Hood Hinges

P

Patrick brophy

Senior Member
I found a real hood to replace the fiberglass hood that was giving me fits.

Upon doing some prep work for primer paint I found an area that is under the hinge between the two bolt holes that have a remnant of some sort of what appears to be a pad.

This hood is on a 1957 Thunderbird.

Was there a buffer of sorts between the hinge and the hood when they were built? If so what were they made of ?
 
Until a BIRD SPECIALIST shows, my thought is it is a shim of some type (to align hood perfectly) or possibly a material to prevent noise (squeak) from emanating between the hinge and hood panel.

It must be factory applied or was used by a body tech as the MPC shows no shim used, although that would not usually show in a PARTS ILL. It would actually be shown/described in a BODY MANUAL.
 
I've seen a lot a early Birds hoods been taken off and being put on as well as my own and never seen any type of pad between the hinge and the hood. Not to say that some one may have used a pad to adjust the hood height in that area.
 
Many MANY years ago, I sold a '57 hood to a body shop for replacement on a 'Bird in their shop. The shop owner brought it back, said it was crooked and wouldn't align properly. I reordered the hood & got same response when the shop tried to align the 2nd hood. He assured the frame/car was straight. Was it? IDK. But after some work he finally got it aligned; I don't remember how he did it. But - I've heard from some that sometimes the best alignment tool is a 2x4.
 
OK than, it will be put together as is.I hope this one fits better than that fiberglass one it is replacing. I could not get that one anywhere near fitting.
 
The story goes that when assembling the early Birds, a 2 X 4 was used to make the center crown at the front of the hood. Just what I have heard.
 
When I was a teenager (long time ago) I borrowed my fathers 55 Buick . During the evening, I sprung the drivers door. BIG TROUBLE . Took it to a local garage where I knew the owners. They took and piece of wood (could have been a 2 X 4) and fixed the door. BIG SIGH OF RELIEF


56sedandelivery said:
I have used a 2x4 to align doors. Worked out good.
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We used them in the body shop, the 2x4 as a last resort and then started adjustments again. It's a real jaw clincher and takes experience to know the limit. Watched a guy doing it to a hood once and the hood buckled and creased. The employees all exited the shop for a break. Patience is the key.
 
Now this is just conjecture, but ...

The BIRD front clip being welded together as an assembly has to be spot on and adjusted correctly to get everything to align perfectly. Hopefully there is no frame misalignment and/or damage, bad body mounts, etc.
 
Patrick — One of the fellas in the local 'bird club has a '57 that's had some front end damage. The hood has a couple of washers between the hinge to hood to shim it up flush with the nose panel/fender. As long as you don't know it, you can't see it. Hopefully yours aligns ok. Good luck!
 
This from another related thread describing instrument panel mounting -

Patrick brophy said:
Before I got this car it had been used as a drag racer. It had, I am told ,a rather large oldsmobile motor installed.

I have been correcting minor issues ever since, frame crossmember, firewall and tunnel sheet metal.

I am still a little gun shy when I see bent sheet metal. Thought I should inquire.
Click to expand...

That may be the reason the hood will not align.
 
KULTULZ said:
This from another related thread describing instrument panel mounting -



That may be the reason the hood will not align.
Click to expand...

The hood that came with it had a rather large hole punched in it for a the air cleaner on the larger motor.
With the car came a large pile of parts and a fiberglass hood.
I had to reshape the area behind the hood scoop grille as the grille was higher than the hood. after going thru all of that , the air cleaner did not clear, as you most likely can recall.

I found another hood, and just got thru painting the underside and started the process of setting the gaps.
It is getting close, but not without putting up a fight.
I had to step away for a little while, before I have to do some body work........
 
Patrick brophy said:
The hood that came with it had a rather large hole punched in it for a the air cleaner on the larger motor.

With the car came a large pile of parts and a fiberglass hood.
I had to reshape the area behind the hood scoop grille as the grille was higher than the hood. after going thru all of that , the air cleaner did not clear, as you most likely can recall.

I found another hood, and just got thru painting the underside and started the process of setting the gaps.

It is getting close, but not without putting up a fight.

I had to step away for a little while, before I have to do some body work........
Click to expand...

You are a brave man PATRICK BROPHY. It takes dedication to bring one back

But Henry is smiling down on you so all will be alright ... :D
 
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