Skip to main content
Topic: Tbird sport Hood & nose to TC hood and nose (Read 2354 times) previous topic - next topic

Tbird sport Hood & nose to TC hood and nose

has anyone noticed any issues matching up the lines of the hood when you drop in a TC hood & TC header panel on a sport ?

we seem to be coming up with a gap along the area where the header panel meets the hood and from dead center moving to the left or the right,,,,,,  the gap seems to get wider.

Tbird sport Hood & nose to TC hood and nose

Reply #1
Maybe you need to realign your fenders. It shouldn't make a difference as far as the body goes. A Sport, a TC or a 3.8 car....still the same basic body.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Tbird sport Hood & nose to TC hood and nose

Reply #2
My autox car doesn't line up quite right either, but I think the frame had been tweaked slightly.

88 t-bird tc - 14.97 @ 90  IHI 18 psi + k+n filter...so far - NOW HX-35 @25psi - 12.75@112    348rwhp/395rwtq
78 F-150 - 11.61@120 on 175shot N20 - 12.55@110 on motor - 5200# race weight:hick:

Tbird sport Hood & nose to TC hood and nose

Reply #3
This is a 1988 Hhood according to the Vin number and 88 nose and header panel

If you zoom in on the line I am showing the gap gets wider on the far left and far right like the header panel is bent or stuff just doesn't lineup

Tbird sport Hood & nose to TC hood and nose

Reply #4
Looks fine. Most of these cars are like that and came from the factory that way.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Tbird sport Hood & nose to TC hood and nose

Reply #5
Not gonna get much better. Well not without some bodywork on the nose
41 Dodge Luxury Liner Sedan
78 F-100 2wd flareside
84Turbo Coupe
84 Thunderbird Élan
85 Thunderbird 3.8
88 Turbo Coupe
88 Mustang GT
90 Stang LX 5.0 5spd
93 F-150 4x4 ext cab
96 Mustang GT
98 Mustang GT
99 SVT Cobra
06 Fusion SEL
14 Fusion Sport

Tbird sport Hood & nose to TC hood and nose

Reply #6
my cougar doesnt do this at all,, the two corners are matched perfectly.

ideas?
can anyone else confirm thier hood gap along the header when closed?

Tbird sport Hood & nose to TC hood and nose

Reply #7
for some reason im starting to think this header panel is kinda bent,,, being fiberglass not sure if thats possible but just throwing that out there.

Tbird sport Hood & nose to TC hood and nose

Reply #8
I think it would be interesting to take some measurements from the windshield to the header panel and even measure the hood. It looks to me like there is just something out of alignment somewhere. Looks like maybe that fender is sitting just a little forward of the other one. Just curious also, did the gaps look the same when the bumper cover is attached and all the braces in place? From the photo it looks like the problem exists on both sides, but is just more noticeable on the passenger side. Another possibility could be that since the car did get a frontal impact that the core support where the brace attaches in the center could be slightly bent and that is pulling the center of the header panel in a little further than it should be.

Tbird sport Hood & nose to TC hood and nose

Reply #9
I need to see the gap at the fenders and doors, and the gap at the fenders and sides of the hood.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Tbird sport Hood & nose to TC hood and nose

Reply #10
It may be possible to move the center of the header panel forward and then move the hood forward to close up the gap.

Tbird sport Hood & nose to TC hood and nose

Reply #11
Looks way better than the gaps on my car...
It's an american car, it's not a Maserati. It's built by Bob from Kentucky while he was eating McNuggets!

Tbird sport Hood & nose to TC hood and nose

Reply #12
Quote from: bodyman;427429
It may be possible to move the center of the header panel forward and then move the hood forward to close up the gap.


i didnt think of that!!!!!!!!!

that would play into the suspect that the header is "straighter" than it should be.
im gonna go see now.

Tbird sport Hood & nose to TC hood and nose

Reply #13
that worked perfectly,,,
loosened the header to bumper cover bolts and header to radiator core braket,,,

ran a wratchet strap around the header and hooked other end to my work bench
pulled the header center forward 1/8'',  locked it down.
loosened hood bolts, scooted hood forward a tad,,, all is well in the world of my boy!

will post pic,, my phone is charging now.

Tbird sport Hood & nose to TC hood and nose

Reply #14
Quote
jcassity


that worked perfectly,,,
 loosened the header to bumper cover bolts and header to radiator core braket,,,

 ran a wratchet strap around the header and hooked other end to my work bench
 pulled the header center forward 1/8'', locked it down.
 loosened hood bolts, scooted hood forward a tad,,, all is well in the world of my boy!


Good to hear that it worked, awaiting photos.....