Author Topic: hood to top header panel gaps  (Read 4615 times)

hrascoll

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hood to top header panel gaps
« on: March 12, 2016, 05:32:41 PM »
I have a 67 rs/ss 350. the gaps on both sides and rear of hood(cowl panel) are nicely aligned. the gap on the front of the hood to the top header panel is different from the passenger and drivers side. drivers side is a nice gap of 3/16 but passage side is 3/8. I have seen many Camaros with the same problem. is this normal? if not how do I align it. the  fenders to doors/doors to qtr all look good.

dale_z28

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Re: hood to top header panel gaps
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2016, 11:09:46 AM »
Check squareness from corner to corner (diagonally) across hood opening?
'69 X33 02D   Since 11-29-'77

Details are trifles, but trifles make perfection. And perfection is no trifle.
~Ben Franklin

Mike S

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Re: hood to top header panel gaps
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2016, 11:46:11 AM »
 Like Dale said, check the hood squareness. Are these original panels or repros?
When I test fitted my 67's front sheet metal prior to repainting so I can get the metal shim packs established, I used rubber hose washers taped to the fender openings to establish a minium 1/8" gap. This allowed me to push the sheet metal around while trying to maintain gaps that looked good visually. The shim thickness comes in 1/8" so using even one would get you in a good starting range. Once I got what looked good I was then able to tape the metal shims in each area together and it was readily available during assembly. You may need to loosen the fasteners and tweak the gaps providing it's not a repro hood or upper valence inaccurate dimensions causing it.
 These are what I used as rubber spacers:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/DANCO-5-8-in-Hose-Washers-10-Pack-80787/203193507

Mike
67 04B LOS SS/RS L35 Hardtop - Original w/UOIT
67 05B NOR SS/RS L35 Convertible - Restored

69Z28-RS

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Re: hood to top header panel gaps
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2016, 03:29:58 PM »
Like Dale said, check the hood squareness. Are these original panels or repros?
When I test fitted my 67's front sheet metal prior to repainting so I can get the metal shim packs established, I used rubber hose washers taped to the fender openings to establish a minium 1/8" gap. This allowed me to push the sheet metal around while trying to maintain gaps that looked good visually. The shim thickness comes in 1/8" so using even one would get you in a good starting range. Once I got what looked good I was then able to tape the metal shims in each area together and it was readily available during assembly. You may need to loosen the fasteners and tweak the gaps providing it's not a repro hood or upper valence inaccurate dimensions causing it.
 These are what I used as rubber spacers:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/DANCO-5-8-in-Hose-Washers-10-Pack-80787/203193507

Mike


I like that idea Mike..  A great idea that is new to me, but cheap and seems that it would work well too (and protect freshly painted surfaces a bit too...  :)
09C 69Z28-RS, 72 B 720 cowl console rosewood tint
69 Corvette, '60 Corvette, '72 Corvette
90 ZR1 red/red #246, 90 ZR1 white/gray #2466
72 El Camino, '55-'56-'57 Nomads, '55-'57 B/A Sedan

Stingr69

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Re: hood to top header panel gaps
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2016, 01:03:42 PM »
Rubber washers is genius.  Wish I had that when I was doing my reassembly.  Would have been huge.

 

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