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Okay I’m going to describe what’s going on the best I can. I’m having problems lining up the whole front end. I can’t seem to move something around without throwing everything else out of whack. The passenger side fender seems to be most of the cause. The bumper has to be slide to where it’s completely maxed out towards the passenger side and it needs to be slide over towards the passenger side more but by doing that it messes with the outside gap between both fenders. Now with the hood on. In order to make the hockey stick to line up on the passenger side to the headlight bezels the bumper stop has to be raised up enough to get it to work but by doing that the hood is above the fender about 1/2 an inch. I can drop it down and make it flush to the fender but then it’s way off. I’ve got the the gaps pretty okay on the sides of the hood where they meet the fenders. The passenger side though seems like it has to come forward to get the hood pin to line up. The drivers side is pretty close but this passenger side is fighting me. The fenders on the car when it was bought where supposedly the originals and the hood also. The rear bumper fit flawlessly and the body to the frame is only off about 1/4 inch one side to the other I measured from the pinch weld to the frame. I was thinking the body was super far out throwing it off. This thing has got me stumped
Pass bumper bracket Driver bumper bracket Bumper still not completely centered With hood bumper at height to make hood molding close Hood bumper raised and gap from fender Pass side location Driver side Bumper gap pass Bumper gap drive Washers put in to get gap on hood to fender drivers side Washers put in for pass Drivers gap
Just trying to help do you have the two spear shaped shims that go on the front of fender and rad support?
This could make a difference.
Alain platinum 442 4spd factory A/C
Just trying to help do you have the two spear shaped shims that go on the front of fender and rad support?
This could make a difference.
Alain platinum 442 4spd factory A/C
no I don’t have them. I don’t even know what they would look like
The panels are aligned in an order. I think the first one is hanging the doors, then the fenders are aligned off the doors for gap. The hood is mounted to the fenders so it sits right in back, and the core supports holds the fenders to hood in and out. I think you have a bent fender. I could have some of the order off, but there is an order that THIS gets fit to THAT and then you move on. I think it's in the assembly manual.
The panels are aligned in an order. I think the first one is hanging the doors, then the fenders are aligned off the doors for gap. The hood is mounted to the fenders so it sits right in back, and the core supports holds the fenders to hood in and out. I think you have a bent fender. I could have some of the order off, but there is an order that THIS gets fit to THAT and then you move on. I think it's in the assembly manual.
I got the door gaps perfect. It’s just the fenders and hood that have been giving me a hard time. The bumper too.
Are the body panels you are having trouble with now original to the car? How was the fit before you tore it apart? Did you photograph before disassembly? I see from one of your other posts your bumper was sent out to be straightened.
The W hood is notorious for not fitting all that well especially at the front and top of the fenders. And it is not unusual to use two jacks and multiple pieces of 2x4s to get the bumper in alignment.
Are the body panels you are having trouble with now original to the car? How was the fit before you tore it apart? Did you photograph before disassembly? I see from one of your other posts your bumper was sent out to be straightened.
The W hood is notorious for not fitting all that well especially at the front and top of the fenders. And it is not unusual to use two jacks and multiple pieces of 2x4s to get the bumper in alignment.
From my knowledge everything was original to the car. I did take photos of disassembly but that was a couple of phones ago. This resto has been going on for years. The bumper fits fine. The place I sent it to did a really good job. What’s throwing me off is how far I had to move it to the right side of the car.
I got everything kind of close, as it sits right now. It took a lot of curse words and a lot of screw it I’m burning this thing to the ground but it is what it is. The passenger fender has to be tweaked a little more but I think that’s it. Also had problems with the center piece of the hood rubbing the grille that was fun too.
I had problems with the center hood piece (aka hood tooth) hitting my grilles as well. I eventually bent the hood mounting area as much as I dared, then made shims out of multiple pieces of the heavy paper "gasket" that mounts between the tooth and hood. It came out very well.
Regarding the hood itself...
As tnswt said, the fit is notoriously poor.
If you keep your original hood, you will never lose points from an Olds judge for the fit; it has the well-documented, original look.
Regardless, I wanted mine to fit well. The paint/body man said it would take about 60 hours to get an OEM hood shaped correctly. I bought a Thornton hood for less money and all he had to do was sand it and it was ready for paint.
I had problems with the center hood piece (aka hood tooth) hitting my grilles as well. I eventually bent the hood mounting area as much as I dared, then made shims out of multiple pieces of the heavy paper "gasket" that mounts between the tooth and hood. It came out very well.
Regarding the hood itself...
As tnswt said, the fit is notoriously poor.
If you keep your original hood, you will never lose points from an Olds judge for the fit; it has the well-documented, original look.
Regardless, I wanted mine to fit well. The paint/body man said it would take about 60 hours to get an OEM hood shaped correctly. I bought a Thornton hood for less money and all he had to do was sand it and it was ready for paint.
Thanks I appreciate it. I ended up bending out the mounting area of the tooth and finessing the mounting holes a little and was able to get it to work, I used a piece of beer box cardboard as a gasket. The hood is close enough to where I okay with it but like you said it won’t be perfect.
May 9th, 2024, 12:33 PM
Just trying to help do you have the two spear shaped shims that go on the front of fender and rad support?
