel hitting

[cos]

Hello Members  Having a devil of a time getting hood aligned. I have read all posts I could find here. Can make it not hit by raising hood (makes hood contour to fender off)  or tipping nose panel down (throws triangle nose ends off at each side where they bolt to fenders. Think I read where Gasman had to pull (tweak) panel down. Have fender to doors gaped and core support adjusted like  fellas  here advised. Any magic solutions? 

[Ford Blue blood]

When and where is it hitting?  Upon opening, all the way open, etc....

[cos]

Thanks for reply.  The protruding point of hood hits nose panel when opening and closing. Making adjustments like I mentioned above, it will clear. No amount of adjusting hinges seems to help. I have extra hood and nose panel I have tried with same problem. They must have been  very close tolerance when new. Also pulled nose panel down at center with ratchet strap, misaligns core support to nose panel brace. Read where fellas mentioned hood alignment is frustrating, I agree to that. 

 

[lalessi1]

I managed to get mine to fit okay when I noticed that the hood hinges where they bolt to the hood not only can be adjusted up and down and forward and back but they can rotate a little as well. That seemed to move the pivot point of the hinge relative to the hood. My car had been repaired at some point in a fender bender and I had to " "massage" the hinges, the nose panel and the radiator support to get it all to an acceptable point of fitting. I think the front clip was assembled as a unit and then mated to the car at the factory, based on a few pics I have seen of the assembly line. That would have made the alignment easier I think.

[RICH MUISE]

"frustrating"....I'm pretty sure everybody agrees with that, which is why you've gotten limited response. Just keep working at it, eventually it'll happen.
One suggestion that was helpful for me when I was doing it.......there's a lot more adjustment than you'd think at where the hinge bolts to the hood. Make sure the hinge's angle piece is tight against the hood (or not, as needed).

[cos]

Thanks fellas  I have notice hinge to hood bolt (closest to front of hood, will call it front bolt) can be moved up and down. I have been tightening  back  bolt first (doesn't seem to have much up and down play) then pushing front hinge till it bottoms out against hood.  May be key to getting it adjusted, haven't tried that yet. Thanks

[Ford Blue blood]

I found putting the back of hinge tight up and the front down (rotating the hood down in the back, up in the front) allows the hood to lift straight up when first opening.  Then adjust the up/down of the hinge mount on the radiator support. The "adjustments" are minute and don't seem like much, but they will give the "oh so close" clearance you need.

[cos]

Hello Thanks for info. Tried suggestions still super close to rubbing. Just how close (gap) should I expect, I can slide  piece corrugated cardboard, maybe 3/16" ( when opening/closing)  is best I can get. If I pull nose panel down and tilled back helps open gap but springs back when I take pressure away. May have to live with hood higher than fenders contour at front. Have looked at a lot of pictures, some have hood pushed back so top edge (flat part) of nose panel shows a little.

[rmk57]

  I put two strips of painters tape where it would rub, then adjust the best you can. Mine now just touches the first layer of tape. I'm sure on a hot day outside it'll expand and rub the nose piece again.

[57chero]

So it got me thinking when I put mine together years ago the hood was the last thing I put on, I actually got it to work the first time, I lined up the peak of the nose piece with the peak of the front fenders so it doesn't really line up at the back edge where the fender and nose piece meet but the hood fits perfect and doesn't rub if that makes any sense.

[57chero]

Other pictures

[cos]

Thanks Clayton for close up pictures. Yours looks perfect. Will keep at it, something  isn't right.

[Ford Blue blood]

I have about 1/8" clearance after adjustment.

[cos]

hello  Make some progress on hood alignment. I have moved everything so many times. I moved the T-shaped bracket that bolts the core support to front fenders (inner and outer) back. This tilted core support back (along with the hinges) seems to help.  Still very close. No paint on nose panel just 2K primer, put four or five layers masking tape area of contact with no scraping. Plan on small sheet metal screws on everything for alignment after painting. Thanks for comments.

[RICH MUISE]

I'm not sure if the small screws might cause other problems, but your instinct to create alignment holes is spot on. I have 3 or 4 Harbor Freight automatic center punches, so when it's time to drill holes, I drill the same size as whatever that shaft is on the punch. Makes it a lot easier to alighn those holes when you have a tapered"pin" with a handle!!