Hood Alignment Problems. huge gap on passenger side

[miesk5]

Poor vision

 

[johnnyreb]

Yo,
Excuse me, my vision is Poor.

Well Mike you don,t want my specks. Eveytime the va gives me a pair. I end up going to the Dollar Tree and get a $1.00 pair.

 

[johnnyreb]

Maybe the hood is warped or was not made right. I,d mearsure it really good and have a good look at the hinges.

Make a list of everything you have check and mark it off. Its easy to over look something. I,d check the frame out good too.

 

[Seabee1966/1994]

Yo,
Excuse me, my vision is Poor.

I agree w/ johnnyreb, it is almost for certain one of these, especially the front frame damage. Look under your Bronco and you will see some rectangular holes on the bottom of the frame, if they look distorted there has been frame straighten from a wreck or roll over. This is quite common to see.

Also did you measure from the top of frame to the floor, do this on all four corners?

 

[rossr1991]

I know one thing for sure, it isnt the new hood. I out my uncles hood off his ‘72 and had the same issue. I cant find anything wrong with the frame. It has to be in the firewall windshield cowl area. Im 25 1/2” on both sides from the floor to the top of windshield cowl with the dash removed. When i cross measure the doors again it shows the kick panels are both leaning to the driver side 1/4”

at this point all i know to do is start dismantling it where the kick panels and aprons meet and keep going from there until it lines up.

 

[johnnyreb]

Same hear Mike.

Everything up front is new floor, firewall, kick panels, windshield cowl, aprons, hood, etc i just cant find what part isnt right to correct it, everything is measuring with 1/8-1/4 of the other bronco sitting next to it. Except the 1/2” from from cowl to core support

Today I was working on the tailgate of my 78 Bronco and noticed something I never before and it might be the same answer to your problem. It has a gap and it looks like one rear quater panel WAS REPLACED. IT LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT BE LONGER THEN THE OTHER ONE.tHE GAPS AT THE DOOR ARE THE SAME. Measure the LENGHT of your fenders too. People are all the time talking about parts not fitting or made right. Maybe that IS our answer.

 

[rossr1991]

Same hear Mike.

Today I was working on the tailgate of my 78 Bronco and noticed something I never before and it might be the same answer to your problem. It has a gap and it looks like one rear quater panel WAS REPLACED. IT LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT BE LONGER THEN THE OTHER ONE.tHE GAPS AT THE DOOR ARE THE SAME. Measure the LENGHT of your fenders too. People are all the time talking about parts not fitting or made right. Maybe that IS our answer.

I have the rear quarters off mine now. I started at the front and was working my way the back. Every single piece od sheet metal on mine is new except the rear floor and one rear fenderwell

 

[johnnyreb]

I have the rear quarters off mine now. I started at the front and was working my way the back. Every single piece od sheet metal on mine is new except the rear floor and one rear fenderwell

Looks like you have a nice place to work on it and alot of work ahead of you. I looks good of what you have done. Thanks for the pictures.

 

[rossr1991]

Looks like you have a nice place to work on it and alot of work ahead of you. I looks good of what you have done. Thanks for the pictures.

40x100 shop

 

[rossr1991]

40x100 shop

Just missing a/c lol

 

[johnnyreb]

Just missing a/c lol

Well if your in a hot are like hear. I,d defintely get one. ha ha

 

[rossr1991]

Well if your in a hot are like hear. I,d defintely get one. ha ha

East texas been in 90’s with high humidity

 

[johnnyreb]

Well if your in a hot are like hear. I,d defintely get one. ha ha

I was stationed at Ft Hood back in 1969 and it got hot their. Was hitchikeing back from Ft Sam Houtson in a short sleeve shirt and in Austin we hit snow. Got picked up buy the police for hitchikeing in the city limits,but he warned us. Said the next time he take us in. The we caught a ride in a Pontiac 2plus 2 with a 4 speed. all the way to our barracks. Those memorys will never be forgotten.

 

[MT Phil]

need some help figuring this out. i see that the front clip on the passenger side is 1/2" longer but it doesnt close the gap up when moved. i can pull the front clip over to the driver side and close gap up but then the frame mounts are totally off and my doors to fenders line isnt bows inward.

View attachment 28143View attachment 28144View attachment 28145

Loosen every nut and bolt up and shift, wiggle, push and pull, it should come true. You're not that far off on your measurements just out of square. When you get close start with one fixed point and work from it.

 

[Bommer]

Maybe the hood is warped or was not made right. I,d mearsure it really good and have a good look at the hinges.

From the look of your measurements and what you said looks like the frame maybe tweaked a bit. From the measurements the pass side may of been hit and pushed back making it the 1/2 inch shorter if you want it right may want to take to a frame shop and get them to check with the right equipment to know for sure. I had a similar problem with a 79 Bronco I bought could not get the front end adjusted took it to frame shop ended up it was hit side ways in the front end and both frame rails were pushed side ways little pull and they got it so the front end lined up perfect. Just an ideal from my experience.

 

[blksn8k]

Since the rear edge of the hood aligns with the windshield frame and the windshield frame is bolted to the cowl it could be that the windshield frame is not square with the rest of the body. Just a thought but I would be surprised if the windshield frame could be installed 1/2" off.
Also, does the Bronco have a body or suspension lift or have you replaced any of the suspension parts? If you have you need to make sure all of that is also properly installed. Believe it or not, even the C-bushings on the front suspension radius arms can cause some weird body alignment issues if they are not installed correctly. They can put things in some odd twists and drive you nuts trying to find the problem. Have you measured the height of the cowl from side to side? That would be a good indication of a C-bushing alignment issue if it is not same on both sides.

 

[chrlsful]

there is oem measurements on CB the bronk site & in the typical bronk vendor paper catalogues. When having troubles like this I'd go AAALLL the way back to base measurements. That's Y body men have mock up after mock up B4 actual final bolt'n weld.
BUT !
Most ppl think this is a modern car AND nota jeep (or "truck"). It is not... and 'line ups' and panel gaps are not something many fret with. There R those who want better than original, must have certain things and therefore will go thru some frustration. I hada golfer friend like that and a new set of clubs could be found monthly at the bottom of the fairway lake or distributed over the course one by one (rage) in trees and so forth.

 

[rossr1991]

I worked in it some this weekend, decided to just get the back finished and work my way to the front. Got both back quarters and B pillars in. Lower quarter is just stuck up there for now. Waiting on a passenger door, first one arrived damaged. Also took tue front clip loose at the kick panels to make things easier checking for errors with windshield cowl etc