Hood gap - I'm so sorry to start this thread

[jmasin]

Ok all, I promise I searched, and I've reading 3 year old hood-gap threads on this and the other forum for an hour now. I'm familiar with adjustment points etc. Most of the how-tos are so old that the included images are no longer around, so it makes it harder to understand...

I can't get my brain around which adjustment to make and where, my issue confuses me...

LR of hood: Good, well aligned to door
RR of hood: Good, well aligned to door
RF of hood: Perfect for me
LF of hood:

• Gap along top outer headlight and to fascia
• Fascia and front of hood aligned perfectly
• Headligth and fascia aligned well
• Originally front point of hood was contacting inside of headlight
• Noticed the LF latch had been moved down a bit, raised that and no longer any contact with headlight

So 3.5 of 4 corners are perfect, I'm not sure how to achieve closing ONLY the gap on the outside of the left headlight.

Let the flogging begin for another hood gap thread (sorry!)

 

[JohnnyViper]

do you have pictures?

 

[jmasin]

I snapped these poor cellphone pics... it isn't horrible but it bugs me. I can always just start messing with it, but I was trying to think of how to adjust what and I can't make it work in my mind LOL

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[plumcrazy]

Hood cant be aligned. It's only 4 bolts. Might try he lights but is say its fine. They're all different

 

[99 R/T 10]

looks fine to me......................

 

[jmasin]

looks fine to me......................

I have been known to obsess... it's noticeable to me but may not be worth jacking with.

 

[uvbnbit]

Maybe the rubber "stopper" could be lowered a bit? would that help? btw, I've seen a WHOLE lot worse.

 

[JohnnyViper]

your hood is perfect, all the hood have that type of gap over the lights

 

[JohnnyViper]

and uvbnbit is right....I have also see a lot worse

 

[vancouver-gts]

Every Gen II Viper I've seen has gaps between headlights and hood [ eyebrow] Hood and fascia are flimsy fit to describe it best.The four point latch doesn't stop the hood from dancing either, hence the clips for hood/fascia installed on the race cars.I whished Chrysler did that for the street models
Here's what mine looks like

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[JohnnyViper]

nice color combo

 

[jmasin]

Thanks guys. I was looking more at the diff left to right, but ya don't see Vipers every day so wasn't sure if this was excessive.

Appreciate the replies.

 

[Paul Hawker]

Good looking Viper.

"Better is the enemy of good"

Vipers of that era were hand built vehicles with lots of shims to make them fit as well as possible.

The Viper hood is one of the largest pieces of thermoplastic of its type in the world. (think the space shuttle had larger pieces)

Only in the Gen 3's did Viper begin using a precision laser guided coining proceedure to make parts fit more precisely and interchangeably.

When Dan Cragin worked at Santa Monica Dodge they had the most fantastic body shop, run by Ole who could work magic with body panel fittment. Almost always took taking the entire part off, and refitting by people with lots of Viper specific experience. Few shops could approach their level of fittment.

Might take a ton of work to make it a tiny bit better, and maybe even up ending worse : < (

 

[jmasin]

Might take a ton of work to make it a tiny bit better, and maybe even up ending worse : < (

Yeah.. nail meet hammer... That's what I was afraid of.

I'll leave it. The view from the inside is the same regardless

 

[GTS Dean]

There's an adjustable bracket that controls the upper fascia corner/hood gap. It has adjustments at the inboard (frame horn) end and outboard (headlight) end. If the hood is good at the doors and rocker sills, then the fascia aligns to the hood, then the headlights align to both the hood and fascia.

http://forums.viperclub.org/rt-10-gts-discussions/583184-front-fascia-alignment-other-issues.html

 

[GTS Dean]

sorry, double post

 

[Twister]

This was the main reason after owning a gen2 rt10 and selling it and then debateing over a gen2 GTS or gen 3 SRT I went with the SRT.

Gen2's are amazeing cars. BEA U tiful. But the gaps really bugged me. I was able to adjust my lights ect and the hood to make it look better but it was always pretty noticable.

Cant have it all..You aint getten no 8.0 engine plus to die for exterior and half decent interior for 70-77K and then haveing first class fit and finish as well.

The gen3's have a awesome fit and finish. But the price also jumped up from 75 to 83K. While I love the gen3 looks even more than gen2 Universally the gen2 is "THE VIPER" so just **** up those gaps and be happy for what it does have

 

[musclenutz]

I don't see anything to obsess over.Looks fine to me so just put it out of mind and enjoy the ride! Great looking car!

 

[97GTS]

I don't see anything to obsess over.Looks fine to me so just put it out of mind and enjoy the ride! Great looking car!

Just drive it! I promise nobody will notice it over 100mph

I can't say I have ever seen a Gen II with perfect gaps.


Ron

 

[-FROG-]

MANY Variables! I have spent hours doing this.... Bumper, lights, bolts, shims, etc... anything and everything that can be loosened and moved around to the slightest millimeter can make a big difference. You just need to allocate some time and go to town on it. It's an endless battle....

 

[NI-KA]

Glad you started this thread!

I am having a similar problem however, what is happening is the hood and the bumper cover between the headlight and the wheel well are contacting wearing at the paint. I know since the paint is wearing away due to frequent contact. Oh yea it was also rubbing on the drivers side headlight.

It was worse on the drivers side. Adjusted the drivers side now the gap is ridiculus big and the passenger side is now rubbing in the same area.

It seems that if the latch is adjusted (by lossening the two bolts holding the latch) that it has the potential to allow for this gap to be adjusted. In theory it appears that the latches should be able to limit how high the hood can rise/travel when locked and the bump stops should limit (or stop) the hood travel in the down direction.

It would appear that I am going to experience massive frustration trying to work this out......

If anyone has perfected this please comment.

 

[NI-KA]

Oh yea all the other gaps look good on the car.

 

[Paul Hawker]

Kind of like a Rubic's cube. When you adjust one thing, it effects all the others

Nobody can deny that is a great looking Viper.

Now get out and drive....

 

[Jeebs]

Well I'm glad its not just my hood. The left hand side where the hood meets the bumper at the corner of the light, i have an inch gap. But on the other side the hood is tight to the bumper. Not so much a gap around the lights just from the hood to bumper on the sides. The front is fine. It does bother me, but for the most part people don't notice it. So i've been trying to do what everyone on here is saying and just drive it.

 

[v10enomous]

I have yet to see one that I would call perfect. What you're doing is the equivalent of pointing out that Kate Upton's hair needs to be brushed a little...

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[Silver04]

What you're doing is the equivalent of pointing out that Kate Upton's hair needs to be brushed a little...

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Ha ha, good one - I honestly didn't realize she even had hair until you pointed it out!

 

[LiquoRT/10]

Glad you started this thread!

I am having a similar problem however, what is happening is the hood and the bumper cover between the headlight and the wheel well are contacting wearing at the paint. I know since the paint is wearing away due to frequent contact.

I put a small piece of 3m protective tape on both sides so they rub on each other and not the paint. It worked good for me.

 

[Solid Red 98]

It looks to me that the only area that is out of adjustment, is the left fascia corner. All of your other gaps look good. I would look at the fascia bracket and try to reduce the gap there. It looks sweet otherwise. Gen 2 gaps are a bit of a monkey puzzle, but your's looks like it might be simple. God luck with it.

 

[FastZilla]

Drive faster and neither you nor anyone else will notice They are all a bit off, quirk of the car.

 

[Silver04]

Ha ha, good one - I honestly didn't realize she even had hair until you pointed it out!

Was at an event this past weekend and my kid wanted an autograph and photo to commemorate the occassion:

My wife showed me the pic later and I almost spit out my beer!!