Hood alignment

[karmannghia60]

Hello
The hood on my '69 280SL is sitting slightly higher than it should at the windsheild end. I don't see how can I adjusted down at the lock. At am I missing?
Thanks
Rafik
Melbourne, Australia

[jharkin]

have you checked the rubber stops in the corners of the hood at the windshield end? these can be adjusted. maybe they are too far out and need to be screwed down a bit.

[karmannghia60]

Yes, I did. They are not even touching the hood

[Richard Madison]

Just a few thoughts...diagnosis at a distance is not easy:

Some obvious things you probably already did: make sure nothing on the inside of the hood itself, or along the firewall seam (like the three flat bumpers), or on either side of the engine compartment could prevent closing...check the hood latch to look for trouble...make sure nothing on the valve cover or in the engine compartment is unusually high (there have been cases of incorrect engine mounts resultng in a push-up dent in the middle of the hood)...maybe look at the two front hood hinges to see if anything might be preventing them from closing...eyeball the hood spring especially the loose end to make sure its not jamming against a relay or emission box.

Silly section: I'v had the hood safety strap stick out through the hood-fender seam...did not prevent the hood from closing...but looked very stupid.

To make sure the rubber bumper is not the culprit, maybe unscrew and remove the bumper and the threaded shaft entirely.

Eyeball the hood to see if it's warped or bent.

Richard M, NYC

[Miloslav Maun]

My first pagoda had the same issue. Nothing was pushing the bonnet up - it was just the lock in the middle of the firewall that was too high. And it cannot be lowered, only maybe using a big hammer 
Sorry I cannot bring any solution - I did not solve it either on my car.

[karmannghia60]

Nothing is pushing the hood up on mine either. No screw drivers, no rubber stops no high, nothing obvious. As Muf said, the only thing seem to be the latch in the middle and there is no adjustment on it anyway. Seem odd that the whole hood does not have any adjustment on it at all

[66andBlue]

New hoods were trimmed and fitted by hand but since they easily deform, the process has be started over again.
For more details read Al Lieffrings's comments here: http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=9769

[al_lieffring]

The hoods as stated earlier are made out of very soft aluminum, the back corners are fairly easy to bend down by placing a wood block on top of the latch in the center and gently pressing both outer corners down, but it is very likely that this will dammage the paint. It would have been safer to have done this before the car was refinished.

the fix for this may be wose than the problem.

[Ulf]

Mine does exactly the same, but only while driving as the airflow pushes the right side of it slightly upwards. Have tried everything short of bending it, which is not recommended. As it only slightly affects the cosmetic appearance and not the driving pleasure, I would keep it as it is.

Kind regards

Ulf

[hands_aus]

Hey Rafik
How is the fit of the front of the bonnet?
if it is low at the front maybe raising the front will allow the rear to sit differently.

[abe280SL]

Another one here for the same problem...I have lived with it for 20 years...I will live with it for another 20.
abe

[Kayvan]

My hood started to rise on one side....

The center lock assembly on firewall had worked out 2 screws out of four, 2 other were missing....and assembly was wobbling around.

I would make sure all have all 4 scews  are in place, the plate is not damaged or distorted, and centered.....there is some play possible when loose.

It fit perfectly afterward.