Twisted hood panels

[Russell Reay]

The side panels on my hood are twisted as shown in the photos. I can only presume they are repops since there is no rust, dents or dings. If tackled incorrectly I expect the corrective action will only make it worse. How do I straighten them out ?

[Gene F]

I am not a body man, but I'm not sure you can. The phot on the left looks fine, but the one on the right is a different story.

I think Rotleib makes them. Gosh I hate that this has happened to you...

[old ugly]

if it were i and sometime i attempt stuff and fail
but
i would have someone hold one end while i gently twist it back by hand. careful not to kink it.
it will probably have to go past center then spring back to the correct shape.

it maybe supposed to have a small amount of twist to fit the cowl and rad shroud.

[Oldbluoval]

Hoods are not in a perfect plane when on the car. They form fit the cowl and shell (which is more straight). I’d think it can be tweaked by hand and the latches will form-fit to a degree.
As to Rootlieb, their hoods are very decent but not perfect. There have been other manufacturers that are of much lesser quality….but it’s been awhile (as I know it).

[nkaminar]

My hood sides "oil can" which means that they flip from one twist to another. However, with latching they conform to the cowl and radiator shell. I would try them on the car to see if you get the same thing.

The oil canning can be because of the forming the louvers which stretches the metal. The fix is to shrink the metal which involves heating and quenching the metal. I would not attempt this because I do not have enough experience but a body shop may be able to do it. Try it on the car first.

[Russell Reay]

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Thanks for all the feedback. The sides fit fine when I bought the car last year. I am trying to use the sides as a guide to adjusting the rad and cowl, but it is difficult due to the warp. As a firm believer in 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it', you have saved me from myself.

[nkaminar]

To align the radiator, put the hood on the car and then look at the gaps at the cowl and radiator. Adjust the rods until the gaps are even. You may not have an even gap up and down at the cowl if the body pads have compressed or the frame is bent but even on both sides will get you going.

[Bob Bidonde]

Put the hood together with its hinge rods and reevaluate its shape.

[larrys40]

I agree with comments from nkaminar, the hood sides should be fine. They do that but when on the car and attached to the hood tops they are fine . Nothing wrong there. The rootlieb hoods are the best but who knows how much longer they will be around.
Fitting hoods is a matter of shimming the radiator, body , and hood rod alignment (dimension adjustment) and tighten as needed.
It can take 2 hours or 20 .

Larry

[Russell Reay]

Originally Posted by larrys40

Fitting hoods is a matter of shimming the radiator, body , and hood rod alignment (dimension adjustment) and tighten as needed.
It can take 2 hours or 20 .

Larry

After spending at least 20 hours on the header and cover panel, I am prepared for that on the hood. My challenge is that the adjustments may be needed mostly on the cowl subrails (new), not the radiator. Rad is a new Brassworks, and the frame is straight per guidance from Brent Terry. My project du jour is to find the post from last year showing a plywood jig to allow one-man removal of assembled hood.

[Kevin in NJ]

The hood is a complex curved panel.

It is curved at the front to match the shell and curved at the rear to match the cowl.

The louvers are curved as well as the indented area around the louvers.

They are very difficult panels to have a proper shape. Damage to the louvers can change the shape of the panel as dents and bends change the length of the louver and creates forces.

Reproductions are pretty good. There fault is they are flat. Especially across the louver area. So they do not lay well at front and the rear.

[daren007]

Drive over it. You will not make this go away, use as is.

[nkaminar]

Here is my skyhook for lifting the hood. It is made from a hoist for lifting bicycles to the ceiling.

[Russell Reay]

Thanks again for the help. I assembled the entire hood, and its fit is fixable--I think. I don't want to achieve perfection only to disassemble for paint and go through the whole process all over again. Besides, tweeking for fit without the gas tank in is not a good use of time.

[katy]

nkaminar, thanks for the idea

[henry's 31]

Nkaminar:

That is a great idea. Thanks for sharing.