I can t figure it out where to start on these gaps Please help

[MuRCieLaGo]

What about the support tubes to the outer corners? Every bolt that attaches or clamps the core support to the upper frame horns need to be loosened to allow vertical or longitudinal adjustment. It isn't super rigid, so you have to work carefully and snug/shim things up a little at a time.

Yes I loosened 2 out of the 3 screws that hold the tubes on each side. But like I said, even if I use the jack to lift the sides, it doesn't go high enough.

[GTS Dean]

I'm sorry amigo - either the hood catches drop down, or the core support goes up. Those, along with the small brackets that lock each side tight should provide all the adjustment needed to get the fascia in spec. One last interference check is the main holes in the core support to frame horns. I had to enlarge them to get clearance. If this doesn't fix it, you have frame issues.

[MuRCieLaGo]

I'm sorry amigo - either the hood catches drop down, or the core support goes up. Those, along with the small brackets that lock each side tight should provide all the adjustment needed to get the fascia in spec. One last interference check is the main holes in the core support to frame horns. I had to enlarge them to get clearance. If this doesn't fix it, you have frame issues.

Thanks a lot for your help... I think I forgot that I could bring that hood down too!

At this point I guess I simply have to work on it!

[dave6666]

Prediction. If you raise the core support or drop the hood by re-shimming the hinge to frame or by lowering the latches, you'll still have huge gaps between the hood and the sills and your hood to fascia elevation will be way off. And, whatever you do will come back in a few years or after a big bump or 7 in the road.

I hate to say this, but for a perfect alignment and long term solution, you need to regroup.

• Lower the hood at the side sills to close that gap.
• Correctly anchor the core support to the frame so it won't move around again. If you don't do that the gaps will come back over the years.
• Close the gap of the hood to fascia at the sides by raising the core support and rotating it on an axis of across the car. Do additional tweaking as needed by adjusting the shims of the hood hinge assembly to the frame as well as at the hood latches. You can also raise and lower the rebar to correct the elevation of the hood to fascia as is between the headlights.

I've done a bunch of these and they are all perfect and still holding after many years. Hit a bump so big in my personal car that it hit the frame and darn near tore the chin spoiler off on one side. The panel adjustments still perfect tho.

Pics are of the areas that should be changed from the factory thread cutting sheet metal screws to machine thread body bolts by installing rivet nuts. The slotted holes were to allow for the rotation of the core support as I mentioned above.

First pic is upper frame rail inside the fascia area and second pic is the thin bracket where it attaches to the frame in the wheel well.

[MuRCieLaGo]

Thanks for this write-up dave6666. Much appreciated. I made some major improvements today. What do you mean by correctly anchoring the core support to the frame? Simply add a few more shims underneath? As of right now I didn't slot any hole or shim anything.

At this point, all the gaps are satisfactory, except one (again). We can clearly see in the 2nd picture that the middle of the bumper (between headlights) is much higher than the hood. I wonder if I could simply lower the part on the 3rd picture to fix the problem...

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[GTS Dean]

Lowering the bumper support will help the fascia between the headlights. It has around 1/2" vertical and horizontal adjustment range.

[MuRCieLaGo]

Lowering the bumper support will help the fascia between the headlights. It has around 1/2" vertical and horizontal adjustment range.

How do I lower the bumper support? I assume I loosen that one bolt on each side, but whatever I do nothing moves...

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[GTS Dean]

There are 3 bolts per side that hold the bumper support to the frame horns. Pull them loose and you will see how it all works. Look closely at the photos I posted here and on the FB thread.

[MuRCieLaGo]

There are 3 bolts per side that hold the bumper support to the frame horns. Pull them loose and you will see how it all works. Look closely at the photos I posted here and on the FB thread.

I studied that support and I thought that I only need to loosen that particular bolt. I'll try some more tomorrow, long and productive day in the garage today.

[MuRCieLaGo]

There are 3 bolts per side that hold the bumper support to the frame horns. Pull them loose and you will see how it all works. Look closely at the photos I posted here and on the FB thread.

Alright, I had to removed the bumper support to access the 2nd bolt on each side. I still don't know what to do with the shims from the core support to the lower frame rails though...

[Fatboy 18]

Its a PIA Every single thing you move affects something else!

[GTS Dean]

Alright, I had to removed the bumper support to access the 2nd bolt on each side. I still don't know what to do with the shims from the core support to the lower frame rails though...

Did you find the slots for the carriage bolts that provide vertical and horizontal adjustments for the rebar?

[MuRCieLaGo]

Its a PIA Every single thing you move affects something else!

I was warned and prepared!

Did you find the slots for the carriage bolts that provide vertical and horizontal adjustments for the rebar?

I'm not sure what you mean by "rebar" (sorry, some english terms are still beyond my knowledge), but these are the 2 bolts on each side for the bumper support adjustment. Definitely fixed my bumper cover that was too high!
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I can clearly see the progress today! I think I should be done tomorrow. Angle and lighting in garage don't do justice to my work! Bumper/headlights aren't fully bolted neither.
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At this point, my main concern is to move the front end of the hood towards the passenger side. I don't want to change anything else on it!
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I wonder if I can adjust these bolts to achieve my goal?
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[GTS Dean]

NO! There is also lateral adjustment in the bumper support (rebar) to help with stripe matching and inner headlight corners. The bumper support bolts to a pair of adapter plates, which you have not removed from your car. The front of the frame has vertical slots, the adapters have horizontal slots. The same 2 bolts per side are loosened to provide up/down and side-side movement for the middle of the fascia. The Gen 1 and Gen 2 cars have slightly different adjustment slots, but they provide generally the same flexibility.

For the hood, you may have to loosen the 3 bolts per side where the lower hinges bolt to the top of the frame. 2-man job!

[MuRCieLaGo]

Alright I'm pretty much all done! I'm just trying to figure out how to install that one bolt from bumper cover to bumper support, just in front of the headlights on both sides. It was a pain to take out, I've got no clue how I'm gonna put them back!

[GTS Dean]

Reach your hand in from the hole below the airbox snorkle in front of the radiator. A 15mm ratchet wrench will do the trick.

[MuRCieLaGo]

Reach your hand in from the hole below the airbox snorkle in front of the radiator. A 15mm ratchet wrench will do the trick.

Well I never managed to reach it. I'm sure everything will hold anyway!

And I'm now done! The hardest part was to understand the adjustments... I think I got an acceptable 90%.

No shims (except under headlights), no drilling, no cutting. I hope everything will stay as it is, bolts are really tight. Thanks a lot GTS Dean, you've been more than helpful. I really appreciate it.

[GTS Dean]

Must have before/after photos!!!

[Fatboy 18]

Big thanks to you Dean and Dave for the help of setting my car up again. It's not a job I want to tackle again!

[JimJoeBob]

Checked back to this thread after being away from internet for awhile and seen there's a huge amount of info getting here. Glad a lot of other folks are getting their info here so they can fix and beatify their Vipers. Unfortunately I have some damage a garage mechanic can't fix by his self so AutoForm will be my go to man once I have the funds required for his work. Much appreciated for you fellas info.

[MuRCieLaGo]

By the way, these bolts were, as GTS Dean mentioned, completely useless for the adjustment. I tried and they didn't change anything.

I wonder if I can adjust these bolts to achieve my goal?
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Here are before/after pictures. Is it perfect? Of course it is not! Nothing in nature is perfect!

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