The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop 1948 hood alignment

I have never been pleased with the hood alignment on my 48 3100. I have read prior replies on how the whole front end needs to be loosened and fitted to get the hood to fit. Today I simply took the hinges off on the hood fit perfectly! The springs have to much tension and were pushing the hood up and out. The hinges were adjusted as far down as they could go so that wasn't an option. I hate to leave them off and use the old stick to hold the hood up. I am thinking if I could modify the hinges by lengthening the button slot on the bracket to let me drop the hinges another 1/4" it might work and I could reinstall them. ??

Try this first: http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/bodywork/ad_hood_alignment.html
Very well done Tech Tip. Might solve the problem before you modify something.

clhaney, this is a typical problem and mine was no exception. I fought mine for a couple months then one day.....I was determined, and wow, I got it to fit. The trick is to leave the SPRINGS not attached until you get the hinges set. Loosen the hinges and get the hood sitting down where you want it. Reach inside and tighten that one bolt from the inside....then raise the hood carefully and tighten the two bolts on each hinge. The loosely attach the springs and let the hood "rest" on them before tightening......oh, and the hood should be held up at the front by a 2x4 while doing the hinges.
This is just about exactly like the tech tip but for some reason I had to read the tech tip about 6 or 8 times to get it in my head to not confuse the hinges with the springs!
Good luck. YOu can do it.

I have read the tech tip many times too but cant seem to follow it. What are fender skirts that he mentions? Does he mean the inner fender. And when he says to loosen the radiator support does he mean the support to the frame? or the inner fender? Inner fender I would guess. I think it would be a great article with some pictures

The only way that I could effectively use the Factory Manual instructions was to write them down line-by-line in MY language. Once i did this, it all started to click.
As far as which bolts to loosen. ALL OF THEM. Including the lower radiator support-to-cross member bolts.
The hood is adjusted with the springs removed. It is important to put pressure on the back end of the hood while adjusting the fore/aft alignment (with a 4 inch block under the nose of the hood). I place a short section of railroad rail on a thick towel for this pressure. Failure to apply this prescribed pressure is usually what causes the back of the hood to stick up once the springs are reinstalled.
Carl