Question about keeping hood aligned when reinstalling.

I have my hood fitting pretty good, and now it needs to come off for prep and paint. How can you make sure it goes back on the hinges where it is now? Can I drill a hole through the hinge and into the hood for alignment? Should I use a screw or will an upside down rivet work? Thanks for the help on my stupid question

Brad

 

1/8" hole thru each hinge; or scribe a deep line around the perimeter of the hinges. Deep enough to show thru the paint...

 

What I'd do is drill the hole thru the hinge and the hood, and 1/8" drill would work fine. That way you can use a pin to realign the hood. If the nuts are welded into the hood, scribing a line around the hinge would work as well. On the later cars, they used J-nuts; which could give you a slight shift. I'm not sure how the nuts were installed in your hood.

 

I've always used a pencil to draw a line around the hinge. I've never had to scratch a deep line and damage the paint, just a dark pencil line will do.

 

If you use the "drill a hole method", and then put a pin in to align the hood to that spot, it will be in exactly the same spot as it was before; when you drilled the hole.

 

How will that work when he paints the hood?

Because most hood hinges move in two planes in relation to the hood, I usually drill two 1/8" holes in each hinge. That way it keeps the alignment correct both front to rear and also sideway/diagonally. Might seem like overkill but it works and doesn't hurt anything.

 

Actually I ended up putting on some of the J nut style retainers in the hood because the original nuts broke out. I think I will use the drill method, because of the paint deal I dont think I will be able to see the marks otherwise. Thanks for the help, my hood will appreciate it.

Brad