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Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => General Help- Ask the Experts... => Topic started by: ToniJ1960 on November 06, 2011, 11:27:00 PM

Title: how to widen a Pinto hood
Post by: ToniJ1960 on November 06, 2011, 11:27:00 PM

 My Pinto was in an accident years ago,and you can tell the fenders are not quite right by the gap along both sides of the hood. Its a 1978 Station Wagon. I dont want to have to replace both fenders,because those fender extensions are not easy to find and its no fun to me.

 What I was thinking was is there any way to widen the hood a little to decrease the gaps? Maybe metal strips under the hood and body filler to fill it in? But it might crack or pop off when the hood gets slammed?

 I saw online where someone cut a car in half to widen it adding in extra metal. He widened the hood by cutting it down the middle too. Im not sure I want to try that myself, so if anyone has any suggestions Im listening and thanks.
Title: Re: how to widen a Pinto hood
Post by: Pinto5.0 on November 07, 2011, 08:43:04 AM
Loosen all the bolts that hold the fender on & push the fenders closer & tighten the bolts. If you need more adjustment slot the holes with a Dremel.
Title: Re: how to widen a Pinto hood
Post by: Reeves1 on November 07, 2011, 08:47:30 AM
Wondering how it got wide in the first place ? Was it in a wreck ?
Title: Re: how to widen a Pinto hood
Post by: ToniJ1960 on November 07, 2011, 10:54:08 AM
 I said accident I could have said wreck :( smashed into from behind at a red light on Oct 7 1991 my mothers birthday. All I did was change the fenders and hood and grille. Well we had to pull the radiator support out with a come along.

 It got hit from behind while I was at a red light behind 7 or 8 cars someone came around a corner I heard tires squeal the next thing I knew boom. It was a sad day for my Pinto Wagon but it didnt explode. My eyeglasses wound up on the passenger side floor and one shock made a little dent in t he floor but it still runs good to me. I had to see a chiropractor for 6 months or longer for my neck.

 Mostly I just need to depend on my Pinto as my daily driver but Im getting to thinking about having it look more presentable.

 The gaps increase towards the front so I believe the fenders are pushed away some I dont think loosening them will let me move them much since I probably put them in as far as I could when I changed them in 1991. The gaps are about 1/2 inch or a little more at the front maybe just over a 1/4 near the windshield area.

 I might try some metal strips along the edges and fill in with something its worth a try.
Title: Re: how to widen a Pinto hood
Post by: Pinto5.0 on November 07, 2011, 07:26:32 PM

 The gaps increase towards the front so I believe the fenders are pushed away some I dont think loosening them will let me move them much since I probably put them in as far as I could when I changed them in 1991. The gaps are about 1/2 inch or a little more at the front maybe just over a 1/4 near the windshield area.

 I might try some metal strips along the edges and fill in with something its worth a try.

Try slotting all the holes. Thats a lot less work.
Title: Re: how to widen a Pinto hood
Post by: ToniJ1960 on November 08, 2011, 01:10:14 AM
 Can that be done  without removing the fenders? It sounds a little tricky. I have a cordless dremel type of tool its a craftsman one. It might not have the power. Can I get whatever bits I need to fit a regular drill? And what do I need? I really dont want to remove the fenders.
Title: Re: how to widen a Pinto hood
Post by: JohnW on November 08, 2011, 05:57:21 AM
Get over it and remove them, it won't be too bad.
Title: Re: how to widen a Pinto hood
Post by: Pinto5.0 on November 08, 2011, 07:14:38 PM
Can that be done  without removing the fenders? It sounds a little tricky. I have a cordless dremel type of tool its a craftsman one. It might not have the power. Can I get whatever bits I need to fit a regular drill? And what do I need? I really dont want to remove the fenders.

LMAO  :o  slotting the holes seems tricky but welding steel to widen the hood isn't? It's not that tough to pull the fenders & you need access to every hole to use the Dremel. You can't slot the holes that have the nut clips you have to slot the bolt holes. You may need some buttonhead bolts with small heads because the washers on the stock bolts won't let you move too far before they hit the inside edge of the fender. Trust me, I've done this before.
Title: Re: how to widen a Pinto hood
Post by: D.R.Ball on November 08, 2011, 07:50:43 PM
Remove the hood and adjust as needed these are not to hard to do, just ensure you disconnect the all of the lights including the side markers and be careful about the wiring clips on the side markers IE they do break...