mflesher

Trying to get the fit right on my new Fiber Concepts hood and don't have hardly any adjustment on my hinges. That got me wondering if my hinges were wrong or a cheap reproduction. If someone could post a pic of 1972 factory hinges that are used with OAI hood it would help me determine what I really have. Thanks in advance for your help.

RetroRanger

OE GM 69-72 hinge

woodie582

Are you using the rear spacers between hinge and hood?

mflesher

Thanks RetroRanger, I see the holes are slotted on your hinges allowing for some adjustment. Going to check but I think that's what I'm missing. Yes I am using the spacers on rear of hinge. I was worried about pulling the threaded insert out of the hood if the gap was left.

Mr Nick

What are your thoughts on the quality of the hood? Let us know how the fit/alignment is along the fenders and to the cowl as well. I'm very interested in putting a 70 OAI hood on my 69.

mflesher

The car is being worked on now so I don't have final alignment pics yet. However, I did have to slot my hinges and remove the cowl gasket for hood to sit correct in rear. The lighter duty springs I was told to get from OPGI did not have enough tension to hold the hood up so I was forced to use my factory springs. I have read on the forum that worn out springs are fine with fiberglass hoods and with hood mounted that seemed to be the case.

My car is a driver so the Thornton option seemed high for my situation. I chose the Fiber Concepts product because of the metal inserts in hinge and latch areas. The overall quality of the hood is good and Rob with Fiber Concepts is great guy to work with and very knowledge on the replacement process. The hood will require some prep work from body shop and will wait to comment on the fit after the 'give and take' of final alignment. I will update the post when I get my car from shop next week.

Mr Nick

Great info, thanks. Bummer the cowl gasket had to be removed, I've heard that's a common problem on the repro hoods. If it's molded after an original, I wonder why that's a common trouble area for the manufacturers.

mflesher

car back from paint and they did good job. matched my existing color very well. they didn't try very hard on alignment so I will attempt to correct that myself. passenger side grill sticks out about 1/2" further than driver.