Car Hood Gap

Fairlane Hood Gap Fix
Episode 108
Fairlane Hood Gap Fix
Episode 108
You will note that this fender is way out. And it looks like it will line in great. It will not. The inner lip is bent out starting about midway down the fender. I discovered this when I was trying to get the thing to line up after doing the video on the passengers side. So we’re going to take the fender off and see what is causing our issues.
This crease is a factory crease but I also have some wobbly metal down at the front of the inner lip. I know this fender had been worked on the leading edge and it may be part of that. But when I look at the facing edge I also see hammer strikes. Telling me I’m not the first frustrated party on this boat.
First I’m going to flatten out the hammer strikes on this inner lip. I have my toe dolly and Chisel hammer. These are available from a number of sources.
I’m going to use a hammer on dolly technique to get this back to flat. And I am hammering the dents from the back side, trying to keep my hammer face flat to my work. Wit the hammer on you are less likely to put a dent in the metal, but more likely to stretch it. So go light.
This is a tool I made using angle iron. The piece on the engine bay side of the fender L is unmodified, The piece that goes under the fender was placed in the inner fender. Marked up then cut so that it fits snug to the L in the fender. The L is about ??inches long.
I’m using Locking pliers To hold it in place and then applying pressure to the whole area. Note that you will want to over bend it slightly to compensate for the spring f the metal. You may have to do this a couple times to get it right where you want it.
I am following that up with working the leading edge again as the flexing of the lip has caused another wave.
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[@CopCat34]

"It seemed logical ... but weren't" When I'm fixing cars with my buddies, that could be our mantra. Keep making your videos.

[@AutoRestoMod]

We will! Keep watching, and get them doing it on their phones and computers.

[@CarminesRCTipsandTricks]

Jeff... Some "by the book" People would be butthurt with the Angle Iron method you used on the Fender Lip.... But I'm going to remember that one!! 👍👍 Yeah, someone banged up that front end earlier in its life, but given what you had to work with, you did a phenomenal job of getting it as straight as possible!! 😎 Carmine ✈🚂🚙

[@AutoRestoMod]

Thanks Carmine!

[@MjolnerVonNordfra]

Thanks again ! Cant wait to have anxiety attacks from scratching my 70's custom paint job ,while doing some highly needed adjustments on whole front :D Keep up the awsome work guys :)

[@AutoRestoMod]

You got this!

[@daltybell]

Thank you for the videos!! They are helpful!

[@AutoRestoMod]

Glad you like them!

[@crosswits1]

Thanks for showing ithe pains of panel alignment , watching you and cam is better than and episode of Home Improvement

[@AutoRestoMod]

Happy to help

[@robkallok77]

Nice progress, and I like the fixture you came up with 🧐 At some point we have to say, close enough. It’s a cool driver, not a concourse restoration 😉

[@AutoRestoMod]

Good point! BUT I CAN"T HELP IT!!!!

[@roostgarage]

I had issues with the driver’s side fender too on my 68 Torino fastback. It had been “tapped” on the front drivers side fender in the early 70’s. It was a pain to line up. I ended up having to straighten the core support to bring up the forward corner of the inner fender and find another good fender which was not easy. Good video on body alignment Jeff!

[@AutoRestoMod]

Thanks. I feel like tapped front ends on Fairlanes may be a common theme.

[@clevelandmaker386]

you did your best Jeff...god only knows what that poor car went through....even from the factory! like I said before a night of Schlitz malt liquor and Janis the hot secretary from Auburn Hills ....who knows anyways.. great video.. and you know what is logical.... getting a starliner on the channel!.....just saying! love and.... well you know

[@AutoRestoMod]

You got that right! Love and Starliners baby!

[@nickbruni8041]

That fender gap really closed up good Brother ... now ya need to get the trim stretcher out ! 🥴👍🏼✌🏼

[@AutoRestoMod]

Working on it! 😆

[@stevepearson7745]

Looks good to me. I bet at 60mph, no one can see the gaps. Just keep her moving. But I understand that you know and it drives you crazy. Keep up the good fight.

[@AutoRestoMod]

Aiken is getting to crowded to do 60. But it looks mint at 85 on the interstate...well, if we could ever get the transmission done...

[@jeromesanders7799]

Excellent tips for alignment

[@AutoRestoMod]

Glad it was helpful!

[@GeekGinger]

My '71 Camaro has obviously been hit in the front right at some point in its life, but it's the driver's side where the panels just won't line up. Old cars are fun.

[@AutoRestoMod]

It is funny, I've seen a ton of these old cars that have one side that is just...off.

[@morganleblanc730]

Good tips, I need to align the drivers door and fender this weekend on my 69 Mach 1. I became a Patron member and did not see the chose for the 10.00 a month members. Oh well, like you said should be logical but it's not. - Morgan

[@AutoRestoMod]

YOu can upgrade your memebership. We have a meeting this week end, you'll get the email today.

[@angeloc3842]

I had that same tennis elbow. Quick trip to the Doc , he drained and I pre-bought a compression sleeve. It was A-Ok after that.

[@AutoRestoMod]

Yeah, I'm getting there. I will have to make an appointment soon. use to it would come and go. Now it has set up shop and the left one is not fluid anymore.

[@amiamso]

Great idea with the angle iron brace, although it looked like it was a bit of a fight, where the Hell is Cam when you need him? Great video!

[@AutoRestoMod]

Cam was a his "real" job, I generally shoot these alone on the week days while the kids are at school.

[@jsslifelike]

Fun vid! You got it pretty damned good. The difference from start to finish looked pretty big on camera, but you may be right about the Monday/Friday car, too. The tail panel trim on my Bonnie is slightly off on one side due to the deck lid, but I've seen a bunch of Catalinas/GPs the same way. Sometimes, I just think we get too used to modern day fit and finish...

[@AutoRestoMod]

True that! I want to get down to NPD where they have an unrestored Torino and Mustang and look at the fit and finish on those two it is shocking to some degree.

[@jsslifelike]

@@AutoRestoMod PLEASE do a vid on that. Will Rick show you around? Because that'd be awesome.

[@rocketsock4297]

😄On my *71 Opel* i can stick a finger between the door and the fender... it was slightly crashed in the past. - Twice :-D

[@AutoRestoMod]

Driven by a saintly old lady to church only on Sundays.

[@rocketsock4297]

@@AutoRestoMod Was wrecked by my grandma on the way back from church and later again by my mom in the 80s.

[@killshot2333]

Wow finally yes thank you

[@AutoRestoMod]

You are welcome.

[@Paulie1232]

I'm first, my prize, watching Jeff...

[@AutoRestoMod]

Whew, that ain't much of a prize bub.

[@Granite]

I love you. Thanks.

[@AutoRestoMod]

You're welcome!

[@portlandon]

The fender looks like a replacement. Still has Ford part number stenciled on it.

[@AutoRestoMod]

It is. So I wonder if it took another whack later on.

[@theinfernalcraftsman]

Now just imagine doing all that with a poor fitting aftermarket panel... I have found that they had one guy design each side of the car as the sheet metal design that should be a mirror image from side to side isn't. Either that or the guy did one side well and then got lazy on the other side. Back before the mirror command in autocad...

[@amiamso]

Robert, Your right about Autocad, it came out in the 80s. So we're left with two theories "one guy gone lazy" or the "two guys that only add up to 1.5" I just flipped a coin.... you call it.

[@theinfernalcraftsman]

@@amiamso As Homer Simpson said " A little from column A a little from column B".

[@AutoRestoMod]

Actually, Ford allowed variance of 1/16 to 1/8th inch on the body panels. This happened on the line as they were being built usually.

[@theinfernalcraftsman]

@@AutoRestoMod Very true on the 1/8" though they tended to use that 1/8" more than once on many gaps... But I was referencing the guys in the design of the sheetmetal. On the 65-66 mustang when replacing quarters... The lower edge of the quarter window area to the rocker panel where it comes up against the lock pillar. The pass side is beautifully designed where the two pieces perfectly butt against each other to fit flush and make the alignment easy. The guy designing the drivers side flat didn't care. Those flanges are just hacked out of steel and were overlapped. Will see if I can dig up pics of both sides.

[@dreamingcode]

Looks good enough for government work is my motto

[@AutoRestoMod]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[@413x398]

You want to move the hood forward, but it looks like it's already ahead of the fender, looking at the moldings.

[@AutoRestoMod]

The passenger side is in after getting all that stuff to fit. I should have stated that a little clearer.

[@Paulie1232]

Move the auto krafters sign to the right, or you move to the left....

[@AutoRestoMod]

If you had bought a bigger background I would. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA

[@bigbands972]

Will replacing the hood hinges with new ones do anything???

[@AutoRestoMod]

New hood hinges will make it easier to operate and to do a good positioning, but the problem I run into on wagons is that the doors are the issue. With the B pillar post being there, you don't have much room to be able to move forward without impacting the gap at the back of the door.

[@oacumulador]

Welcome to Fomoco quality control... Maverick has the same issues

[@AutoRestoMod]

Quality is job 1! Unfortunately we are on Job 22 and won't get to job one for some weeks.

[@kq2799]

Like they say; it doesn't have to be perfect, just has to "look" perfect...

[@AutoRestoMod]

LOL

[@hughphillips67Mustang]

Got a video how to drop the back of the hood when there is no adjustment left????

[@AutoRestoMod]

That could be a function of the hood hinge being worn. Remember that adjustment is to rock the hood back on the axis of the hinge. Go look at some of our 1960s Mustang hood videos. I go into more detail about that.

[@hughphillips67Mustang]

@@AutoRestoMod I've watched them all. They were very helpful. And I did as you suggested. I'm starting to think I just need new hinges.

[@RealWorldGarage]

What you’re showing here is EXTREMELY important to do BEFORE you goto paint and finish body work.

[@AutoRestoMod]

Agreed. I would hate to find that issue after paint.

[@brianwaskow5910]

15 foot factor.

[@AutoRestoMod]

YES! That and some booze.

[@hankhessig6586]

You need to shrink that metal

[@AutoRestoMod]

I might need to shrink the inner fender. It is pretty stretched.

[@hankhessig6586]

Seemed logical but werent.......hmmmm......like marriage!!!!!!!! ahahahahaha

[@AutoRestoMod]

Look at me all not touching that comment. LOL

[@hankhessig6586]

@@AutoRestoMod LOL

[@OldeCarrGuy]

jIHegh 'e' vImaS - You'll get it if you can figure it out.

[@AutoRestoMod]

If...always a four letter word.

[@atlurker8037]

Your elbows are a bit weird. Look like Ronnie Coleman's.

[@AutoRestoMod]

I have bursitis. It is an arthritic condition that causes what some people call Popeye elbow or "a bit weird". AND it's kinds sad that after all that work you are only seeing my elbows.

[@chrisgreenaway6696]

Complains about an apron do it right or don’t do it at all

[@AutoRestoMod]

Thanks for the comment. I think I hit it.

[@chrisgreenaway6696]

@@AutoRestoMod I love your stuff and know your vehicles are rotational projects. But if it’s someone’s dream car it should be done perfectly is all I’m saying