Well I needed to replace the hood on my 82 Trans Am as it was a little bent and had a odd gap going on. I went to the junk yard and got what looked to be a very straight bulge hood from a 83 TA but when installed it would not close unless forced and it had a large gap between the top of the nose and the tip of the hood. So I figured I got a bad hood and had not notice something when it was one the junk car.

So just to be on the safe side I got a flat hood off of my 82 parts car and installed it on my 82 Trans Am and it looks perfect other then the missing bulge
I did this because the nose had been replaced along with the driver side fender and I wanted to make sure it was the junk yard hood not my cars other parts causing this issue.

Then yesterday I tried again I went to the yard and pulled a hood from a 84 Trans AM making sure it closed and looked good on the junk yard car. But once again when I got it home and installed it on my 82 it wont close.

has anyone had this problem before? I always took it these hoods where alike and interchangeable. I did notice some small differences between the underside of the 82 hoods when compared to a 83 or 84.

Any help is greatly appreciated I want to get this bad boy panted but this has been my hang up for months now.

Thanks
-Michael

 

hmmm...it should fit right on I believe. Perhaps both power bulges need some kind of adjustment? Like say the two bolts holding the latch in place have to be loosened and the latch has to be lowered? As far as forcing it closed, I know that if the striker on the hood that the latch closes on is misaligned, it is quite hard to close the hood.

IDK why the stock flat hood would work fine though. Mybe just luck that the two power bulges need adjustment?

 

The bar on the hood that engages into the latch also can be adjusted left to right, along with the height of the latch on the car itself.

 

try removing the latch and then see if it looks right.. if so it's a latch alignment problem

 

Had the same problem with my RS until I finally adjusted the stricker now it closes perfectly.

 

My TA hood closed ok when I did a test fit after getting it home from the junkyard, but I had to do some adjusting. Raised the nose piece and one headlight too. Will have to do the fender a tad also when I get it ready.

I would've put in on by now, but the water guard stuff is missing.