Thread: I decided to install my hood today - oh dammit

Tweet

Actually I installed it yesterday, but not a big deal.

I totally built this car completely, assembling everything but the electricals and seats before I blew it apart for paint. The body, fenders, doors all were well within reason and had uniform gaps everywhere. It took me many days to get it this way with various combinations of shims and bolting. It was disassembled with each shim pack and body block identified and put in plastic bags along with the bolts. The car to chassis placement was marked to make sure that when I bolted them back together there would be no problems and everything would fit right - wrong!!!

My first indication that I had some problems was that the upper raised detail door gap was wrong when I installed the windshield last year at final assembly. Not a clue as to what happened, but I ended up raising a paint chip - not bad, but it's there tho no one else would see it. Evidently this windshield assembly moved some metal somehow, regardless of the fact it had already been on for several months. I'll fix it someday.

That brings me to today - and my hood. I'm only using the two tops for the time being (need to show off the engine, don't I). I was a bit upset yesterday and needed a think through. What happened is that the gaps at the grille shell were fine, but the gaps at the cowl were off - center close, outer edges too far away. This means the grille shell needs to go lower. I lowered it today and it's close, but, dammit, not where it needs to be and I can't lower that radiator any more as the grille shell is now within about 1/16" or less of the fenders - and to cut that shell - there goes my paint job. That leaves me with something I really didn't want to do - put more shims between the body and chassis, tapering up from the back to a bit higher in the front. Of course, to do that means I'll have to readjust door strikes, maybe steering shafting and who knows what else.

I could say the heck with it as it's better then many I've seen or I could take off that hood again, but it does look nice and seems to finish the car off. Or I could open an adult beverage or few and wouldn't even see it or care.

This thread - just blowing off steam. I know what has to be done - AGAIN!!!!