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Hi everyone! I’m looking for some advice on how to make my F1 bodywork right.
I recently swapped my engine for a second 8BA with higher compression. After putting the body back together, I have a huge gap between the hood and the fenders.
I looked over the service manual but don't know the best option for aligning the panels. How can I tell if the fenders are low or if the hood is high? Which bolts do I need to adjust to close this gap?
I had to drill out some radiator shroud bolts and use undersized bolts for now until I can retap the holes (the bolts snapped when I removed them). It's possible that the undersized bolts I have in there now might be responsible for the fenders sitting a little low. The fenders are fiberglass and I haven't been able to get the fender to running board bolts in yet, but those have never gone together since I've owned the truck.
Could this be an issue with the hinge? Latch? I’m grasping at straws here, since the front end seems pretty well secured and I don’t see much room for adjustment.
I've got the same combo! F1 and a blue miata. Your alignment of the fenders and the center hood support look good. I don't seen any seams between the upper and lower fenders. Are those fiberglass fenders?
Is the hood latched tightly? No slop up and down? Are the rubber hood bumpers touching the fenders on both sides?
Almost looks like the fenders have a different profile than the hood.
Tinman, that's where I was going. If the glass fenders have a different profile, pulling that center hood support down into the wrong position, then it's not going to be just an alignment issue. It may be a case of modifying the hood to fit the fenders.
I'm not sure that the profiles are different. The fenders are fiberglass, but they're the same in both photos. The latch is done but I'm not sure the bumpers are touching the fenders; I'll have to go out and check this afternoon.
Would the hood bowing (from trying to lift it too high) cause this? If anything, I would have figured it would close the gap at the edge but raise the middle.
I'm not sure if any of them fit that good from the factory. My bumpers don't touch the fenders on either side. I have done several things and nothing has helped. New hood springs may pull the back down, which will help. I put a new cowl rubber on and I don't think the hood even touches it. Too sum this all up, I have no idea.
Assuming that the "radiator shroud bolts" that you mentioned are really the fender to radiator support bolt then smaller bolts would have some impact on the condition that you are showing. That support controls everything on the front end as the inner and outer fenders and the fender supports all bolt to that. If your bolts are smaller than normal then that will let everything mount lower. Also make sure that the pad and spacers under the rad support are there. Also the springs and bolts are not cranked down too tight.
Well, I may be all wrong on this, but this is what I have come up with, since I am having the same problem. My rear cab mounts and frame to cab rubber bumpers are worn out. The spacing between the cab and bed is wider at the bottom than the top. So, if you raise the cab in the rear it will lower the cowl section in turn, lowering the rear of the hood. The rear of my cab is going to need to be raised about 3/4" which will lower the cowl section about 3/8" This should let the hood to fender clearance come into acceptable tolerances. I haven't done it yet but I am about do it. It only makes sense to me. If I'm right I'm a hero, if I'm wrong don't blame me. Good luck. My head hurts from thinking too much. lol
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