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Old 11-07-2017, 11:44 AM   #1
glennpm
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Default Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

Hi,

Kind of sick over my poor 32 roadster hood fit-up. Driver's side is not bad but passenger's is. Hood can't be pulled down enough on passenger's side panel to close gap at top of cowl. I'm also off about 1/4" short for this side's back hold down hook.

I've measured the hood against dimensions provided by Rootlieb, screen shot attached. My hood agrees with these.

Dimensions from grill shell to top inside of cowl are about 33-3/8" on driver's and a little more on passenger's. Radiator to cowl inside edge at bottom, side to side are about the same at 32-13/16" These spacing dimensions should work for the grill but don't.

Hood and hinge are after market. Grill shell is stock Ford.

Attached pictures are named with descriptions.

Hoping for reasonable suggestions here please.

Last edited by glennpm; 11-07-2017 at 01:53 PM. Reason: Clarify that grill dimensions appear correct
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Old 11-07-2017, 01:24 PM   #2
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Default Re: Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

Remove the cowl anty squeak and use something thinner like tape ,then slot the t bracket so the hood slides sideways to the left .try this to get alignment then work out a permanent solution .I would say the hood is wrong ? Ted
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Old 11-07-2017, 02:09 PM   #3
supereal
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Default Re: Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

That problem is usually due to misalignment of the fenders, cowl, and radiator supports. The cure is to loosen all attaching bolts and shift the front clip so the hood falls into place. If not, it may be due to a misalignment of the frame itself. It doesn't take much of a bump to bend the frame from a mishap sometime in the past. I ran into that when I was reassembling my '47. The left rear end of the frame was slightly bent, but enough to affect the trunk lid and door fit. A session with a Port-A-Power was the answer.
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Old 11-07-2017, 04:23 PM   #4
51 MERC-CT
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Default Re: Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

As stated maybe the center of the rear hinge is off.
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Old 11-07-2017, 04:35 PM   #5
glennpm
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Default Re: Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

Hi,

Thanks for the suggestions.

The hood on the 32 relies on the cowl and radiator, heights and spacing, with no mount on the fenders other than the hood latches. I have plenty of clearance on the bottom to the fenders (or wings ;-) for you UK guys). The hood latch hooks are all aligned excellently vertically with the hood pockets for them. The passenger rear latch needs about a 1/4" shim in order to be able to close it.

Its like I have too much side panel height especially on the passengers side. Maybe the whole cowl would have to be raised requiring the whole body to require shims, thick under cowl and tapering back. The trouble with this shimming, it would cause the gaps to be at an angle, larger at top and smaller at bottom. Gaps are uniform now. Maybe section the hood side panel/s would be less work but still awful.

Last edited by glennpm; 11-07-2017 at 04:40 PM.
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Old 11-07-2017, 05:06 PM   #6
Karl Wescott
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Default Re: Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

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Looking at your photos it seems your lacing is way off, and the rear of the hood may not be centered.

First step. Put the hood top only in place WITHOUT the hinge brackets. The fit of the hood surface to the cowl surface is a function of the cowl lacing. If the hood is "right" it should be supported by the lacing and the reveals should align to the cowl. The hood curve is not supported by the hood structure and will conform to the lacing (though occasionally a little bending is helpful). Possible issues include a poorly fitted firewall and incorrectly shaped cowl lacing groove on the firewall (including the groove filled with bondo...).

Second step is to check the height of the hood side, with the top aligning to the upper reveal on the cowl the lower reveals should line up, if not there is a problem with the hood, OR with the cowl (or both). If hood side is hitting the fender you may need to shim the body up.

Third step is to align the gaps of the hood to the cowl and to the radiator shell. This is and integral process with shimming the body and will affect the alignment of the doors.
See our tech discussion on aligning a roadster body (applies to steel just as well as fiberglass) http://wescottsauto.com/WebCatalog/T..._Technical.pdf.

Fourth is to remember to put the hood hinge brackets on... adjusting holes to allow the screws if necessary.

My guess is you have issues with the firewall and/or lacing.

Best of luck
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Old 11-07-2017, 05:35 PM   #7
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Default Re: Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

Thank you Karl!

Something reasonable that I can get started with. I had been hoping to get a trial run in before Winter.

Glenn
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Old 11-08-2017, 05:27 AM   #8
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Default Re: Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

Quote:
Originally Posted by glennpm View Post
Thank you Karl!

Something reasonable that I can get started with. I had been hoping to get a trial run in before Winter.

Glenn
Am I missing something or does it appear that everything was painted before the components were fitted?
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Old 11-08-2017, 06:41 AM   #9
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Default Re: Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

Yes
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Old 11-08-2017, 06:57 AM   #10
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Default Re: Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

Quote:
Originally Posted by glennpm View Post
Yes
WOW!, guess that would be a perfect example of putting the cart before the horse.
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Old 11-08-2017, 09:30 AM   #11
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Default Re: Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

34pkup & 36grtop
My thoughts exactly when this post first appeared......Ours had pretty much the same issue....the hood top was "tweeked" and needed to be shrinked and worked a little....ALL done and fitted Before painting....BUT....maybe he acquired the car with this issue and has bugged him enough to finally TRY and fix it???
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Old 11-08-2017, 09:53 AM   #12
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Default Re: Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

Everything else was fitted except hood before paint. No way to do the hood before paint. It is what it is now so looking for constructive comments please.

Rockfla, was your hood a repro and by whom please?
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Old 11-08-2017, 10:04 AM   #13
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Default Re: Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

No, it is the original hood, being made in Germany, our hood side is different from the US made hoods in that the louvers have a "raised" surround like a Model A. I Also think that the hood tops are "slightly" different too, I cannot confirm that as of yet as the car is Up in North Carolina having the top and interior done....but will examine in depth when we get our car back!!!!! I do know that Routlieb (Spelling) did the repro hood on our friends 32...how long ago I am not sure.
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Old 11-08-2017, 10:07 AM   #14
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Default Re: Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

Thanks that helps. Mine was either from Howell's Sheet Metal or Rootlieb, not sure which.
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Old 11-08-2017, 10:13 AM   #15
rockfla
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Default Re: Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

Glennpm
I wish I had better info for you, other than what Karl posted and if that doesn't work I suspect that your hood top is "sprung" "tweeked" "Stretched" and is in need of a good panel beater!!! Our friends was such that the time and effort it would take to try and save it and they still couldn't guarantee that it would be any better after his effort SO the Routlieb (or Rootlieb) option was far cheaper!!!! Again, not sure how long ago that was but I know at the time he had to pay extra because of his back log of orders and he needed his back ASAP.
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Old 11-08-2017, 10:29 AM   #16
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Default Re: Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

My suggestion is to take the hood apart(remove sides from the top panels )and then see how the top snugs down on the cowl and shell to begin with.If there is still an issue just do each to 1/2 with the hinge and brackets screwed down on cowl and rad shell and see how the fittment is.
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Old 11-08-2017, 10:34 AM   #17
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Default Re: Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

While all my hood fitting experience has been with original hoods, my impression from your photos is that both hood top panels are sprung or incorrectly formed (the right side more so than the left side) and need to be reworked to fit the curvature of the cowl forward edge (assuming that your firewall fits snugly into the cowl opening all along the top edge). I am also assuming that your firewall is an original and not a reproduction.
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Old 11-08-2017, 11:06 AM   #18
glennpm
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Default Re: Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

Hi David,

The more I look at it, I'm drawing that same conclusion about the top panels too. I looks like there is too much metal in the top panels and the hinge connections on them seem to be too far down in the back, i.e. leaning at an upward angle from back to front. I'm basing this on undoing the latches, pushing the top panels down and if so, the bottom panels want to overlap the radiator shell. I haven't done any disassembly yet and hate to buy a whole new hood just to test it.

My cowl is an excellent original., no extra holes, not bent and not filled at all in anywhere including the welting area. Same excellent starting condition on my original radiator shell.
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Old 11-08-2017, 11:07 AM   #19
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Default Re: Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

Glennpm
If it were me.....Deucelover has it right in my mind and David confirmed what I suspect....Its a lot of effort but I would pull your hood and take it apart....Like deuce lover said...lay each top on the cowl and grills shell seperately...you'll know right quick IF its the tops don't fit right!!!
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Old 11-08-2017, 11:58 AM   #20
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Default Re: Hood Ill Fit-up - 1932

Yes, that makes a lot of sense.

Thanks
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