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Hood Not Sitting Right 1968

Started by Highwayman68, February 11, 2023, 11:15:09 PM

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Highwayman68

After two years I finally was able to put the hood back on my car. During those two years the hinges were on the shelf in the fully decompressed position. Now the back of the hood is sitting about an inch and a half high. Is this typical and I have to wait for them to settle or have I done something wrong when putting everything back together. This is for a 1968 Fleetwood.
1968 Fleetwood Purchased in 1981

The Tassie Devil(le)

G'day Mark,

One of the hardest and soul-destroying tasks on putting any car back together is getting the hood to sit properly.

I have found that when adjusting hinges, one has to put ones' brain and thoughts in the opposite direction of where you think it has to go.

There is no correlation to having the hinge springs compressed or relaxed.

It is all about the arc that the top and bottom of the springs have to take when manipulating the geometrics of each hinge joint.

Hope this helps.

Bruce. >:D

PS.   Place some blankets over the sides of each of the fenders to alleviate possible scratching and paint loss as you are making adjustments.   One has to remember that when these cars were assembled, the front end was fully assembled before it went onto the car, and I wouldn't be surprised if the hood and hinges were fitted by workers from underneath, and then the springs attached.
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

fishnjim

That much gap is not normal.
If you can't figure it out, go see a body shop/man for assistance.   

TJ Hopland

Like Bruce said, if the geometry they used is the same as the 70's raising the whole hinge where it attached to the body pulls the hood down.  No idea why but it works.  I had spent weeks trying to get my 73 to pull down and when I read that here I didn't care why, I was willing to try anything and it worked. Wish I had known that before spending the money to get the hinges rebuilt.
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

35-709

This topic has come up here several times over the years, here is one of the best descriptions of how to adjust the hood ---

"Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364

Active member
Posts: 5,307
San Antonio Texas   
Logged
#1
July 05, 2011, 12:09:58 PM
TJ,
This is a "trick" that I just learned. It is counter intuitive, but if the hinge is good and installed correctly, and does not go down enough at the rear the procedure is as follows;
1. taking one side at a time, loosen the three bolts that attach the hinge to the lower bracket that attaches to the fender.
2. Raise the hood up as far as you can (that means force it up and prop it up in that position while you tighten the bolts you loosened in #1.
That's it. Repeat as necessary.
Greg Surfas

Cadillac Kid-Greg Surfas
Director Modified Chapter CLC
CLC #15364
66 Coupe deVille (now gone to the UK)
72 Eldo Cpe  (now cruising the sands in Quatar)
73 Coupe deVille
75 Coupe deElegance
76 Coupe deVille
79 Coupe de ville with "Paris" (pick up) option and 472 motor
514 inch motor now in '73-
1935 Cadillac Sedan resto-mod "Big Red"
1973 Cadillac Caribou - Sold - but still in the family
1950 Jaguar Mark V Saloon resto-mod - Sold
1942 Cadillac 6269 - Sold
1968 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible - Sold
1950 Packard 2dr. Club Sedan
1935 Glenn Pray - Auburn Boattail Speedster, Gen. 2

Carfreak

We had the same problem many years ago with our 64 convertible.

The trick we found which worked for us was to install the hood & hinges with springs removed. 

Once the hood was on the car then very carefully install the springs.

 
Enjoy life - it has an expiration date.

Highwayman68

Quote from: Carfreak on February 13, 2023, 06:15:12 PMWe had the same problem many years ago with our 64 convertible.

The trick we found which worked for us was to install the hood & hinges with springs removed. 

Once the hood was on the car then very carefully install the springs.

 
That seems impossible to do, how did you stretch the spring far enough to get it secured in place?
1968 Fleetwood Purchased in 1981

Highwayman68

We have had the concrete blocks on it since the first night we installed the hood other than when we were working on the hood alignment and that really didn't help like we thought that it would.

Last night my friend decided to test out another theory without telling me which was to let the hood freely Drop into place, well the front of the hood is now latched... and stuck! Passenger side pin is jammed up against the back of the opening and I do mean jammed. Now I have to figure out how to loosen Something to get it unjammed. It just goes to show you it's always something!







1968 Fleetwood Purchased in 1981

Ralph Messina CLC 4937

Mark,

Your problem is difficult to diagnose at a distance. I have experience with '66 not '68, but they are similar. From your pic the hood appears to be too far back on the hinges. Loosen the six bolts and pull the hood forward. Make certain when closed it does not hit the fenders. Then lift the hood and loosen the bolts holding the hinges to the firewall and fender wells.  Loosen the bolts only enough to allow the hinges to move while operating the hood. Have a helper slowly lower the hood while you watch the hinge movement. If the rear end of the hood looks like the hood will sit better, note or mark the approximate location of the hinges in the near closed position.  Have the helper raise and hold the hood in the up position. You can then move each hinge to the approximate location you just found and tighten the bolts. Test the closing action. If the rear sits down, you know the problem is in the location of the hinges and can iterate the process to improve fit. If the hood fits but is still proud of the surrounding panels by ΒΌ" or less and it can be pushed down to fit, the issue is most likely worn hinge pivots. Under no circumstance should you allow anyone to slam the hood. You can kink or damage it which would ne extremely difficult to repair.
1966 Fleetwood Brougham-with a new caretaker http://bit.ly/1GCn8I4
1966 Eldorado-with a new caretaker  http://bit.ly/1OrxLoY
2018 GMC Yukon

The Tassie Devil(le)

Now, that is an image that I will probably never get out of my head.

Somehow you are going to have to get to the hood latching mechanism from underneath, and try to manipulate the catch, to release it.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

benji808

Agree with Greg on "raising to lower". Also, as Ralph said, there may be adjusting bolts that let the hood slide forward and backwards- play around with these as well. I had a significant gap (not quite as bad as yours but definitely noticeable) on my '75 Eldorado that I mostly solved with these two adjustment points.

As to the current problem...ooof! Maybe playing (carefully) with a crowbar while a friend holds the latch open; otherwise Bruce's underneath idea may work.

Highwayman68

I was able to raise the back of the hood, that wasn't sitting right anyway, to get my arm down under the it to loosen the screws enough to shove the hood forward enough to get it to release. Tomorrow I will get back to realigning it.
1968 Fleetwood Purchased in 1981

Carfreak

Quote from: Highwayman68 on February 14, 2023, 07:35:54 AMThat seems impossible to do, how did you stretch the spring far enough to get it secured in place?

Two people, wearing safety glasses, working together using a good set of vise grips. It really wasn't a big deal.

Watch which way the tail of the spring was originally installed (up or down) and be sure to reinstall the same way.

Worked for us several times on a few different cars. 

For future projects you could scribe or drill a very small pilot hole to ensure you are mounting the hinges back in the exact same spot. 
Enjoy life - it has an expiration date.

billyoung

This may sound dumb but here goes. On You Tube put in 1968 Cadillac Assembly and a video will come up of the final assembly of a white Sedan DeVille 4 window and they mount the hood as one of the steps, it might help.
Age 68, Living in Gods waiting room ( Florida ) Owned over 40 Old Cadillac's from 1955's to 1990 Brougham's. Currently own a 1968 Cadillac DeVille Convertible and a 1992 Cadillac 5.7 Brougham.

Highwayman68

Quote from: billyoung on February 19, 2023, 01:44:32 PMThis may sound dumb but here goes. On You Tube put in 1968 Cadillac Assembly and a video will come up of the final assembly of a white Sedan DeVille 4 window and they mount the hood as one of the steps, it might help.

Oh how I wish my adventure has gone that smooth.

I am now waiting for new alignment pins and stopper studs, the original locking nuts on them won't free up no matter how much soaking they get.
1968 Fleetwood Purchased in 1981