Factory Gap between Superbird Nose and Fender

[oldchevelle541]

Greetings, can anyone confirm what the correct factory gap was between the Superbird nose and front edge of fender. Measurement would be on top leading edge of fender to nose. I see some gaps relatively wide and some virtually non-existent. I know the cars were not built perfect but but would like to know mine is close to factory.

 

[dadsbee]

What ever it takes to get it to blend nice from fender to nose, better than they did at Clairepoint that's for sure...

 

[oldchevelle541]

Looks good. Gaps nice and uniform. Do you have a gasket within the gap ? Hard to tell with photo.

 

[dadsbee]

Yes the rubber "seal" is in there..

 

[440 PHIXX]

View attachment 1239210

Is that hood gap normal on a Superbird? I never noticed that the landyards come out of there.

 

[super-bee_ski]

What ever it takes to get it to blend nice from fender to nose, better than they did at Clairepoint that's for sure...
View attachment 1239205 View attachment 1239209
View attachment 1239210

YUMMY!

 

[4406bbl]

Is that hood gap normal on a Superbird? I never noticed that the landyards come out of there.

Yes that hood gap is pretty normal on original cars, some are worse than others. Some of what looks like gap is actually a height difference between the nose and hood. If you spend about 10 grand at a body shop with a metal master they can cut the nose into its 7 pieces, fit it to the hood, metl work the hood, tube the hood where the hood pins are so it stays straight, metal work the fenders and nose work the lower pans, weld it all back together and make that gap look as perfect as a modern car. It really cleans them up, but is not stock.

 

[440 PHIXX]

Yes that hood gap is pretty normal on original cars, some are worse than others. Some of what looks like gap is actually a height difference between the nose and hood. If you spend about 10 grand at a body shop with a metal master they can cut the nose into its 7 pieces, fit it to the hood, metl work the hood, tube the hood where the hood pins are so it stays straight, metal work the fenders and nose work the lower pans, weld it all back together and make that gap look as perfect as a modern car. It really cleans them up, but is not stock.

It wouldn’t be a problem for a street car that only sees maybe 80 MPH. I was just thinking if you got it up to 150 MPH or so. My ‘70 Charger is worse than a brick wall, and when I got it up to 125 MPH you could feel the front end getting light.

 

[440 PHIXX]

I see in a couple of pix of Richard Petty’s Superbird from 1970... it has a third pin in the center to pull the hood flat. The pins are at the leading edge as well. That makes sense. You wouldn’t want that tearing off at 185MPH!

 

[4406bbl]

Yes it bothered me, had mine fixed if I ever finish the car. It also had sunken areas around the hood pins, from pressure I assume, or it was built that way, so we tubed that to the lower skin so it can't bend the hood behind the pin.

 

[4406bbl]

This one is fit very nice.

 

[4406bbl]

Mine after welding it back together and the hood pins tube. This shop did nice metalwork, all the lead was put back in, cowl seams fully welded and new lead, fender edges at the front are lead. Expensive but nice work.

 

[dadsbee]

Is that hood gap normal on a Superbird? I never noticed that the landyards come out of there.

It's all camera angle, I can take another picture and look as good as the next shot offered up on post #11... trust me that hood isn't sitting higher than the profile coming off the nose. You're seeing Black thanks to the 1/4" gap and the Black latch tray. BTW, where else would the lanyards come out of???

 

[440 PHIXX]

It's all camera angle, I can take another picture and look as good as the next shot offered up om post #11... trust me that hood isn't sitting higher than the profile coming off the nose. You're seeing Black thanks to the 1/4" gap and the Black latch tray. BTW, where else would the lanyards come out of???
View attachment 1239372

My ‘70 Charger and ‘Cuda E87 D21 are both J45. But I’ve never had the landyards on them. I’m just used to seeing them come out of the grill on other cars. I thought maybe that’s why the hood was a little higher. From that angle it doesn’t look as high, but it still appears to have a gap. I was only wondering about the speedway cars and aerodynamics.

 

[kiwigtx]

I’m just used to seeing them come out of the grill on other cars.

Like my RR was....

 

[dadsbee]

BTW @oldchevelle541, I had to go out to the shop and the metal to metal gap, from fender to nose, on the top beside the hood is 1/4".

 

[oldchevelle541]

Thanks dadsbee...............my gap is a solid 3/4", maybe slightly less. Will look to make some adjustments this spring to close that up a bit. I sense as time goes on and we drive these cars the weight and vibration makes some gaps widen. Even with bolts tight over the years things move. Not sure what a fully loaded nose with light assemblies, etc weigh but sort of makes sense. I think at one time my gaps were likely tighter.