Superformance Mk 3 hood alignment

[grego]

I somehow got the hood on my Superformance Mark 3 (SPO 2910) way out of alignment when I was under the hood tinkering around. It won't even close now and is about 2 1/2 inches off on the right rear and much lower on the right front hinge.

I see the lock nut on the stop, but that doesn't look like near enough movement to get it back to where it belongs. That looks like more of a fine adjustment than what's needed to get it the amount of movement needed.

At this point I've tried loosening the bolts that hold the hinge to the nose cone, but still no movement. So, before I try anything else I wanted to check and see how to go about this and not make things worse.

Appreciate any help and advice. Thanks,

Grego

[Ron61]

What were you tinkering around with? That is a huge mis-alignment for just a little tinkering. Make sure that you front hinge is tight and hasn't loosened up and dropped some.

Ron

[DanEC]

First thing I would do is get a roll of blue tape and put 2 layers of tape around the hood opening and on the edge of the hood itself to protect the paint. My hinges (and most others I assume) have some room for movement where they bolt to the body and also where they bolt to the hood. Sounds like possibly your hinge has slipped at both.

First I would find a helper to support the right side of the hood while you loosen all the hinge bolts on that side. You want to just barely loosen them so the hood will move but so there isn't slack in the bolt and hinge plates. Then basically try to stand the hood up straight again, snug lightly a bolt or two on the body and on the hood and very, very slowly and carefully lower the hood to trial fit it while looking for any interference. If you see the hood start to close in on the body, stand the hood back up and adjust a little more and try again.

For a fine adjustment I liked to leave all the bolts loose on one side of the hinge except for one that I'm sure I can access from underneath or through the radiator opening. Then I shut the hood, using a long socket extension or wrench I work from underneath to loosen the one tight bolt. Then I shift the hood around to where it has an even gap all around (you want to have enough gap at the front to prevent contact) and shim the hood with something like popcycle sticks to hold it. Then I reach back up from underneath, tighten the bolts, open the hood and tighten the other bolts.

Good luck.

[grego]

Ron,

I was tightening the bolts that hold the hinge to the body as there was a small amount of rubbing when I opened the hood. Maybe I inadvertently leaned against or put pressure on the hood when I was leaning over, but I'm usually pretty careful to keep pressure off the moving parts. That's what's got me stumped, unless somehow the process of tightening the bolts somehow caused the problem.

DanEC, Thanks for the good tips. I'm thinking I will go ahead and remove the hood and hinges and start the alignment process from the beginning.

Grego