46 Hood Doesn't Line up with Cowl
- Thread starter GaryTx
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Dave Mc
Senior Member
My 48 had the same problem , I had to rebuild the Hinges , The Pivot Holes & Rivets become worn and egg shaped. . I removed the Rivets and rounded the Holes again then got some new Rivets and with the Torch Heated them Redhot and placed them on an Anvil ,use pliers to hold the head and Hit the Skinny end to Fatten them to fit Tight in the holes ,Hood fits perf now, see before and after pics.I tried the Bob Drake replacement hinges and they are too flimsy , I did use the New Springs from the Drake Hinges though
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1942deluxe
Well-known member
Just went thru this on my 48 Coupe. Raise the hinge and the hood will close tighter in the rear. Kind of counter intuitive but it works. Go small amounts so you don't chip paint.
Bolts
Well-known member
Dave, could you elaborate on where you found the rivets you used and also on the part about holding the head after heating the rivet? I was about to weld some steel on the riveted side of the pin and try to mushroom it over again to tighten it up, but new rivets would be much better.
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Old Henry
Well-known member
What you're showing in your pictures is the knee brace, the spring operated bracket that holds the hood up, not the hinges that wear and allow the knee brace to lift the hood up at the back. No adjustment necessary to the knee brace (hinge will work fine, and a worn one even better, totally without the knee brace, as mine does - hood lays flat since no spring to push it up). It's the hinge that wears and allows the rise of the hood. That's the part that needs repaired/rebuilt.
Dave Mc
Senior Member
I Found new Rivets at ORCHARD SUPPLY HARDWARE , but I think most Hardware stores would have them , about holding the rivets , I use vise grips and clamp the Head , lay the head of the Rivet on an Anvil or Bench Vise and heat the stem , smack it while Hot , this expands the stem . hope that clears up the question P.S. Old Henry is right about the Main Hinge plate Rivets being the Culprits
Bolts
Well-known member
Helpful information, Thanks for answering my question.
Don't want to hijack your thread, but just one other related question if you don't mind.
On my car the pin in the knee brace is so loose, the stop part (little bent tang) barely engages. On the end, the little bracket where it attaches to the underside of the hood is broken and looks like it was slightly bent before it broke. Do you think the lose joint was contributing to flexing causing the fracture?
Don't want to hijack your thread, but just one other related question if you don't mind.
On my car the pin in the knee brace is so loose, the stop part (little bent tang) barely engages. On the end, the little bracket where it attaches to the underside of the hood is broken and looks like it was slightly bent before it broke. Do you think the lose joint was contributing to flexing causing the fracture?
woodiewagon46
BANNED
If you can get a copy of the 2009, May/June, issue of the V-8 Times, there is a two page article on how to align the hood of 41 thru 48 Fords.
Dave Mc
Senior Member
Some people would open the hood all the way till it stops and then PUSH UP and bend related parts to make the Hood fit better, usually how those parts get bent/twisted.that method works sometimes at least temporarily. the correct way is to straighten the kinks and Brad the Knee joint rivet to tighten it, then replace the old rivets in the Hinge Base Plate. that is how I would fix it.others may give different info.
fordor41
Well-known member
I had the same problem on my '41. Replaced both hinges and knee braces with NOS. Still the same problem even after adj. the hinges on the cowl. Ended up removing the springs on the knee braces and the hood shut perfectly. Now I use a fold down prop rod like in newer cars
Old Henry
Well-known member
That's what I did too except I put a weak spring in place of the original so it looks right, it just doesn't do anything. Use a rod to hold up the hood. I like it better because it holds the hood higher than the knee brace ever did anyway.
Exact same problem here folks. Prof, I also use a prop to hold the lid up not only cos it holds her high enough to get under there, but cos the springs never worked a damn anyway. The lid came down on me one day and damn near knocked me clean out. I can't get the back edge to sit down either so I might try the spring trick too. Great tip!
Graeme / New Zealand
Well-known member
Try having the boot lid ( sorry trunk lid) to a 48cpe come down on your head...ouch! I have the same problem re fit with the bonnet (sorry hood)
GB