Odd Hood Fit

[JimC]

The hood on my XM708 is off an Air Force 37 and is in good physical condition -- never been dented. The rear of the hood is a good fit, but the front protrudes about a half inch too far forward, and is about half an inch too wide. Anyone know why?

[T. Highway]

The whole front of the truck is totally adjustable. You will need to loosen everything up and move it around a bit to get the proper body panel alignment.

Bert

[refit1701]

I can testify to this! We spent probably a couple of hours getting everything sorta lined up grill/fenders/radiator support-wise on my truck and then another hour getting the hood to clear the radiator "cover" or whatever it's called. Even though this isn't a classic car, things have to line up or stuff rubs and ruins that $299 paint job you did with mop!

[JimC]

Are you saying to put a quarter inch of spacers on each side of the grill in order to move the front of the side panels out enough to match the hood width? (I'm aware of the adjustability of the front end -- have owned these critters for a half century now)

[RMS]

as the hood is tapered the extra width your seeing could be from the horseshoe (rad support) being too far back. I like to have the vertical bars of the grill protrude past the hood line with the triangle brackets flush with the flat bar of the grill/light guards. also the triangle brackets could be bent or being pulled in by the side panels. how well does the step in the hood line up with the step in the triangle brackets? got any pics ?

[JimC]

I'd have to move the horseshoe forward about a foot to make the width fit. The length is off about half an inch. I'll take photos this weekend.

Putting a quarter inch thick steel strap outboard of the grill, inboard of the side panels, and then the side panels inboard of the headlight guards would make the width right. But, I shouldn't have to do that. I've got four of these things, and this is the first time I've seen this particular misfit.

[T. Highway]

This sounds very odd. Is the cab the cab sitting correctly on the mounts? If the cab is tipped forward, you would see the hood being too far forward.
If the cab appears to be correct, I would look at the shim stack under the horseshoe shaped radiator support. I would look here first.

Bert

[Master Yota]

Could the hood be bent? Maybe not noticeable at first or second glance. I'm thinking the sides are flared out, perhaps due to excessive weight on the hood at some point (like snow?)... Do you have another hood to try just for comparison?

[JimC]

No obvious dents, but it is possible that the hood is spread at the front. If so, it is not apparent. Cab doors open and close OK. The truck has been in the south for the 42 years that I've owned it. No significant snow loads. I can switch the hood off my M37 onto this truck to check the fit.

[JimC]

Bert, how does the horseshoe shim stack affect the width of the front cap? What am I looking for?

If the front grill were a half inch too narrow, it would cause this, but that seems unlikely.

[Master Yota]

Do you have any pictures for the sake of comparison?

I'm leaning towards the easiest solution might be a shim between the horseshoe and the fender on each side at the front... Or a small shim under the side panels to bring it all inline...

[refit1701]

Have you ever had this hood on a truck before? Could it be a Canadian (eh) hood?

[RMS]

I dont think they changed the trucks that much. iv mixed body parts from 2 American m37s into my stash of parts and you cant tell the difference

[JimC]

Yes, the hood came off my M37 Air Force parts truck. The XM708 I put it on is on an M53 chassis (which is an M37b1 with a shortened wheel base)