54 Hood Issue

[Houston54]

I am trying to get the hood on my 54 to fit right on the right side at the cowl. The bottom edge is sticking out about a fingers thickness. All other areas of the hood are fitting well. The hinge appears to be in good shape but is the original. I have performed the prescribed hood alignment steps but this one area is not cooperating. The cab cowl area on the right side has not been replaced but I did shave the fresh air louvers. I have washers under the hinge bolts to prevent the bolt from pushing on the hinge arms.

Anyone have any suggestions?

I have no spacers in the rear brace connection plate at this time. Would this help and if so do the spacers go on the opposite side of the problem or the same side?

This is not the first hood I have fit to this cab and all of them have had this issue.

[dan42]

Pictures would be nice. It helps to see what's going on.

[mylow53]

my body shop buddy tried many diffrent ways to make my hood fit. from pie cutting the hood to replacing the entire cowl... you might try to bend the hinge inwards this might just make the top too high. one guy here said something like "now you know the secret to why at the car shows all the truck have their hoods up...." have a look at my thread pages 6 and 7 show what was done to fit mine...

[Houston54]

I admit to getting a bit frustrated with this. I changed out the hinge this evening since the first hinge appeared to have too much play in the bottom arm. The hinge I replaced it with is very tight in that area but the results are not much better as the attached pics show. I can still get a finger between the cowl and the hood. It is also sitting low on the fender a bit too much even after I lifted the spring hinge to the highes possible position on the firewall.

One other option is to try to bend the right rear brace inward a bit but I do not want the kink the hood skin.

Since the previous hoods have had a similar issue the problem must lie elsewhere. I am sure someone has solved this riddle before and can share it with me.

The left side was sucked inward in this same area before I shimmed the hinge outward with some alignment shims. That solved the problem on that side but that is not a solution for the right side that I can see. It needs to come inward about a 1/4".

[Houston54]

Greg - Thanks for the suggestion. Looking at your recent pics gave me deja vu. The paint booth scenes specifically. Some of that effort I think I have suppressed subconsciously.

Your truck is looking great.

Would really not want to cut on the hood but if that is my only hope I will have to.

[dwcsr]

If you want to stop by my shop in Houston near Barkercypress I have a couple of AD cabs you can measure up to see if its the cab or hood or hinges.

[Houston54]

David,
Thanks for the offer. I may take you up on it. I have a couple of more options to try though and plan to take the tape measure to the swap meet on Sunday to see if any AD stuff is there I can measure. Let me know if you are planning to be there.

[GATORBUILT '59]

What Swap Meet?

[Houston54]

Sunday, 18 May, 6AM - onward, Horse Track back lot. Tollway@ Gessner.

[Houston54]

I have solved the hood alignment issue related to the right rear corner. It seems the cowl is not centered on the cab. Must be a factory issue as I did not replace it during the sheetmetal repairs. The solution was to add spacers between the left hinge and the cowl. This moved the left side out and brought the right side in. The panel alignment is much better now.

[mylow53]

good you (and us) will be the only ones who know.....
GT