I got the hood adjusted to where the gaps are semi even on both sides. I noticed it has a slight bow in the center similar to the way the Formula hood bowed. It looks like somewhere along the years, someone welded up a crack or two on both sides, in the middle area of the underhood reinforcement in a weak spot in the "crumple zone" of each side. They need to be rewelded properly since one has already re-cracked. Other than that it seems like a nice hood.
On a different front I found a cure for the always-squeeling alternator belt on the 80 amp alternator setup. I removed that dreaded idler pulley and found a belt that is the exact length to fit without having the pulley. A 15485 belt works perfectly.
Outside Circumference (in) 49.125
Outside Circumference (mm) 1247
Top Width (in) .375
Top Width (mm) 10
I removed the idler pulley off its bracket and then unbolted the alternator and fit the new 15485 belt over the alternator pulley. I then reinstalled the alternator. It has just the right amount of tension - not too tight or too loose. There is no longer any way to adjust it but it seems to work perfectly, riding along the water pump pulley for a far larger contact area than the one inch or so that it would touch with the idler pulley in place. That is the reason for the squeel with the factory setup - at higher RPMs the alternator belt bounced off the pulley instead of riding tightly in the groove.
I have performed repeated test procedures employing my patented shaker flapper door testing protocol (at 50 mph, slamming the pedal to the floor with a resulting high speed third to second gear downshift). No noises other than the angry 455 sound from the open shaker door and the gas gauge moving rapidly to the left.
YAY!
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