Misaligned hood is really bugging me...... Options

[macnichol]

How would you guys go about fixing this, bothers me a lot and I feel like it’d fly up at any moment and smack the windscreen. She’s in rough shape cosmetically but luckily it is all surface rust, it was stored in a dry Indiana warehouse for years.

[JOEPROPER]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[Cairo94507]

I would check to make sure there is nothing keeping that passenger side from coming down first. Hinges, springs, crap in the track, etc. Once that has been eliminated, I would grab a block of wood and try persuading that hood back down by applying pressure. That hood may have been twisted at some point and needs to be helped to return to its original shape. BTW, are you sure the chassis/tub is otherwise straight an in alignment? Go slowly and be careful. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[sixnotfour]

Did they have an elephant ? Looks to me like one sat on the right front fender..
Show the inside on trunk

[Jonathan Livesay]

Pull the front bumper and see if anything lines up.

[RoadGlue]

Being that there aren't any creases in the hood, I'd recommend not trying to encourage it to fit. As others have suggested, it's possible that the problem isn't with the hood but actually with the fender, etc. You should absolutely pull the bumper to see how it all looks. Also pull the spare tire and look for any crinkles in the bodywork around the headlight boxes. There's something else going on as there's no possible way the hood could be this misaligned without there being a larger, underlying issue.

[bbrock]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) with all of the above. I spent a lot of time gently massaging my hood to correct a 1/4" lift on a hood I knew for sure was bent. That looks like something else might be going on. While you are in the trunk, also inspect the structural fame member of the hood. They can give a lot of clues about damage to the hood itself that needs correcting.

[macnichol]

I would check to make sure there is nothing keeping that passenger side from coming down first. Hinges, springs, crap in the track, etc. Once that has been eliminated, I would grab a block of wood and try persuading that hood back down by applying pressure. That hood may have been twisted at some point and needs to be helped to return to its original shape. BTW, are you sure the chassis/tub is otherwise straight an in alignment? Go slowly and be careful. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

I’ve got a few photos of the passenger side here, it looks straight to my eyes. I can’t get photos of the underside of the hood right at this moment but I’ll update with them soon.

[jaredmcginness]

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-24372-1594421971.jpeg)

Poorly fitting hood or not, that's a cool looking car. Love the VW style steels.

Edit: WELCOME to the World!

[PanelBilly]

Warp the hood, just bend gently. I'd take it off and release the springs on the brackets so you can lay it down check your progress. Might be better with a helper so you can work it from the edges. Making the hood fit a twisted body is ok if that will make you happy

[sixnotfour]

Making the hood fit a twisted body is ok if that will make you happy

Last pic looks like it got closed on something, causing weird arc

[macnichol]

Making the hood fit a twisted body is ok if that will make you happy

wrong advice,,too many different pics..something has happened..not the hood.
maybe, by this pics its just not right, fi3st pic aludes to more damage..
more pics....

Last pic looks like it got closed on something, causing weird arc

still going with elephant

How would I measure to make sure it’s not frame related? I’d be absolutely crushed if that was the case, I have no way of fixing something major like that. I can take more pictures when I get to the shop but the passenger side is super straight and doesn’t show any evidence of frame damage like that. I wouldn’t even know what could cause a car to be bent in that way, I think the wheel arches would definitely show it and the suspension would bust out of the housing. I’m still definitely learning and new to 914-land

[macnichol]

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-24372-1594421971.jpeg)

Poorly fitting hood or not, that's a cool looking car. Love the VW style steels.

Edit: WELCOME to the World!

Thank you sir, I like them too! Hope to get them with a coat of primer and gloss black soon:)

[Jonathan Livesay]

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/post-24372-1594421971.jpeg)

Poorly fitting hood or not, that's a cool looking car. Love the VW style steels.

Edit: WELCOME to the World!

Thank you sir, I like them too! Hope to get them with a coat of primer and gloss black soon:)

To my eye it looks like the fit starts to go wrong right about where the crack/tear/whatever is going on with the bumper top is located. Check if the lid seal channel has been pushed back and up so that the lid can not close enough.

[bkrantz]

To me, it looks like lots of misfit points. The right rear corner of the hood sits high, and perhaps could be adjusted with the hinge mount. The right headlight also looks low. And the entire front of the hood is also high.

[RoadGlue]

Do you need our help getting the front trunk open? Is the pull handle not working?

[Coondog]

Little tough love my friend but your car has bigger issues then your hood. But hey it’s nothing that time, money and your own sweat can’t fix. I personally would start by striping it down and look for bigger problems. Make a list of what your going to need and post up some WTB in the classified section.

Good luck

[macnichol]

Do you need our help getting the front trunk open? Is the pull handle not working?

The pull handle works okay, just requires a *lot* of pull getting the mechanism to pop, which is suspect is due to age. I’ll head to my garage Monday and settle this, really hoping it’s not frame bent, just sick thinking about it. This was supposed to be my first college project car, a bent frame is way beyond my experience right now.

[Dion]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) my 2 cents.
Something whacked that front right area of the bumper.
At least on my screen it appears that the bumper is pushed in.
The rubber is notched and destroyed just above the pressed in area of bumper.
That impact reached the hood and buckled it. The rain channels may be misaligned as well. It looks like something impacted it or the 914 kissed something.
Good luck, all can be fixed. How much time and $ is up to you.
Again welcome!

[bbrock]

Do you need our help getting the front trunk open? Is the pull handle not working?

The pull handle works okay, just requires a *lot* of pull getting the mechanism to pop, which is suspect is due to age. I’ll head to my garage Monday and settle this, really hoping it’s not frame bent, just sick thinking about it. This was supposed to be my first college project car, a bent frame is way beyond my experience right now.

You don't know what it is yet, so I wouldn't panic just yet. You just need to figure out what is going on so when you start moving metal around, you are moving the right stuff. My first college car was a 914 in way worse shape than whatever yours has going on.