How can I fix this?

[Hardesty454]

So, finally got the motor in. Got the fender and door panels perfect. Go to put the hood on and drivers side is PERFECT and passenger side well, a little less than perfect. I have literally spent 5 hours adjusting and readjusting everything from the hood to the fenders to the core support. I am out of ideas. Maybe I should just go hoodless.

Any Ideas??

[hchad18]

Not a big help but I've seen a lot of them like that.

[Hardesty454]

Yea, I called around and every is telling me the core support needs to be taken higher. Must me a common issue? Still no give.

[ROBO66]

check to see if it is possible to adjust your passenger side fender.

[threeonthetree]

you can move the pin that locks your hood down. usually when aligning you want to start with the doors move to the fenders then move to the hood.

[Hardesty454]

Nothing?

[Hardesty454]

Originally Posted by ROBO66

check to see if it is possible to adjust your passenger side fender.

Yea, I started with the doors, fenders and then to the hood. No give.

[ChevLoRay]

I think we are victims of the early '90's, when Lexus started the "Relentless Pursuit of Perfection" advertising campaign. That's when they ran the ads on TV, showing the ball bearing rolling as it followed the gap, or lack of, on the surfaces of the car.

These trucks were not built with that degree of perfection, during assembly. Windshield posts and door posts existed to mount the doors. Even when the door is adjusted to perfection, the gaps will not be the same from top to bottom, or the same on one side, compared to the other.

But, I understand that there are people who know how to adjust all those parts and pieces and achieve as perfect an alignment as it possible. I, for one, will be seeking the advice and expertise of one of those "gurus", when it is time to assemble mine. Lord knows I don't have it.

[1quik70]

Maybe split the difference from side to side? These old trucks aren't perfect, I have slotted holes and changed the clips in the past to get body panels where I wanted them. You have a ton of work in front of you if you want all the gaps perfect, its possible, but its a pain!

[Hardesty454]

ITS TRUE!!! I'm a perfectionist due to the magazines and commercials of today! but oh well.

Yes, I tried to split the difference but it still looks horrid and not enough to leave. I may end up cutting the mounts to the core support a little to bring the top into the hood more. Then pushing the fender toward the cab to hold the door line. Just frustrating.

If anyone has ran into this specific before please TELL ME HOW YOU FIXED IT!!!!

[UltraBlue71]

Do you have a different hood or fender you could try? I replaced on door mine with a different OEM door, it wound up fitting better than the original one did. Have you tried shims? maybe one in the back? Its so dang hard to tell from a pic, I feel your aggravation.

[Hardesty454]

Originally Posted by UltraBlue71

Do you have a different hood or fender you could try, I replaced on door mine with a different OEM door, it wound up fitting better than the original one did. Have you tried shims? maybe one in the back? Its so dang hard to tell from a pic, I feel your aggravation.

No, I used to but I picked the parts I needed from my collection and sold the rest. Im sure it has to do with the mount location, just dont know which one.

I'll try to update some more pictures asap.

[UltraBlue71]

It almost looks like the bottom of the fender needs to go up or in, is the inner fender new? Was it always like that? How is your door to fender fitment? What all have you changed from what was orginally on it?

[Hardesty454]

Originally Posted by UltraBlue71

It almost looks like the bottom of the fender needs to go up or in, is the inner fender new? Was it always like that? How is your door to fender fitment? What all have you changed from what was orginally on it?

Nope, not new. It was always a little off but I pulled the front clip off to tear the motor apart and swap torque converters. When I put it back on it was off so I pulled the core support busings and and put them back in think it needed adjustment. Moved the hood around. Played with the hinges, messed with the doors.

Really seems like the top area needs to come in toward the front on that side as the hood is PERFECT on the drivers side and the doors are as well.

I feel like I'm losing my mind!

[budman k20]

I would start by putting your cowl on with the gasket. That is sure to raise the rear of the hood and you may find out the rear of the fender needs to move also. Do you have the rubbers in your fenders they also hold the hood back some? I just did this on my truck and it was a lot of comprimising with all the parts but it came out well for me.

Good luck

[chas350]

I think you are on the right track by thinking the fender (front) needs adjusting closer to the hood, but its hard to say with just a photo to look at....Keep looking it over, you will see the solution. good luck

[Hardesty454]

Originally Posted by budman k20

I would start by putting your cowl on with the gasket. That is sure to raise the rear of the hood and you may find out the rear of the fender needs to move also. Do you have the rubbers in your fenders they also hold the hood back some? I just did this on my truck and it was a lot of comprimising with all the parts but it came out well for me.

Good luck

I started out with the cowl on, took it off after I realized how off the hood was and needed to pull to move fenders around. it fits reaaal close to hood when cowl is in there. If I pull the hood further up the hood extends further than the fenders.

No I dont have any of the rubbers on the fenders, dont think any of my trucks in these years did.

[Hardesty454]

Originally Posted by chas350

I think you are on the right track by thinking the fender (front) needs adjusting closer to the hood, but its hard to say with just a photo to look at....Keep looking it over, you will see the solution. good luck

Thank you!

Like I was saying, next step is to bevel out the mounting bracket and try to pull that guy in closer.

[bikerbuck]

If you figure it out let me know. I got the same problem

[john]

Is your core support centered right? Looks like it needs to move to the drivers side, which should close some of the gap. Theres always the possibility of the cab not mounted square on the frame.

[budman k20]

I feel your frustration... been there done that! I did something similar not having my cowl in place because the hood was real close. So I aligned everything and I thought I had everything lined up real good...then I put the cowl back on with a new gasket... and I had to start over because the rear fender gap was much larger now. I taped my new gasket down and back for a while to minimize the amount of hood lift. My point is the cowl (and new gasket) raised the hood and made the fender to hood gaps change which caused me to re-adjust the hinges and just about everything else. Keep at it once you get it right you will be proud of your accomplishment!

[Hardesty454]

Originally Posted by budman k20

I feel your frustration... been there done that! I did something similar not having my cowl in place because the hood was real close. So I aligned everything and I thought I had everything lined up real good...then I put the cowl back on with a new gasket... and I had to start over because the rear fender gap was much larger now. I taped my new gasket down and back for a while to minimize the amount of hood lift. My point is the cowl (and new gasket) raised the hood and made the fender to hood gaps change which caused me to re-adjust the hinges and just about everything else. Keep at it once you get it right you will be proud of your accomplishment!

Originally Posted by john

Is your core support centered right? Looks like it needs to move to the drivers side, which should close some of the gap. Theres always the possibility of the cab not mounted square on the frame.

I'll try pulling the core support to the drivers side some more, But I'm almost sure that would increase the gap on the drivers side out.

[bikerbuck]

Pulling core support to the drivers side? Wouldn't that make the gap on the passenger side worse?

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by ChevLoRay

I think we are victims of the early '90's, when Lexus started the "Relentless Pursuit of Perfection" .

These trucks were not built with that degree of perfection, during assembly. Windshield posts and door posts existed to mount the doors. Even when the door is adjusted to perfection, the gaps will not be the same from top to bottom, or the same on one side, compared to the other.

But, I understand that there are people who know how to adjust all those parts and pieces and achieve as perfect an alignment as it possible. I, for one, will be seeking the advice and expertise of one of those "gurus", when it is time to assemble mine. Lord knows I don't have it.

It can and is done but it is not an undertaking for someone without patience.
You start by setting the doors then shim the rear of the fenders on both sides. Move to the core support to get the front valance correct then move on to the hood. It took two of us three days to align all of the panels on my 67 stepside. We did it before paint and pinned each joint before disassembly for paint. A ball bearing will roll down all of those panels now!

[atomicdog]

Originally Posted by bikerbuck

Pulling core support to the drivers side? Wouldn't that make the gap on the passenger side worse?

It looks to me that your core support may have shifted to the right slightly.Try loosening it up and moving it over slightly to the left(driver side).Then loosen up the back two bolts and push the back of the hood over some also.I think your problem is with the core support.I do agree also 60s technology was not great by any stretch.Start by getting your door gaps as good as possible to the fenders up down left right etc.You may have to (dare i say it) slot some holes or bend something to get really good lines.Could your hood have been flattend out some while it was off?Hope this helps.