47-55.1 Hood Fits Too Tight

[Driver_WT]

Just got my truck painted. The hood was adjusted pretty good before paint, and we removed the dog house to paint the lower part of the cowl where the front fenders bolt on. When we put the dog house back on, the hood fits too tight between the front fenders at the front 1/3 of each fender. The front edge of the hood is lined up with the fenders, but the fenders are too tight to the hood in front 1/3 of the fender. We have tried using the firewall support rods to push the fenders out, but that did not make much difference. Just looking for any ideas or insight you may have.

Thanks.

Wade

[mr48chev]

Not knowing what you have for a core support with the S-10 frame doesn't help anyone come up with a solution.

Go back though the steps of removing and replacing the "doghouse" and figure out if you left out any shims or spacers or added any.

If you have a fabricated core support that isn't braced at the top did you perhaps tweak it a tad?

[Driver_WT]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Not knowing what you have for a core support with the S-10 frame doesn't help anyone come up with a solution.

Go back though the steps of removing and replacing the "doghouse" and figure out if you left out any shims or spacers or added any.

If you have a fabricated core support that isn't braced at the top did you perhaps tweak it a tad?

Thanks. It certainly has to come off and be put back on again. We added the paper gaskets between the inner and outer fenders, and we added the welting between the back of the front fenders and the cowl sides.

Wade

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by Driver_WT

and we added the welting between the back of the front fenders and the cowl sides.

something tells me this is the issue. the fender is supposed to fit into the recess on the cowl, welting sure seems like it would spread the back and pinch the front

[Driver_WT]

Originally Posted by joedoh

something tells me this is the issue. the fender is supposed to fit into the recess on the cowl, welting sure seems like it would spread the back and pinch the front

Thanks for the input. The welting we used is 1/16" thick or less. And there is no recess on my cowl for the fender to fit into, perhaps someone before me modified/fill that recess??

[jweb]

Do you have all of the little rubber bumpers installed on the hood and the hood latch panel? Those might make a difference.

[Driver_WT]

Originally Posted by jweb

Do you have all of the little rubber bumpers installed on the hood and the hood latch panel? Those might make a difference.

Yes, they are installed.

[NorCalGal]

I have 3/16 thick spacers between the core support and inner fender on each side.

[Driver_WT]

Originally Posted by NorCalGal

I have 3/16 thick spacers between the core support and inner fender on each side.

I was thinking I might have to do that. Does your grill still fit to each front fender?

[NorCalGal]

Originally Posted by Driver_WT

I was thinking I might have to do that. Does your grill still fit to each front fender?

Yes, on mine it does.

[joedoh]

is it welting? welting has a round bead that sticks out and will interfere with the recess on the cowl. I havent seen welting used, only a thin rubber gasket.

you can see the recess in this picture, you should absolutely have one.

[Driver_WT]

Originally Posted by joedoh

is it welting? welting has a round bead that sticks out and will interfere with the recess on the cowl. I havent seen welting used, only a thin rubber gasket.

you can see the recess in this picture, you should absolutely have one.

Thanks for the pic Joedoh. I think it would be correct to say that my truck "had a recess in the cowl" at one time, but it don't have one now . The lower part of the cowl is smooth. Looks like someone filled it in during previous repair or modification.

And yes, we used welting in the interface of the back of the front fender and the vertical side of the cowl. Since I have no recess, the round bead is sticking out of the rear of the fender (so the bead is not holding the rear of the fender out). Therefore total difference with no welting and the welting installed is that the rear of the fender is moved out approx. 1/16".

[Driver_WT]

Here is a pic of the welting on the rear of the fender

[mr48chev]

The front isn't going to rock in when you put the welting in the back. If anything it will slightly (very slightly) spread the area in question.

The paper gasket between the fender and inner fender will move the top of the fender in slightly when you put it in but that should barely be measurable.

I'm still on the did something get moved by handling? were any shims or spacers left out or swapped? Did anything get tightened down tight that was left a tad lose before?

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

The front isn't going to rock in when you put the welting in the back. If anything it will slightly (very slightly) spread the area in question.

if you make the fender spread wider at the back, it will rock on the fulcrum of the rad support, and PINCH the front. how would it spread the front?


and I am applying occams razor, everything fits, adds welting, everything doesnt fit. most likely is the changed bit.

also, the last picture (beautiful paint by the way) it looks like the hood is shifted forward slightly.

[Driver_WT]

Thanks for all of the input everyone. We are going to take it apart and put it back together again. Upon closer inspection, it looks like the fenders can come forward a bit more.

Wade

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by joedoh

if you make the fender spread wider at the back, it will rock on the fulcrum of the rad support, and PINCH the front. how would it spread the front?


and I am applying occams razor, everything fits, adds welting, everything doesnt fit. most likely is the changed bit.

also, the last picture (beautiful paint by the way) it looks like the hood is shifted forward slightly.

I forgot exactly where the pivot point was going to be I've been lucky and not yet had a problem in that spot but never say never.

At any rate this should just take some fine tuning and a lot of patience.

[Driver_WT]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

At any rate this should just take some fine tuning and a lot of patience.

I think you are right since we had it pretty good last week, so it is possible. We will keep working at it.

Thanks for all the input.

Wade

[Driver_WT]

Originally Posted by joedoh

also, the last picture (beautiful paint by the way) it looks like the hood is shifted forward slightly.

Thanks for the complement on the paint, at least that is good.