Hood to cowl alignment

[Radiatta_71]

After getting the blazer painted and in the process of putting her back together I can't get the hood to open or close without it hitting the cowl. When the hood is closed there is about 3/8"-7/16" clearance to the cowl but when I open it, it looks like the hood is flexing at the reinforcing area underneith the hood and the edge of the hood is contacting the edge of the cowl.

I did buy one of those leaf screens from LMC that go underneith the cowl. I haven't tried to remove the screen to see if the cowl would lay flatter or move back any to help eliminate the interference.

The hood can't come forward as it at the end of its slots and the hood is sitting good at the grille and front of fender. The hood looks like its not parrellel to the fenders themselves, but I can't get it to move diagonally at all. I'm not sure that it would help it from interfering with the cowl anyway. I can't move the cowl towards the windshield any either.

Any advice from the experts?