74 ELDO,how to adjust hood to get corners down

[Viator Trudeau]

To T.J.Hopland:  a while back you advised to raise the hinge assembly up to get the corners down and to use shims to deal W/ cowl bolts.   Do I raise the hinge assy.s straight up or at a angle??.  Could you help me?   Thanks,  V. Trudeau  #8697

[Scot Minesinger]

The corners up on these cars usually means the hinges are bad.  The holes in the linkages have oval shape worn out by rivets due to lack of lubrication.  If the round holes have been worn to oval shapes you cannot see it, and no amount of hood adjustment works.  The way to tell is remove spring on one side and hood should drop into place perfectly.  I know removing an Eldorado hood spring is not fun, you could push down on corner with hood shut to see if it pushes into place, but that is not easy to do either without denting hood.  SMS in NH does a great job and restores the hood hinges.

[Viator Trudeau]

Thanks Scot for the hood info for ELDOS.  I found an easy way to remove hood springs.  Position hood to where the spring is streached (Lots of space between coils), insert screw drivers or wrenchs between coils to when the hood is lowered the spring becomes loose at the hooks, it can be easily removed. I did this a couple of times.  V.Trudeau  #8697

[waterzap]

What can you lubricate it with? Chain oil? Grease?

[Scot Minesinger]

I usually use motor oil once a year at the pivot points (there are a lot of them).

[TJ Hopland]

Straight up.   From what I remember there was plenty of room in the slots for the bolts in the fender mounted brackets and I ended up using body shims under the bolts that go into the firewall.   Its been a while but I think I am remembering that correctly.  A body shim is a C shaped washer so you don't have to remove the bolt to install it like a normal washer.   Watch the hood corners where the meet up with the doors.   Things can get awful close there.   If the clearances look good there carefully and slowly open the doors while watching that gap there is some funky geometry going on there so just because there is clearance when its closed does not mean there will be through the whole opening swing.   

I too read that it was worn hinges that caused that issue and had SMS rebuild my hinges which didn't help that problem at all.   I was then told it was the springs were tired so I paid A LOT for a NOS set of springs which only helped slightly.    Figured that was just the way it was till I read here that adjusting them up would do it which I did and it did.   Been fine ever since.

[Scot Minesinger]

No amount of adjustment would lower the corners on my hood and the hinge restoration worked perfectly.  This is on a RWD 1970 Cadillac, and so geometry of spring/mechanism may be slightly different than an Eldorado.

In any event, try the adjustment first, springs second, and last restoration of hinges.  If you do decide to restore hinges, probably best to buy a core set on e-bay, check to be sure that they are correct, and ship the core set to SMS for restoration.  Then install the restored set and sell or retain your original hinges.  That way the car is not sitting for weeks not drivable.

Also, have read that adjusting hinge up makes the hood go down.  The reason I write restoration of hinges (first because it worked for me and was suggested in this forum when I wrote in same question), is it is unlikely that the hood became out of adjustment on both corners, maybe one.  It obviously does happen though.

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Viator,
Suggest you try the following, It was recommended to me by an old Cadillac Body man and it worked for me.
Loosen the bolts very slightly where the hinge bolts to the cowl, and then (it is a two person job) have someone raise the hood to its maximum position (add a little effort to force it up) while the bolts are then re tightened.
Counter intuitive, but it worked .  As mentioned, be sure the hinges are not worn and/or dry as well.
Greg Surfas

[beastly beauties]

Viator,   Greg has some simple and good advice to try first. I too was a body man back in the 70's and that was the method we used on many cars and trucks not just Cadillacs. Keep in mind you are loosening just the bolts to the cowl and hinge and the bolts to the vertical brackets to the fender skirts, and not the bolts on the hood. Loosen them just enough to get the hood to slide down when you push up the front. You may have to remove shims that may appear on the to of the cowl between the hinge. Do all your adjustments in small increments. Always keep an eye on those rear corners while you have a helper slowly lift open or close the hood after any adjustments. I've seen those too many times bend or bend the door edge from too much adjustment. Those hoods are heavy and it takes its toll on the hinges and springs even when new. Always keep them clean and lubricated. Lack of proper lubrication on show cars is all too common. Good Luck, David Symonds

[jaxops]

Thanks Dave and Greg- I will try that on my 70 Electra.  Good luck with yours Viator!  Let us know how it comes out.  Mark M.