1963 Grand Prix

[Wrongway]

Well, I raised that yesterday about .25 inch to get the door gaps even. The driver's side is really close. Passenger side I'm still trying to get right. I was actually thinking of adding another 1/8" shim to the passenger side chassis to see if the helps. The bottom by the rocker has a bad fitting patch from somebody before me that I still have to replace. 

[64 kiwi boni]

Nice mate. your on the right track i recon !

if the doors are fitting nice, then the front fenders are, then the hood should work, i still think i can see a curve in the hood on the drivers side too

even the cowl panel looks good for location 👍  

i certainly think some different hinges are worth a try mate 

[Wrongway]

I agree bro. I did order a set of hinges this morning. They've been sand blasted and painted. Looked good. I also laid a straight edge on the hood. Now, I'm not sure how much if any factory bow there should be or if it should be perfectly flat. So this info may not help.

[Wrongway]

Well, I finished the passenger side door to fender gap. As you can see the corners are more or less flushed out but in middle off the hood still sits about 1/2". Guess I'm looking for a new hood.

[JUSTA6]

You showed us the straightedge on the hood.  What about on the fender your trying to match up with?  Is it off?  There is some more adjustment to close your gap.

[Wrongway]

I raised the fender adjustment another 1/8th" today before that picture was taken. The door to fender gap is now 5.1mm on top and 4.8mm on bottom. I'm not sure if there are any more adjustments that I can make. Please correct me if I'm wrong but, there's 1 bolt underneath on fender behind the tire that raises the fender up and down at the door. There's 1 bolt on top by the cowl. One inside the door jamb that moves the rear of the fender in and out. 2 bolts in the middle that justa bolt the inner wheel well to the fender. 2 bolts at the top front that adjust the front side to side and the 2 bolts at the core support that raise the front of the doghouse up or down to adjust the door gaps. Anymore that you know of? I'd love for it to justa be an adjustment that I missed or didn't know about.

[64 kiwi boni]

Thats it for the bolts mate! sounds exactly the same as 64 !

and really both your fenders are not bent, so its got to be the hood has a curve in it

Mate show us a picture of the under side of the hood !

if it is curved the inner skin would have come apart from the outer skin

[Wrongway]

Ok bro, I'll get under the hood pics tomorrow. It's raining here today and the car is tarped. I'm thinking that both inner and outer are bent since there not separated. My only guess as to how it got bent was from people pulling down on the hood with those hard hinges all these years. 

[64 kiwi boni]

6 minutes ago, Wrongway said:

Ok bro, I'll get under the hood pics tomorrow. It's raining here today and the car is tarped. I'm thinking that both inner and outer are bent since there not separated. My only guess as to how it got bent was from people pulling down on the hood with those hard hinges all these years. 

yeah ,but wouldn't you think that the inner and outer would part ? is there any damaged to the front edge of the hood ? like it has been hit and maybe pushed up in the middle ?

 

You know you can have a go at fixing it aye ! but i would get your new hinges on first and see where the shape needs twigging !

[Wrongway]

Yeah Kiwi, there is damage to the nose. I've got pics  

So I figured I would have a go at straightening it. Any thoughts on how to straighten it justa jump in. My thought was lay a 2x4 under each corner. Brace under the sides and leave a 1/2" gap. Then walk or bounce on the sides of the hood where its bent. If it can only flex a 1/2" then it shouldn't be able to bend to far the other way. I know that's probably the right way but I'm not sure how else to go about it.

[64 kiwi boni]

I was thinking more like sit the hood on blocks of wood and lay a long bit of timber  along the edge you want to push down 

and instead of jumping on it 

sit a jack on Top of the timber and a another bit timber up to a beam or something strong and simply pump the jack a little at a time to press along that fender line 

but do it little by little a long bit of timber will not damage the skin 👍

 

[Wrongway]

Won't be as much fun as bouncing on it Kiwi. Probably a lot safer for the hood though  I'll give your way a try buddy.

[JUSTA6]

Was pretty much thinkin the same thing. Mark the high spots (from where it starts to seperate from the fender) then 2x4 on top with enough built up on the underside.  My self, would then use a bottle jack to the underside of my trucks class 3 hitch.  Tread lightly.  Thats why I asked if you straight edged the fender too.  You could jack the top edge up on the fender as well if it's off before working on the hood.  Good Luck buddy 

[Wrongway]

Hadn't thought about using the hitch on my truck. Good idea. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks guys

[64 kiwi boni]

1 hour ago, Wrongway said:

Hadn't thought about using the hitch on my truck. Good idea. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks guys

that will work !....justA little by little mate. your a painter, you know how to be super careful, and really you have nothing to loose !

The steel in these girls is really nice to work with ! 

think like a body shop guy.! play with thats steel!. 

its the one thing i really enjoy about our hobby is metal work! not only do you have to make it fit, you have to learn how it reacts !

[Wrongway]

So I pulled out the jack and wood then backed up my truck. Justa's words kept echoing in my head. "Did you put a straight edge on the fenders?" So I stopped and straight edged the fenders. I'm guessing its factory because the bow on both of the fender's measure to be almost exactly the same. So I'm guessing the fenders are good. But you know how we do, I got pics! 

I also got pics of the underside of the hood since you asked kiwi, and I included pics of the dame to the nose. Sorry in advance for all the pics. lol

[64 kiwi boni]

yip its been hit in the front mate, that may have been how the curve has come into it.

I bet you can push that little curve back out, justA take your time and little by little is the trick 👍

make sure your timber is right on the edge, your only wanting that metal running down the edge of the hood to stretch, not the flat skin, 

 

its 8 am here, so i am off to work, got a full on week and a funeral to go to, the bosses dad past yesterday.

Edited August 22, 2022 by 64 kiwi boni

[Wrongway]

I'll give it a try in justa couple of min. Did you notice the patches welded to the front? You can see them in the 4th pic from the bottom. I don't think the factory would have done something like that?

[Wrongway]

Sorry to hear about your loss brother. 

[JUSTA6]

3 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

yip its been hit in the front mate, that may have been how the curve has come into it.

I bet you can push that little curve back out, justA take your time and little by little is the trick 👍

make sure your timber is right on the edge, your only wanting that metal running down the edge of the hood to stretch, not the flat skin, 

 

its 8 am here, so i am off to work, got a full on week and a funeral to go to, the bosses dad past yesterday.

Sorry for your loss.  Hope she is doing OK.  You guys are in the thoughts N prayers.

[Ringo64]

4 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

its 8 am here, so i am off to work, got a full on week and a funeral to go to, the bosses dad past yesterday.

Sorry to hear that, bud. Thoughts are with y’all 

[64 kiwi boni]

Thanks guys , her dad was 94 

so he had a very good run !

4 hours ago, Wrongway said:

I'll give it a try in justa couple of min. Did you notice the patches welded to the front? You can see them in the 4th pic from the bottom. I don't think the factory would have done something like that?

Yes I did notice ! I had to look twice as it looked like paint , so clearly that hood has been hit !

you will sort it mate !

I bet finding a good replacement is going to hard ! 

[Wrongway]

Yeah man, franks has one for $300. With shipping it'll be over $500. VFN has a fiberglass hood for $525, after shipping its justa over $700 and I can't find one local yet. 

So here's how I set up today. Feel free to offer another way. I flexed the hood a full 1/2" on one side and almost 3/4" on the other side. Both sides sprang back up after releasing the jack. After replacing the hood, the only permanent change seemed to be about 1- 1.5mm lower.

Maybe try a smaller block in a few places tomorrow instead of one long block.

Edited August 23, 2022 by Wrongway

[JUSTA6]

Should be enough weight.  Good idea on the smaller 2X4. Just take your time N go slow.

[64 kiwi boni]

i am with JustA mate ! you have a perfect press! give it a little more! and then test fit it again