The Ford Barn

denver9 · 03-18-2013, 11:41 PM

Would appreciate suggestions/tricks etc for installing and aligning the hood on my 1931 Model A Ford Coupe.
I cannot seem to get the hood on straight. The gap between the cowling trim and the hood is about 1/2 inch on the driver's side and is almost an inch on the other.
It would seem to me that the cowling bracket that holds the center rod of the hood and it's corresponding bracket on the radiator shroud should be adjustable but mine are fixed in place.
I have had one suggestion of raising the radiator mounting pad on one side to tilt the assembly in the direction needed to even out the gaps I mentioned earlier, but there is not much room to do that.

HELP!! What do you suggest? I doubt this is a unique problem.
Thanks in advance,
-Denver

james hitchcock · 03-18-2013, 11:59 PM

The body could be out of alignment. I had to loosen the cab bolts on my 31 pick up and give the body just a little tweek. You can also loosen the radiator and move it a bit.

Arlen · 03-19-2013, 02:59 AM

Radiator slides left and right. Can also add/subtract rubber donuts under the cowl at number 1 body bolt. Like James said, the body might need to be shifted around some on the frame. You can also the screw the nuts on the radiator support rods in and out some to tweak things. Good luck. It's a nasty job

Tom Wesenberg · 03-19-2013, 04:27 AM

Is the frame straight?
If it sags near the right rear motor mount (sagging by engine mounts is common) that could give you the gap problem you have.

RockHillWill · 03-19-2013, 07:25 AM

Depending on the condition of the door gaps, you might consider small changes in the shims at the bottom of the cowl. A sagging frame will affect both the door gap as well as the hood fit. All of Arlens ideas are worthy of consideration as well.

denver9 · 03-19-2013, 10:04 AM

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Lots of good suggestions, Thanks all.
-Denver

Hicktick · 03-19-2013, 12:58 PM

Denver , I was doing some research on frames and recall a web site that had some good illustrations on shimming to close the gaps to align it all to fit .

I looked for the site , but caint find it .

Maybe someone knows which site it is ??????????

59mgaguy · 03-19-2013, 03:47 PM

2X Rockhillwill When I did my last Tudor I had this problem. It just needed shimming. Doesn't take long to fix. Have you taken a measurement to see if the frame is bent or twisted?

1931 flamingo · 03-19-2013, 06:03 PM

Ck Marco's site, I believe there are detailed inst starting at the radiator and working back on how to adj/shim/
Paul in CT

28ACoupe · 03-20-2013, 08:22 PM

I am going with Tom's question - Is the frame straight?

With that much gap, I would say that it most likely is not.

Fix the problem, don't just bandaid it with washers under the body.

Tinbasher · 03-21-2013, 07:17 PM

You have to start from the Front Cowl bolt. Get your hood lenght first. Then shift the cowl side to side to get the width. Then shim the cowl for the height to get the side even. Then work back from there. I finished shimming the 30 Coupe I've been working on today, I had a total of 8 hrs. in it to get everything lined up again. I had fit it all before I took the body off the frame to paint it. Yes it takes time, patience and alot of doing things up and loosing again until you get it.

The Old Tinbasher

CountrySquire55 · 03-24-2013, 06:56 AM

I had a similar issue on my 31 Town Sedan and discovered, when I pulled the engine and transmission for winter maintenance, that the radiator had not been installed properly. Not much fore/aft adjustment but there is a little bit of room to get the radiator more properly "squared off" with the body and takes two people to accomplish. I also found that the hood had shifted slightly forward on the hood rod so I moved it back about 1/4 inch and put a few very small washers on the front of the hood rod to try to prevent this from happening again. The end result was much improved with a more even gap on both sides of the hood at the radiator and the cowl.

03-18-2013, 11:41 PM	#1
denver9 Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Hemet, Ca Posts: 55	Aligning the hood on a model A Would appreciate suggestions/tricks etc for installing and aligning the hood on my 1931 Model A Ford Coupe. I cannot seem to get the hood on straight. The gap between the cowling trim and the hood is about 1/2 inch on the driver's side and is almost an inch on the other. It would seem to me that the cowling bracket that holds the center rod of the hood and it's corresponding bracket on the radiator shroud should be adjustable but mine are fixed in place. I have had one suggestion of raising the radiator mounting pad on one side to tilt the assembly in the direction needed to even out the gaps I mentioned earlier, but there is not much room to do that. HELP!! What do you suggest? I doubt this is a unique problem. Thanks in advance, -Denver

03-18-2013, 11:59 PM	#2
james hitchcock Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Visalia Ca. Posts: 617	Re: Aligning the hood on a model A The body could be out of alignment. I had to loosen the cab bolts on my 31 pick up and give the body just a little tweek. You can also loosen the radiator and move it a bit.

03-19-2013, 02:59 AM	#3
Arlen Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dallas Posts: 524	Re: Aligning the hood on a model A Radiator slides left and right. Can also add/subtract rubber donuts under the cowl at number 1 body bolt. Like James said, the body might need to be shifted around some on the frame. You can also the screw the nuts on the radiator support rods in and out some to tweak things. Good luck. It's a nasty job __________________ DMAFC

03-19-2013, 04:27 AM	#4
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Aligning the hood on a model A Is the frame straight? If it sags near the right rear motor mount (sagging by engine mounts is common) that could give you the gap problem you have.

03-19-2013, 07:25 AM	#5
RockHillWill Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Rock Hill, S.C. Posts: 985	Re: Aligning the hood on a model A Depending on the condition of the door gaps, you might consider small changes in the shims at the bottom of the cowl. A sagging frame will affect both the door gap as well as the hood fit. All of Arlens ideas are worthy of consideration as well. __________________ Uncle Bud says "too soon old, too late smart!"

03-19-2013, 10:04 AM	#6
denver9 Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Hemet, Ca Posts: 55	Re: Aligning the hood on a model A Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Lots of good suggestions, Thanks all. -Denver

03-19-2013, 12:58 PM	#7
Hicktick Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Hickory Tavern , SC Posts: 422	Re: Aligning the hood on a model A Denver , I was doing some research on frames and recall a web site that had some good illustrations on shimming to close the gaps to align it all to fit . I looked for the site , but caint find it . Maybe someone knows which site it is ??????????

03-19-2013, 03:47 PM	#8
59mgaguy Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 114	Re: Aligning the hood on a model A 2X Rockhillwill When I did my last Tudor I had this problem. It just needed shimming. Doesn't take long to fix. Have you taken a measurement to see if the frame is bent or twisted?

03-19-2013, 06:03 PM	#9
1931 flamingo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: new britain,ct 06052 Posts: 9,390	Re: Aligning the hood on a model A Ck Marco's site, I believe there are detailed inst starting at the radiator and working back on how to adj/shim/ Paul in CT

03-20-2013, 08:22 PM	#10
28ACoupe Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 559	Re: Aligning the hood on a model A I am going with Tom's question - Is the frame straight? With that much gap, I would say that it most likely is not. Fix the problem, don't just bandaid it with washers under the body. __________________ 1928 Model A Business Coupe Rebuild picture gallery here The light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off due to budget cuts.

03-21-2013, 07:17 PM	#11
Tinbasher Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Innisfil, Ontario Canada Posts: 1,174	Re: Aligning the hood on a model A You have to start from the Front Cowl bolt. Get your hood lenght first. Then shift the cowl side to side to get the width. Then shim the cowl for the height to get the side even. Then work back from there. I finished shimming the 30 Coupe I've been working on today, I had a total of 8 hrs. in it to get everything lined up again. I had fit it all before I took the body off the frame to paint it. Yes it takes time, patience and alot of doing things up and loosing again until you get it. The Old Tinbasher

03-24-2013, 06:56 AM	#12
CountrySquire55 Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Maryland Posts: 96	Re: Aligning the hood on a model A I had a similar issue on my 31 Town Sedan and discovered, when I pulled the engine and transmission for winter maintenance, that the radiator had not been installed properly. Not much fore/aft adjustment but there is a little bit of room to get the radiator more properly "squared off" with the body and takes two people to accomplish. I also found that the hood had shifted slightly forward on the hood rod so I moved it back about 1/4 inch and put a few very small washers on the front of the hood rod to try to prevent this from happening again. The end result was much improved with a more even gap on both sides of the hood at the radiator and the cowl.