Bee in my Bonnet (Hood problem)

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ElRey

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Folks,
I am looking for a solution for a problem I've had with the hood on my '74 LHD coupe. The driver side "elbow" on the hood support is hitting the bodywork underneath causing the hood to bulge up one side and go low on the other. Nothing looks bent or out of whack in the body, hood or support. Is my only solution to bang out a hole or buy a broom handle and dump the hood lifter?
Regards,
ElRey
 
It´s an adjustment issue. Looks impossible, but it´s not.
Hard to explain in words what to do.

Preferably, look at another car and take measurements. Also look at the other side of your bonnet. Might give a clue.

When closed, is the front opening flush with the front of the body?
If too low, space will get cramped for folding bracket.
 
Hood problems

pmansson,
Thanks for the quick reply, both arms fold down identically, there is just less clearance on the driver side, the bodywork around the wheel well is slightly different. I'll take some pictures and post them.
Regards,
Elrey
 
And they are both mounted identically in their brackets (the part in the engine bay) ?
I have one car where there are marks in the engine room from the "knee" of the bracket hitting the inside, but no dents on the bonnet. An old damage which I still haven´t repainted.
 
Try moving the lower mounting bolt forward or backwards slightly. If too far back it will push the hood up. It is a trial and error process. BTW, the arm attached to the tension rod weakens over time and will eventually snap off hitting the inner fender. New hood bars are available from BMW for around $140 but they are black and come untensioned.
 
Trubbel in da Hood

The arm is mounted loosely in the engine bay, allowing the pivot point to slide toward the back when the hood is open and to the front when the hood is closed. This is by design (correct me if I'm wrong) since tightening the bolt to the point there's no travel causes the arm to bind. We tried to force the pivot point to stay back with an added bolt in the slot, but this caused the whole hood to push back toward the rear and surely stress the front hinges, though it solved the original problem.
Please keep the great ideas coming,
ElRey
 
Elrey, I too had a similar issue when refitting my hood. However I had the engine out so I could sit inside the engine compartment and see what was happening as the hood came down. If the joint in the hinge arms is hitting the top of the inner fender then the bottom bolt of the arm needs to be moved forward and secured at that point. There is a special bolt that can be tightened to stay in position but still allow the arm to pivot. Are the arms attached to the torsion bar parallel to each other? I had one that was not, which showed a crack at the weld joint.

The hinges at the front of the hood can also be raised and lowered. They could be involved if you have had the hood off the car.
 
The bolt has a shoulder to allow it to be tightened and allows the arm to pivot, yours must have been replaced. At least you know the cause now.
 
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