60 Hood Alighnment

[60eldo]

 Can someone tell me how the rear of the 1960 hood is adjusted. Theres no way to get it lower. The hinges are stationary, they do not go up and down.

[Moody]

I've seen this happen with worn out hinges, bent hinges, bad springs, and just out of adjustment. Sometimes the counter intuitive adjustments work the best. Also, has anything changed, such as a cowl seal, or adjustment blocks?

[60eldo]

Only thing I did was took hood off to install engine, never touched the hinge where it bolts up at firewall. Where is the adjustment for the hood to go down at cowl?

[Moody]

Assuming it tight, I'm at a loss. Are the springs the same?

[60eldo]

Heres some pics. The 1st pic where my finger is is the top bolt that sits on the firewall, it cant do down, 2nd pic is horizontaly 2 bolts holding to the firewall. 3rd pic is an extra hinge I have, look at the holes for the bolts ,they are not oval shape, they are round for no adjustment.

[Clewisiii]

If you never touched the lower, and it was good before. Maybe the hood is to far back on the hinge. Maybe it rides up as it slides back.

[Warren Rauch #4286]

   I checked the 1959 repair manual ( nothing in 60 supp) . Its only height adjustment is the rubber bumpers on the channel along the top of cowl. They came in multiple sizes to make this adjustment. There was also a Roundtable film "The Last Inch" May 1959 on the subject. It confirms the shop manual.
   I can only guess,but You may have the hood slightly back a little. That would make it ride up on those bumpers and raise the hood along the cowl.

Warren
 

[59-in-pieces]

It wouldn't be the first time a hood was removed and leaned up against a wall pointed ends down -bending the points up.

Warren is right.
There are Hood Bumpers of different height (1/4", 3/16". & 5/16" shown upside down) running along the inside of the Hood to Cowl Weather-stripping (47 & 3/4" long) which when the hood was removed along with the bumpers, the bumpers were replaced in the wrong areas, pushing the back and corners up. SEE PICS BELOW

It is also true that when the hood was replaced it was mounted further back than where it was originally mounted, leaving it higher in the back.
Check the front hood locking mechanism and tall pilot pin.

Let's go crazy and look to the side bumpers which run and rest along side of the inner edge of the hood, but mounted to the inner fender below the crown molding on top of the fender.
They may be holding the hood up from their proper resting points leaving the hood higher at the back.
And, let's not forget the Corner Hood Adjustable Height Bumpers, which will likely need to be adjusted with the new hood position.  SE PICS BELOW

Have fun,
Steve B

[60eldo]

Some more pics. See where the hood wont go down anymore. Look at the hinge, where my finger is ,  that rests on top of the firewall, it cant go down any farther, which puzzles me. Theres no adjustment. The hood rubbers on the fender fit directly into the slots on the side of the hood where my finger is. Theres nothing holding up the back of the hood,  only the hinge .   Im puzzled. But I no me, this will bug me until I figure it out.

[Moody]

Long shot here, did the latch area get impacted by the motor coming out? This would upset the past geometry of the three hood attach points.
Maybe take the hood striker out and see if it allows the back of the hood to go down. It's best to adjust a hood without the latch anyway, then make the latch fit. Old body shop trick.

[60eldo]

Tryed that Moody, nothing. This is so wierd,the hood only goes side to side. You cant make it go forward or backward unless you unbolt the hinge from the firewall drill out the top piece and use a shim to bring it forward, but you can never get it to go backwards. Im thinking someone here who owns a 59 or 60 must have experiance with this,,,,no?

[Clewisiii]

What does your hinge look like. This is the 1961 hinge on the hood side. 3 bolt holes that go into a bar that slides in a pocket on the hood. Note the 3 holes that bolt to the hood are elongated so you have about 1/2 an inch of forward and back adjustment.

But this is hard to adjust if you have the hood up and open during install. I suspect they install the hood before the fenders in the plant.

[60eldo]

   Chewii, your the best. Heres mine, notice the difference. In 2nd pic thats where it bolts to firewall, and where my finger is pointing, that sits on top, NO adjustment up or down.

[Clewisiii]

The side to side holes on 61 are on the hood side. What does your hood mounting point look like.

[60eldo]

How do u have a pic of everything LOL  I dont no my hood is on my car, and let me say. My hood is only off 1/4 in too high, I see it and it bugs me. NO ONE will ever notice it. So why do I care.

[Clewisiii]

I have thousands of pictures all separated on my computer by part or area, and I know where every part of my car is. On the old 61/62 forum when we played what is it Wednesday not only did I try to identify the parts but I checked that I could find them in less then 5 minutes.

[Moody]

After reading through this post, Warren's first comment made me think of the shape of the hood inside at the back. They were poorly welded together many times from the factory. This could result in that area expanding if the hood was rested on its back end when removed. This could cause an out of true situation. Again, long shot here. Good luck.

[59-in-pieces]

Jon,

Aligning the fenders and hood are the toughest tasks to do well - no quick fixes.
I'm getting dizzy trying to follow this post.

Were the fenders removed BEFORE OR AFTER the hood was removed.

Was the hood replaced BEFORE or AFTER the fenders were replaced.

I did not see the Hood to Cowl Weather-stripping or Hood Bumpers, as shown in one of my 1960 pics..

Yes, the hood can be replaced and positioned with the cowl and fenders, front and back and sides, without the front locking Pilot mechanism engaged.

Now a 1/4" gap is OK - that 1/4" looks bigger and the side gap doesn't look acceptable either or the pics aren't straight on ?
There is a diagram for fit and finish that sets out the dimensions of the panel gaps etc. check it out - which does not provide for vertical misalignments because they can be adjusted out.

Have fun,
Steve B.

[Lexi]

Found this set of rebuilt 1959 - 1960 Cadillac Hood Hinges on Ebay, if needed. As for the price...ouch. Clay/Lexi

https://www.ebay.com/itm/135162854245?fits=Make%3ACadillac&_skw=1959+-+1960+cadillac+hood+hinges&itmmeta=01J9RX9BMPDGAHEY9NVGFRBZY1&hash=item1f78557b65:g:iSsAAOSwLPBmon7J&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAABAHoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKl5jMzvt2cakFHrEyMxXQNVQW6id3RqNoEqIgQ1o9FEX4%2B4sV%2Bv3ymhwycPeI%2ByL1woIfWYOtrw60IBJ42YKTAv%2Fv5fkPG7Z7tLMNOej8HUnrynYGbKxnrVqB1DcYVAqKT20vZ%2FCOKRA1jw5jckwDaLrrUR%2FuSGY5rkkB6cgznYhce334H10Ic4%2BodOHERTRYptkwd%2B6EJ2lQq3p2GH%2B4rtP63GFmvMKmzTOxUSHKqmd9GwOa7SweM3B%2FtwGnRcK6Gl7lGN1feRgP3kqilszRANYUg0IW6DxbRzKtmV%2BpFvDq0kxqc45NgTNTH1kRNPZao%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR8S6pZ3OZA

[60eldo]

 I have a extra set of hinges I may try. Fenders have never been removed. Is it possable I put bolt retainers in upside down? Will that make a diference? Which side is down toward hinge?