Folks Of Interest I will never understand bodymen!

In the latest Iron Trap Garage video, they are fitting a hood at this point the hood will not close, however instead of on getting the hood to close, the response is to look at the back of the hood to cowl and say that gaps good.

That seem like moot point given the fact they have no idea what it is going to be once they get the hood to close!

That would be like an engine builder saying it has great oil pressure even though it has a rod knock!

 

I align a body part to the parts that don’t move first. Rear door aligns to the welded rocker, qtr and roof. Work forward
For a hood, I start at the cowl and work forward.
When diagnosing why a hood doesn’t fit or shut properly, start at the cowl. Eliminate any binding or hinge issue that could cause the fit problem.
Those era cars are a PIA to align.

 

Ford of that era have one of the worst hood hinge designs ever. Many of those hoods didn't fit when they were new.

 

Drink a pitcher of Long Island teas and then fit it up, that’s how I usually do it

 

My Dad tweaked the drivers door on our 69 Amb***ador by backing into a cedar tree while delivering chicken feed to the barn. My Uncle a trained bodyman asked for a 3 foot 2x4. He put it in the hinge at a couple of different places and used his body weight to m***age things back into place. I learned things that day…

 

I toured the Ford Dearborn ***embly plant as an 11 year old in 1962. The most vivid recollection I have is the guy at the end of the line using a well used 3’ long 2x4 and his body weight to do the final alignment of the doors, deck lid, and hood.

He was a master at his craft.

 

Never trust a bodyman that doesn’t have a 2x4

 

I heard some where to put the hood on first then the fenders. Line the fenders to fit the hood. Maybe?

 

Look at the p***enger side hood fitment on most 40 Fords out there, not great from the factory. On ones that fit good guys have told me there was cutting and welding involved.

 

Yep, that will "test your metal"!

 

Video? I usually blame such stupidity on attempts to draw attention to the video. Saying something correct gets you a few thumbs up, saying something incorrect gives you a thousand comments telling you what you are wrong about. Guess which option brings you more money online these days.

 

Isn't that the truth....had a '62 Chevy II 2 dr. post car and the top of the door frame was tweaked out of
alignment to the top....same deal, got out the 2X4, had me hold it in two places and used his body weight to fix it in less than one minute. Good times!

 

When I built the Studebaker I had to replace the bottom six inches of the door (and repair part of the inner door that had rotted away) and when I rehung the door after welding the bottom was out and inch or two (I can't remember). I put a wood block about where the window frame/door come together and used a porta power to push the lower part of the door in. After two or three tries the door sat in the frame probably as good as when it was ***embled in 1953 (that means it wasn't perfect.

 

That's how I was tot 55 years ago. Still works. Imagine that.

 

Years ago I watched a guy fix a sprung trunk lid, he used his wallet in the gap to adjust it.

 

Aligning body panels with a 2 x 4 isn't too hard, once you understand the process.

The hard part is to seal the door from wind noise, and cold air drafts in the winter, afterwards.
Of course, if you don't drive it in cold weather, most are not too concerned about a little wind noise or cold air drafts.

 

I like rattles and wind noise

 

those cowl style hinges can drive you crazy. moving the back up- drops the back of the hood and slides it back. the problem I bet they are having is the hinge is "closing" before the hood shuts. raising the back of the hood might allow it to shut.

 

I bought a cab for my '49 Ford truck. It came from a 3000 original mile truck from a local fire department. No rust anywhere but the doors shut like ****. I had to jack the corners on both sides to square the door openings. Door shut perfectly now. They just didn't take the time on the line to make sure everything aligned properly. Also, anywhere the painter had to bend over to get to paint wasn't applied.

 

I deleted a previous reply but if you watch the entire video they talk about why they did things in the order they did, they talk about the gaps, they talk about hinges, they even talk about moving forward after this point.

they aren’t even bodymen but it seems it enraged you enough that you had to make a **** talking post on the hamb before even finishing the video?

 

What are you going to do aline the cowl with the hood?

 

When re-installing the hood on a '47 Chevy, I was having a hard time getting it to all line up nice, especially at the back edges (where they dig into the top of the fender). A buddy came over to give me a hand and the first thing he saw was one of the hinges was bent. I unbent it (using the gas torch), and the thing closed right for the first time in 50 years!

 

I'm no body man, but I watched the video and all I saw was that in the end the hood fit pretty well. The stuff that happened in the middle was mainly just moving things around to work with the aftermarket hinges.

 

Most people would not believe what ww did back in the day to line up gaps a 2 x 4 was a tool in our box we used to use a socket to line up a sprung door just stick it in between the door and the hinge then close the door it would mve the door back away from the fender cant do that now it would crush the door.

 

The H.A.M.B. porta-power sets things straight again. Thank You all

 

Only the second post and we get the easy-to-understand and correct reply. A perfect explanation by @anthony myrick. The answer really should have been obvious but sometimes it is the simple things that can slip through the mind's cracks.

If you loosen the hood hinge bolts you may be able to wriggle the rest of the car back enough to get the clearance and gapping needed. You never know until you try..........

 

That's how I was taught at my workplace, too; yes, we pushed and pulled with all sorts of tools, it was a great time. Regards, Harald

 

So far in my bodywork adventures the only thing that has ever eluded my success is getting the driver door on my 53 bel air to shut smoothly and nice. Pretty sure that's because the upper hinge needs rebuilt or replaced. I've been lazy and just adjusted door to try and compensate. Other three doors and both doors on the 54 shut great though lol

 

Well this bit of info leaves me . . . Uhhmmm . . . What's the word that means the exact opposite of "surprised"? ? ?

 

One problem is the '37-'40 reproduction hinges are not correct out of the box. I fought the hood on my '39 deluxe, had repro hinges and a whole box of worn out originals. Just could not get it to fit right. Finally found a NOS hinge for one side and used it to bend the arms on the repro hinge to match--fit like a glove! Gaps were nuts on and latched like a new screen door.