Is it acceptable to shim between the hinges and hood. Both rear corners are low in realation to the fenders. Installing the inner wheel wells changed the alignment. Thanks

 

It is acceptable & more common than you might think. I have seen many hoods that have had a large short shim at the rear hinge bolt location. If it is vital that you have original parts I might be able to find one in a day or three.

 

I find these on there all the time.
https://www.opgi.com/cutlass/C240503/

 

Those aren't shims. Those are spacers that are used on EVERY Cutlass hood. They fill the gap between the hood hinge and the underside of the hood at the back of the hinge. For some reason, the hinge bracket has a dip in that area, but the mating surface on the underside of the hood is flat. If these spacers weren't used, you'd crush the hinge bracket when you tightened the rear bolt. These are not adjustments, there are mandatory.

The fitment of the rear of the hood is adjusted by loosening the bolts that hold the hinge to the fender and pivoting the hinge clockwise or counterclockwise to raise or lower the rear of the hood.

 

Note the joggle at the rear of the hinge in these photos:

 

Thanks all, and yes mine are missing and crushed.

 

Yeah, if you don't realize they are there, they often jump out as soon as you loosen the rear hood bolts and wedge themselves between the inner fender and firewall. Do NOT ask me how I know this.

I'm guessing that's why the repro houses sell them.

 

Thanks for the lesson Joe.

 

I knew that most had them but not the why. I always thought they were shims, thanks for clearing that up for me.

 

Someone needs to clear it up for me. Those spacers always seemed like an "Oh, $h!t" fix for a design screwup.

 

Opgi states

Quote "Necessary for hood alignment For all ’68-72 Olds Cutlass

Rear spacers fit between the rear of the hinge and the hood and are a must-have on all 1968-72 Cutlass vehicles. The spacer keeps the hinge in the correct location for the proper hood alignment. Spacers are approximately 1/4" thick steel and are sold as a pair."

 

Yeah, the OPGI website also says this for their headers:

OPGI's catalog isn't a Chassis Service Manual or factory parts book. The text TECHNICALLY isn't incorrect - these spacers ARE mandatory to use on the hinges that have that offset in the attach flange. I take exception with the term "shim", however, which implies adjustment. There is no adjustment here. You MUST use the spacers. I put these in the same category as the PS pump bracket spacers, for example. Those aren't "shims" either.

 

Never heard the term"joggle" as a noun. Is this a aerospace term?

 

Are they needed for 72?

 

Yes, actually. It refers to an offset, usually in a machined or formed part.

 

Do your hinges have a joggle?

 

Idk I asked because I never paid attention and I have my hood lined up pretty good. Lining up panels on new cars is cake walk compared to old cars. The level of adjustment is beyond what modern cars have. I guess we have better tolerances in manufacturing nowadays.

 

Again, those spacers aren't for alignment, they're to prevent crushing and distorting the flange on the hinge. And yes, manufacturing tolerances are a lot tighter now.

 

I missunderstood what they where for.

 

Thanks Joe, you always teach me somethin.

 

Well installed driver side spacer and tightened bolt no problem, pass side not so good, bolt is stripped. I assume from painter torquing the bolt without the spacer. Any thoughts on possible fixes without removing hood.

 

Mine broke out so I welded a nut in mine before it got painted. You might see if yours can be tapped to a larger diameter bolt, perhaps metric.

 

Re thread to a slightly bigger metric size. Some would hate the idea but it's the easiest cheapest fix.

 

I have helicoiled them

Greg

 

^^^This. If the nut isn't broken out, install a helicoil.

 

Nut is not broken out. My thought was to try the repair with the hood on, there is 4" of clearance hood to spring.

 

Heli coil in, spacer and bolt tight. Thanks all..