Hi all.
My hood spring sits (as you look at the car), just off centre to the left of the raised circle bit on the slam panel, probably by about half an inch. Hence the hood latch is also off, but is within the hole it goes into.

Just confirming that adjusting the hood and fenders would fix this?

From what I can tell, it looks like the front metal needs to shift about half inch back to the right.

Cheers.

Jonno.

 

Or bend the spring back 1/2".

 

The spring doesn't look bent. Its more that it looks like the hood needs to move over.

 

Hi all.

Finally took a photo. This shows the spring off centre to the left.
Any suggestions?


Also, the LHS side headlight has had a plastic bit snap and the PO has botched it by screwing a screw into the headlight mechanism. Can this be repaired or should I look for a new headlight unit? This is causing my headlight to retract lower than it should.



Cheers all.

Jonno.

 

Is the hood aligned well? HAs the car been hit in the front before?

 

Signs point to a front-end "tweak" sometime in the past. Need to look hard at alignment of core support, frame rails, etc.

 

AFAIK, it hadn't been in an accident and nothing else indicates (at least to me) that it had. How much adjustment is in the hood bolts? When it is shut it is closer to the passenger side fender than the drivers side.

 

Something I just noticed though... When the hood is closed the pointy bit of the hood pretty much lines up with the pointy bit of the slam panel. Maybe out by about .5cm, which I'm sure i should be able to adjust via the hood itself.

 

I'd make sure the hood is aligned properly, and to do so, you may want to remove the safety latch and the hood striker bar, so nothing forces it into alignment when it's in the closed position. Then determine if the hood is indeed off.

I assume all the little parts are there, such as the rubber pieces that go on the fenders? It does not take that much to throw a hood off alignment. Of course if the fenders appear to be off as well, you may have to address those first.

Then, after you make sure it is aligned, reinstall the safety latch and striker. From the photo you posted, it almost looks as if the safety latch is way off, which may indicate that the hood is out of alignment or that the latch itself needs adjusting.

I worked on my car's hood a little while ago so I don't remember if there's a way to adjust the safety latch mechanism. I do remember bending the spring a bit so it would land where it should.

Early third gens were notoriously weak in this area. I believe from 1985 forward GM added a "brace" to stengthen the hood striker area as well as the tray, at least for the T/A.


Good luck!

 

Get that hood lined up and get back to us.

 

 

Will do. Whats the easiest way to adjust the hood and generally how much adjustment do you get?

 

The hood does have a fair amount of leeway for adjusting, but if you move the hood far enough to line up the spring with the landing pad it will surely hit the left fender. And there will be a big gap at the right side. That's why I'm guessing that ALL of the front end body work is misaligned. OR the frame rails or misaligned, OR the metal containing the landing pad is misaligned to the body work.

Check the bolt holes on the landing pad and at the fenders. See if something looks way out.