Hood Gaps!!!

[GhostStalker27]

Alright that's it, I can't take it anymore! I need to fix the crazy amount of space between my front fascia and hood.

Look at this thing!

I swear it's getting bigger.


I think I need to lift the headlight then pivot the front fascia up to fill the gap better. My question is has anyone attempted this? I've search all the Viper forums, everyone's familiar with the problem, but no luck finding someone who has experience fixing it. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

[slitherv10]

Is that the original hood?

Looks like if you tried to adjust the hood or headlight, you would still have the larger gap from hood to front fascia. If you tried to adjust just the front fascia it looks like you would have the light gap.

The gap between your hood and sill also looks a smidge off. looks like the gap gets larger it moves towards the front of the car.

I think the hood is the culprit here or, just move the headlight back a smidge and live with the larger gap on the side

[GhostStalker27]

Not original hood

This is the car from the front, it doesn't look nearly as bad


And from the other side, I can live with this gap, just not the one on the other side

[mjorgensen]

You are going to have to adjust the radiator support angles and height to move the fascia, rotate back and up. Getting gaps right takes a lot of adjustments, you will likely spend 8+ hours trying different shims etc. to get it even close. Check for loose mounting brackets first on the drivers side and mis matched shim stacks. The front frame horns could have been tweaked at some point causing the change.

[GhostStalker27]

You are going to have to adjust the radiator support angles and height to move the fascia, rotate back and up. Getting gaps right takes a lot of adjustments, you will likely spend 8+ hours trying different shims etc. to get it even close. Check for loose mounting brackets first on the drivers side and mis matched shim stacks. The front frame horns could have been tweaked at some point causing the change.

Thanks morgensen - Few questions

Will I be able to adjust the radiator support with the car on the ground?
Do I need to detach and adjust other things to move the radiator support?
As far as shims do I just pick up standard Auto body shims?
What's involved with swiveling the back part of the headlight up?

Thanks again

[mjorgensen]

Thanks morgensen - Few questions

Will I be able to adjust the radiator support with the car on the ground?
Do I need to detach and adjust other things to move the radiator support?
As far as shims do I just pick up standard Auto body shims?
What's involved with swiveling the back part of the headlight up?

Thanks again

You will have to remove and replace the fascia many times to get things right, but it can be done on the ground. The shims you will see when you get the fascia off they are wide slotted shims, you can probably find something close, the factory ones are pricey. The shims under the radiator support will raise either side independently and there is a bracket in the front fender well that attaches the support to the frame, it is slotted and quite often found loose or bent.

[Bugman Jeff]

I've done it, I spend around 12 hours doing both sides. It's not hard, just tedious(and mine was pretty screwed up when I got it). For the corner gap, there's a strut that goes from the frame to the fascia corner. You'll have to take the headlight out to get to it. Loosen the strut and the closing panel/wheel arch bolts, shove the fascia back into place, and tighten everything back down. The headlight housing has studs on the bottom. Once the fascia is where you want it, use body shims, washers, ect to shim up the back of the headlight and get it in place. The piece that the headlight light assembly mounts to also has some wiggle room. Everything you move will move something someplace else, so check all your fascia gaps before you get everything completely back together. Mine's still not perfect, but I was tired of dicking around with it and it needs to come apart for paint later anyway. I didn't need to move my radiator support.

[AZTVR]

I can imagine how much a body shop would charge to do that ! Looks perfect from here ! ( Of course that gap between the fascia & parking lot curb needs adjusting if you are going to keep the rest of the gaps like they are now , LOL ! )

[GhostStalker27]

Bugman Jeff, looks good. In the first picture the hood doesn't even seem closed all the way, looks like you had your work cut out for you. If I can get it so it looks like pic #2 - I'll be a happy camper.

[Bugman Jeff]

The fascia was waaay off when I got it. Not only was the hood closed all the way, the latch and bump stop were adjusted all the way down. The second pic was while I was still learning how long the nose was, and I still had like 3/8" between the curb and the fascia

[GhostStalker27]

The fascia was waaay off when I got it. Not only was the hood closed all the way, the latch and bump stop were adjusted all the way down. The second pic was while I was still learning how long the nose was, and I still had like 3/8" between the curb and the fascia

I didn't see this new pic til now, it looks damn near perfect! So in the end you made it look that good by tweaking the headlights and front fascia, and no hood adjustment or radiator housing? good stuff man. Both sides look that good?

[Bugman Jeff]

Correct, no hood adjustment, or rad support adjustment. All bumper/fascia, closing panel, and headlight adjustment. The other side isn't quite as good. I could have spent more time working on the headlight fit, but knowing it still needs bodywork, I was to the "just get it together and be done with it" stage in my motivation. Here's the other side:

[Matt M, Pa]

On my 2000, the driver's side gap looks very similar to the original poster's. I bought the car new and it wasn't that way when it was new....it seems to have migrated over the years. The car has never been hit.

Any ideas on where to start?

[AZTVR]

On my 2000, the driver's side gap looks very similar to the original poster's. I bought the car new and it wasn't that way when it was new....it seems to have migrated over the years. The car has never been hit.

Any ideas on where to start?

I would take note of Mark Jorgensen's comments about commonly finding a bracket loose, and check that out first, especially if you have been the only driver and know that you never bottomed out the fascia such that you would have bent something.

[GBS]

Nice Job Bugman Jeff! Originally your gap was about the worst I've seen. My driver's side gap is too wide and bugs me. If there was someone in southwest Florida I new would fix it right I would take it in. Maybe if I quite working so many hours, I'll try to fix it myself. It would have been great if you took some pics of what you did.

[City]

Geeze, Jeff! Do you HAVE to rest your chin on the curb???!!! That pic is painful to view.

Ghost,

You're not far from Tator. Not sure how you value your time, but you might give him a call. His "hour" is usually worth about 10 of mine. Just sayin...

[GhostStalker27]

Ghost,

You're not far from Tator. Not sure how you value your time, but you might give him a call. His "hour" is usually worth about 10 of mine. Just sayin...

Funny you say that, just picked my car up from Chuck's sunday. I asked him about it but there was a list of other things that needed to be done, so we decided to save it for another time. But now that I have it home and looking at it again I realize how bad it is. So I'm gonna try to take it on myself.

[SandViper]

Ok, so who has perfected the repair for this? As I am a novice and have no idea how to even begin to repair this. mine looks exactly like post number one its a 97 blue/w white. and with me work being gone 15 days at a time and 4 days off I will never have the time to ever try the repair.

[GBS]

With all the Gen II & I hood cap problems I would think (or perhaps I wish) someone would come up with detailed instructions with pictures, diagrams etc. on correcting the problem. For my 02 ACR I have every manual available (Service Manual, Body Diagnostic Procedures Manual, Chassis Diagnostic Procedures Manual & Powertrain Diagnostics Procedures Manual) that I'm aware of and nothing deals with the problem. I would be willing to pay of a manual just dealing with correctly the hood gap problems. I also wish we had a dealer like Tators or Woodhouse in southwest Florida. The closest Dodge dealer to my house can't even fix my Dodge Caravan right.

[Bugman Jeff]

[QUOTE=City;34521]Geeze, Jeff! Do you HAVE to rest your chin on the curb???!!! That pic is painful to view.

/QUOTE]

It didn't scrape, I still had 3/8" The bottom's all scraped up from the previous owner anyway, but I made a chin guard for it none the less.

When I take the car apart for paint, I'll try to get some good how-to pics. Don't know why I didn't think of it last time.

[GhostStalker27]

I've adjusted both the bolts seen here, but it didn't make a difference..am I not adjusting in the proper area?
Attachment 3678
Attachment 3679

[GBS]

From what I read it's going to take more than adjusting the 2 bolts shown. I've never done it so I don't have the answers. I would love to see a detailed post with pictures.

[GhostStalker27]

From what I read it's going to take more than adjusting the 2 bolts shown. I've never done it so I don't have the answers. I would love to see a detailed post with pictures.

I adjusted about 8 bolts, 4 of which aren't in the picture. There just wasn't much room if any for adjustment. I think the problem is deeper. Hope I can be the one to get up a detailed post with pictures - I'm not giving up on this - just ran out of time . ...I think I need to get the car lifted and get the wheels off so I can see what's in there. I can say this much...it's all about getting the back of the fascia where he 5 hex bolts (on each side) inside the wheel well are - to move up about 3/4". The front of the fascia and the hood are good (this seems to be the problem I see with most..).

[ViperTony]

I have to wonder, in some cases, that the problem is not related to adjusting items but the actual hood itself. I've seen vipers with hood gap issues that suggests the hood is warped or "twisting" as they get older, a defect maybe?

[GhostStalker27]

I have to wonder, in some cases, that the problem is not related to adjusting items but the actual hood itself. I've seen vipers with hood gap issues that suggests the hood is warped or "twisting" as they get older, a defect maybe?

That's a interesting point, wonder if there's any remedy for it?