Hood Alignment Bumper location

Altered · 10-05-07, 10:11 PM

Can anyone tell me where these go in relation from front to back on the fenders? I have the Hood Alignment Bumpers but need to know what direction they should be placed and the area on the fender. Right now my hood sits lower on the driver side than it should the pass side does also but not near as far off as the driver side. A picture would be helpful I do not have any friends with Corvettes to look at.

Thanks fellas for all the help.

bmotojoe · 10-05-07, 10:48 PM

In the assembly manual it shows a great view of measurements and layout of the hood bumper. Measuring from the inside of the hood bracket, the first bumper sits vertical and the front side of the bumper is 7.0” from hood bracket the next bumper sits horizontal and is measured to the outside of the bumper at 25.12” from the hood bracket. These measurements are typical of each side of the car. The vertical bumpers will have to be trimmed to length and the horizontal bumper will have to be trimmed to thickness after you have retrained the hood to sit flush with the fenders.
I would find some hard Styrofoam that is used in shipping electronics and cut blocks that can be trimmed a little higher then the low spots. Heat from the motor and from the sun will gradually retrain the fiberglass to reform to the fender height. This is going to take some time but it is the safest way to reshape the glass. It may take several replacements of the Styrofoam blocks to do this. The Styrofoam will compress a little and once your surfaces mate in height simply cut your rubber blocks the same height as the final Styrofoam block height.
Brian

Altered · 10-05-07, 11:18 PM

Awesome explanation man. I have the assembly manual from GM but I couldn't make out where the 7" started from. And the info you added on how to get the hood back into shape was just what I needed to know that wasn't in the book. Thanks

joe1975 · 10-09-07, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmotojoe

In the assembly manual it shows a great view of measurements and layout of the hood bumper. Measuring from the inside of the hood bracket, the first bumper sits vertical and the front side of the bumper is 7.0” from hood bracket the next bumper sits horizontal and is measured to the outside of the bumper at 25.12” from the hood bracket. These measurements are typical of each side of the car. The vertical bumpers will have to be trimmed to length and the horizontal bumper will have to be trimmed to thickness after you have retrained the hood to sit flush with the fenders.
I would find some hard Styrofoam that is used in shipping electronics and cut blocks that can be trimmed a little higher then the low spots. Heat from the motor and from the sun will gradually retrain the fiberglass to reform to the fender height. This is going to take some time but it is the safest way to reshape the glass. It may take several replacements of the Styrofoam blocks to do this. The Styrofoam will compress a little and once your surfaces mate in height simply cut your rubber blocks the same height as the final Styrofoam block height.
Brian

I'm glad I read this post I didn't see one was vertial and one was horizonal

dennisb · 11-02-07, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Altered

Can anyone tell me where these go in relation from front to back on the fenders? I have the Hood Alignment Bumpers but need to know what direction they should be placed and the area on the fender. Right now my hood sits lower on the driver side than it should the pass side does also but not near as far off as the driver side. A picture would be helpful I do not have any friends with Corvettes to look at.

Thanks fellas for all the help.

Can these bumpers be used on a '72? Ecklers lists them as '74-'79, The hood aligns fine at the nose and the windshield door but is low at the fender at the wheel well. I couln't find anything in the '72 AIM or the Service giude for alignment. If it's there and I missed it, please tell me where.

6880 Mike · 11-05-07, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dennisb

...Can these bumpers be used on a '72?...

Yes. You can use the blocks on older cars, but you may have to trim them for fit. Trial and error on exact placement in the hood ledge.

Bill75 · 11-05-07, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe1975

I'm glad I read this post I didn't see one was vertial and one was horizonal

Joe,

Be careful putting these in a 75 IF you're trying to make the hood conform to the height of the fenders. I was about to install them in mine because my hood is slightly lower as it gets closer to the driver and was told by a reputable shop that the 75 hoods will crack from the stress because they're more solid than other years and won't conform as easy. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with this procedure just that using it on a 75 may give you trouble. In my case the adjustment on the hinges will not allow the hood to fit properly.

Bill

6880 Mike · 11-05-07, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill75

...was told by a reputable shop that the 75 hoods will crack from the stress because they're more solid than other years and won't conform as easy...

Sounds like another Corvette myth. The hoods are essentially the same construction from year to year -- an outer shell with an inner reinforcement bonded in. I agree care should be taken when positioning the blocks.

If your hood is only low near the windshield, you might get away with a tweak on the hood latches to let it sit higher when closed.

bmotojoe · 11-05-07, 02:39 PM

The quoted method takes time to be done safely and has had good final results on cars where the hoods were lower then the fender lines.
I have seen this technique used on real early C3’s to late C3’s.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmotojoe

I would find some hard Styrofoam that is used in shipping electronics and cut blocks that can be trimmed a little higher then the low spots. Heat from the motor and from the sun will gradually retrain the fiberglass to reform to the fender height. This is going to take some time but it is the safest way to reshape the glass. It may take several replacements of the Styrofoam blocks to do this. The Styrofoam will compress a little and once your surfaces mate in height simply cut your rubber blocks the same height as the final Styrofoam block height.
Brian

Bill75 · 11-05-07, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6880 Mike

Sounds like another Corvette myth. The hoods are essentially the same construction from year to year -- an outer shell with an inner reinforcement bonded in. I agree care should be taken when positioning the blocks.

If your hood is only low near the windshield, you might get away with a tweak on the hood latches to let it sit higher when closed.

Yup it very well could be urban legend, the guy quoted some years that it could be done with but I honestly don't remember. Mine is good in the front and good near the windshield but is lower in the middle so I was going to use the bumpers to help support it and raise it up. When I mentioned it to him he said Don't Do It to that car. So I try to drive fast so people won't notice.

Maybe slow and steady as Brian stated is the key to success.

joe1975 · 11-06-07, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill75

Yup it very well could be urban legend, the guy quoted some years that it could be done with but I honestly don't remember. Mine is good in the front and good near the windshield but is lower in the middle so I was going to use the bumpers to help support it and raise it up. When I mentioned it to him he said Don't Do It to that car. So I try to drive fast so people won't notice.

Maybe slow and steady as Brian stated is the key to success.

Thanks for the heads up Bill. My problem is slight by the fenders my major area was at the windshield which I'm still working with with pretty good results so far!

6880 Mike · 11-06-07, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill75

...Maybe slow and steady as Brian stated is the key to success...

Yep. Placement is trial and error; ditto for fitment.

Bill75 · 11-06-07, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe1975

Thanks for the heads up Bill. My problem is slight by the fenders my major area was at the windshield which I'm still working with with pretty good results so far!

Hi Joe,

On another subject............did you get your vibration problem solved?? I sent you a PM a while ago about my solution and wondered if you were successful.

Bill

joe1975 · 11-06-07, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill75

Hi Joe,

On another subject............did you get your vibration problem solved?? I sent you a PM a while ago about my solution and wondered if you were successful.

Bill

No I haven't, but it's still eating at me I'll keep you posted I haven't had a lot of time to work on it but I have been running it a good bit. Who wants to go everywhere at 100 mph anyway