Hood and Grill Surround question

[tazattitude]

I installed my hood and grill surround. When I close the hood, I have an inch or so gap in the center of the hood to grill surround. I see some pics where the gap is consistent all the way across from left to right. Mine has smaller gap on both sides, and big gap in the center.

My question is, is there a difference in hoods OR grill surrounds? I've seen the grill surrounds with rectangular or square indents where the headlight goes (mine has the square). Also, it seems in pics that some grill surrounds have a slight curve on top and some are flat (maybe an illusion in the pic?)
My hood supposedly came off of a fire truck. It had zero rust on the front nor did I have to do any bodywork on the front of it so the front is stock. The grill surround is factory.
I have a 66 C10

Any input would be appreciated.

[nachodog2]

It sounds like something is tweaked. How does the hood close? Easy or you gotta give it a good push? Any pics?
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[tazattitude]

The hood closes fine. I can slowly put it down one hand, one click, then second click. Front of hood was perfect. top of grill surround did have bodywork done to it which I stripped and redid.
I need to move up the surround about 1/8", but this won't help the gap in the center too much.

Have to see if I can get a pic tomorrow.

[tazattitude]

Possibly the hood on the firetruck different? I kow the fenders and support seemed different, but can't imagine Chevy would change the hood just for the front to have a slight curve to it. The rear of the hood lines up fine.
OR my surround is too flat?!

[jonzcustomshop]

maybe the surround?

can you adjust down the center with the hood pin? you do have the little rubber stoppers on the corners?

I will give a look to some of my grille supports, & put a straight edge on em, and see if there is any crown..

[tazattitude]

I have brand new stoppers on the corners. I also adjusted the pin down further to the point where the latch won't click on the double click (just the first click).

I plan on taking a pic today (Sunday) once I go back to the shop.

[tazattitude]

I took a closer look, and possibly the problem might be the grill surround. It is very flat on top. I took a look at my original which was stripped and primed, and it appears to have a very subtle curve to it which would follow the curve of the hood. It also has the rectangular headlight indents and not the square indent my current surround has.

not a great pic. A shadow throws the gap off.

I'll think on it.

[DPowers]

I think it is your surround. It looks like it could come up a little from your pics.

[jonzcustomshop]

that looks to be a correct 6456 surround.

it is probably flattened out in the center.

my 63 has a uniform 1/4 inch gap all the way across.
when I lay a piece of angle iron across it (surround) it drops almost a 1/2 inch at the seam by the fenders. I rested the iron against the 2 hood latch support bolts.

[tazattitude]

Thanks Jon and DPowers,
Ill check it with a straight edge and see if it's "flat".
Maybe I can just pull it up. I know there are braces on the backside.

I would say I have about a 1" or 1 1/4" gap in the center, and the stoppers touch on the sides. Rather be the surround rather than the hood.

[tazattitude]

Thanks for posting those pics to DPowers. Love to get the gap looking like that.

[jonzcustomshop]

wonder if you could just loosen the 2 bolts that go to the rad support, and then push up on the center with a portapower, and then just tighten the bolts back down?
btw.. how did you do the shaved blots on the bumper?

[tazattitude]

Yes, I tried that if you are talking about the bolts on the striker plate. I loosened all 4 and move it up a 'tad' bit. I think I'll take that plate off, and me someone else will try to pull up on the center and hopefully nothing bad happens.

As far as the bumper, I welded bolt studs on the backside and welded up the original holes. I put 7/16" bolts on all holes except the bottom 2 in which I used 3/8"