'76 Calais hood prob

[LM 25575]

Hi,

probably I am missing something (very stupid) but here is my problem.

I was trying to put the hood back in my car after she got new paint. Hood was taken apart several months ago and the linkage was left on the car, springs included.
Today we put the hood back but, for some reasons, the rear part of it doesn't not fit correctly when I am attempting to close the hood. The front part if fine and fits normally, and locks, but the rear part doesn't want to go into the right place staying, instead, some  inches far from the car. We took the springs apart and, at that time, even the rear part went into the right place. But with the springs back doesn't close correctly. Any suggestion?
Thanks.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

It is all in the adjustment, and the Manual shows which way to move the components to get it to close right.

Sometimes the instructions seem to be opposite to what one would think, but it is correct.

When closed, the spring also assists in keeping the rear of the hood down.

Bruce.

[LM 25575]

Thanks Bruce! But left the manual somewhere, this is why I was asking. Need to look for it.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

I think the adjustments will be the sanme for any Cadillac from 1971 to 1976, and probably a lot of others, and other GM big vehicles.

Bruce.

[TJ Hopland]

A help in making the adjustments is to take a rope or strap and tie the front of the hood to the rafters of your garage or a tree or whatever is handy.  Its a lot easier to make adjustments to the hinges without the full weight on them.   If you still have a engine hoist handy that works good also.

[LM 25575]

I found the manual. It talks about some "marks", where are they?

Here some pics about the "problem", maybe someone of you can see something wrong I did putting the hood back.
As you can see the rear part does not lower. Looks like if the linkage does not go down. Without springs, instead, it does.  

Pic Cof4 is when the hood is lowered but, in the rear part, does not go lower than that.

[LM 25575]

One more

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

When referring to "Marks", the Manual is talking about the "Marks" that were created whilst the Hood was originally installed, as in the marks left by the attaching bolts in the painted surfaces over the years.

I did notice in one of your pictures, the bolt doesn't line up with where it was before, unless that is from a previous attempt at installation.

Bruce.

[LM 25575]

Which pic Bruce?

[R Schroeder]

Second picture in the first group of pictures.
Roy

[LM 25575]

Thanks Roy.

Does someone have a pic of a correct line up?

[LM 25575]

Still the same problem. Looks like if something is forcing the hood from the engine bay but I have no idea of what it can be.

Here is a pic of the hood not going into the right place, does someone have any idea about this problem? The front is ok, just the rear part looks weird.

[Dave Shepherd]

Looks like the portion of the hood hinge that bolts to the body is too high.

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

I think the problem lies in the alignment of the hood hinge.

Not where the hinge attaches to the hood, but at the body.

Plus, are the rear Bump Stops adjusted too high, and not allowing the hood to come down?

Bruce.

[LM 25575]

Stops are ok, they do not bother the hood. The hood hinge were not taken apart from fender during respraying so do not understand why now they do not work properly. Once again, I took the springs off and everything was working fine.....
I remember that the rear part of the hood is the one which has to go into the right place before lowering the front part, correct?

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

The odd thing about adjusting the hood and the hinges is that what you think is the correct way to go, is usually the opposite.

As the hood comes down, the rear actually goes down, but doesn't settle right down till the hinge itself "collapses" downward, and the spring actually seems to ease up on pressure, as the mechanism equalises itself, thus not putting excessive pressure on the hood framework whilst the hood is in the closed position.

If you ever get the chance to manually compress a hood hinge without the hood attached, it is hard to shut, but as you get it to the closure position, there remarkably is less pressure, and it is easy to hold it down.

When "popping the hood" by undoing the catch, it is the spring at the front that is lifting it up, not the rear hinge, then as you actually lift the hood, after unclipping the safety catch, you realise that you have to actually use strength to lift the hood, then part way up, the hinge springs assist and hold the hood open when it is up.

As to what you have to adjust to get yours to lower right down, I cannot say from here.

Bruce.

[LM 25575]

Thanks Bruce!! Will try to fix the problem.

In the meantime, can someone post a pic of the hood hinge, taken from inside? (I want to verify something about it).  Thanks a lot!