Hood and fenders alignment

[72 Monte Carlo]

I replaced all the body to frame mount bushings last year, and my body shop friend and I finally got my front fenders ready to install on the car. 

I double checked the left and right side rear and front frame to body measurements and they are the same on both sides, so the body is centered on the frame at the rear and front.

I'm having a hard time figuring out how to go about aligning the hood gaps to the front fenders.

Is there a certain process to aligning the front clip so that the doors to front fender gaps are the same and the fenders to hood gaps come out even on both sides of the hood to the fenders?

 

[John S]

Leave the two bolts through the radiator support mounts to the frame loose then you can slide the radiator support side to side that should even out your hood to fender gaps.

John S

[72 Monte Carlo]

I have done that already. My passenger side fender to hood gap is wider than the left side gap. I'm going to see if I can adjust it any farther in on the passenger side first.

[jft69z]

There are multiple places you can put body shims in place to move the gaps around. Did save or re-use any that may have been in place before you took it apart?

There are also a couple of alignment holes in both the frame & body on the left underside of the car, do they line up? One is near the firewall, the other is in front of the rear wheel area, 1/2" rod will work good here.

[Dtret]

As Joe said on the 1/2 rod for the body alignment. If you don’t have a 1/2 rod a 1/2 in non impact extension out of your toolbox works perfectly. I know you said you measured it but you still may want to check it. The holes looking up from the ground have a little notch cut in them. Both front and rear. That way you know what holes you are looking for. 

[71MonteCarloMD]

Another tip is to measure a corner to an opposite corner where hood would lay on (eg driver front to passenger rear) to ensure it’s same length on both ends.  If they are not the same, loose bolts to adjust and Rene aside before tightening bolts.