How To: Make your Cianci Victory Hood Fit - Strut Tower Hitting

[3000GTCSULB]

I have a 1st gen VR4 and I love the way the Victory Hood looks, but I had a problem with the strut tower hitting and it would not close. The problem was 1/4" on the passenger side, and 1/8" on the driver side. Please note that apparently not all hoods hit the towers, I don't know if the difference is in the years of the car or the hoods. So if your's doesn't require it, then don't do it.

1) Remove the hood.

2) Use a mallet, and hammer the strut tower down in these areas.

Passenger Side:
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k193/Rgarcia9/VR4%20Project/IMAG0081.jpg


Driver Side:

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k193/Rgarcia9/VR4%20Project/IMAG0082.jpg



3) Use some bondo to make it look nice again, spray paint it back the color you want.

I haven't done that yet, but it gives you an idea of how to clean it up.

Here is my hood getting prepped for paint, it sits flush and fits perfect:

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k193/Rgarcia9/VR4%20Project/IMAG0076.jpg

That's all.

[Mikes2nd]

I did a combo of that, took a slight bit off with a grinder, very small amount.

find out where it is hitting with clay.

[ictponder]

I like the raised cowl on that hood, I wish the 575 was similar. So banging in the metal on the tower doesn't adversely affect the plate underneath?

[i3igpete]

So how do we get in contact with this fella Jim from Oregon that did all of the cianci production for 7 years until they moved to mexico and parts started to not fit anymore?

[Maximal]

So how do we get in contact with this fella Jim from Oregon that did all of the cianci production for 7 years until they moved to mexico and parts started to not fit anymore?

If we can get a hold of him I have a business proposition for him. :suspect:

[OhioSpyderman]

I'm sorry, but if I had to beat the shit out of my car to make one of his hoods fit, the hood would be somewhere that the sun doesn't shine (south of the border, twice!!!).

BTW, has he made provisions in his hoods for hood struts (low tension) yet?

Bob.

[3000GTCSULB]

I know this option isn't for everyone, but since I really liked the hood it didn't bother me. Some people modify their engine bay to make performance parts fit, I saw it no different.

Paint on my car got delayed, so I won't have an updated picture until next weekend.

[OhioSpyderman]

I hope you didn't take it as a personal offense. My point was that Ryan doesn't give two shits about quality anymore (nor did he when he made my hood years ago). There should be ZERO reasons for that hood hitting ANYTHING stock AND should have provisions for low tension hood strut installation. I learned the hard way that mine did NOT.

Can't wait to see the painted pics!!

Bob. :)

[1992redvr-4]

Yea my Victory hood hits on the strut towers also. I just haven't messed with it much as its been sitting in the shop for over a year now. I'll probably do some grinding on the tower and smooth them over. For what I gave for the stuff , I figure it would have fit good ( prices dropped big time after I bought it all )

Anyways, here was the front, ECS caps removed, all bump stops out. Just resting there.

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh95/1992redvr-4/3000GT%20VR-4%20Rebuild/109_1294.jpg

[Emilie@GZP]

I had one of the older Viper hoods from Cianci YEARS ago, that I bought from Terry. He sold it to me because he said it hit his strut towers. We bolted it to Hans' 91 satin black 3000gt, and it cleared just fine, no issues with the strut towers hitting at all.

It seems to be a car-to-car issue, some fit, some don't. Whether it's a hinge issue, or a strut tower issue, or a hood issue... who knows. But the same hood, fit on one car, and didn't fit on another.... seems to me like it's more of a car issue, then a hood issue (at least in this case).

[johnnylazer]

OhioSpyderman - I adapted a set of "Red Line" low tension struts made for the Eclipse to my Victory hood. Had to modify the mounting tab on the fender to mount the lower end of the strut, and drilled/tapped the hinge mount to the hood to accept the top of the strut. That way, I'm metal to metal, no drilling into glass. Looks great, works great, and it let me get rid of my cut-off broom stick. Pics if you're interested.

[3000GTCSULB]

Post pics please.

[OhioSpyderman]

OhioSpyderman - I adapted a set of "Red Line" low tension struts made for the Eclipse to my Victory hood. Had to modify the mounting tab on the fender to mount the lower end of the strut, and drilled/tapped the hinge mount to the hood to accept the top of the strut. That way, I'm metal to metal, no drilling into glass. Looks great, works great, and it let me get rid of my cut-off broom stick. Pics if you're interested.

Johnny...here is my fix...

http://www.3si.org/forum/f119/answer-cianci-hood-shock-problem-487834/

Bob.

[OhioSpyderman]

Here's a picture from the last NG :)

1429

Bob. :)

[Drweldin]

why not just relieve the hood on the back instead of beating the shit out of your strut towers? Seems silly to me...now if you don't properly prep an paint the towers (most won't) you've now got a long-term corrosion worry.

[johnnylazer]

Bob, I started to do it the way that you did after seeing your thread "over there". Changed my mind when I had the drill in my hand. I think that it puts less stress on the hood than drilling into the fiberglass.1430

[x2percentmilk]

I've also heard of car to car issues dealing with front strut bars clearing or not clearing the hood.

I had one of the older Viper hoods from Cianci YEARS ago, that I bought from Terry. He sold it to me because he said it hit his strut towers. We bolted it to Hans' 91 satin black 3000gt, and it cleared just fine, no issues with the strut towers hitting at all.

It seems to be a car-to-car issue, some fit, some don't. Whether it's a hinge issue, or a strut tower issue, or a hood issue... who knows. But the same hood, fit on one car, and didn't fit on another.... seems to me like it's more of a car issue, then a hood issue (at least in this case).

[OhioSpyderman]

Bob, I started to do it the way that you did after seeing your thread "over there". Changed my mind when I had the drill in my hand. I think that it puts less stress on the hood than drilling into the fiberglass.1430

WOW, VERY nice approach to the problem (when I read what you said I did not see THIS in my head)!

Thank you very much for sharing :)

Bob.

[3000GTPro]

I don't have any personal experience with doing any kind of body work myself, but I do know it's possible for the chassis of some cars to be tweeked or twisted a little bit from being launched. pushed hard, etc, over the years. So maybe some people wouldn't have any fitment issues if they had their chassis straightened. However, I do think it's also possible that not every hood fits perfectly without a little work either. Maybe it's a little of both for some people.

[G.C.W.]

I don't have any personal experience with doing any kind of body work myself, but I do know it's possible for the chassis of some cars to be tweeked or twisted a little bit from being launched. pushed hard, etc, over the years. So maybe some people wouldn't have any fitment issues if they had their chassis straightened. However, I do think it's also possible that not every hood fits perfectly without a little work either. Maybe it's a little of both for some people.

Yes thats true sir.It is difficult to get every aftermarket composite hood to fit as perfect as the last on every car.I am not here to knock anyone who has provided at least a measure of quality to the 3/S public.No i am not here to self promote before sponsorship.(If i was so great at BUSINESS i'd be a 3/S houshold name by now)But in the interest of information and promotion of this site,i have to say that i have personnally repaired more than one Victory hood for this symptom.Which led me to other odd problems with the hood.
The way it was bonded!

[UTRacerX9]

Well well, look who joined up over here! Since you can't "self promote" before being a sponsor, let me just say that this guy knows his shit about hoods. ;)

[3000GTCSULB]

200 Mile update: I have experienced no issues, the alignment is fine, and the hood is holding up fine.

[G.C.W.]

200 Mile update: I have experienced no issues, the alignment is fine, and the hood is holding up fine.

Good to hear that! I'm glad your fix is working out.Even the best manufacturers products can vary car to car.


Well well, look who joined up over here! Since you can't "self promote" before being a sponsor, let me just say that this guy knows his shit about hoods.

Hey whats up! Great to hear from you.How is your "product" holding up?;)
I'm picking up some speed lol.Still,my mascot should be either a turtle a sloth or Slow Poke Rodriguez.What do you think?
Thanks for the compliment!:bigthumb:

[G.C.W.]

I don't have the luxury of beating on peoples strut towers lol.I wish i did sometimes.I have had a chance to dig in to a few Victories and may have found the reason for some of the trouble.Everbody knows that overall the Victory has been a great hood.The look,fit,finish;so this is not an attack just an observation.

http://webpages.charter.net/cgoen/RCVCoremat.jpg

Do you see the white area with those symetrical dots in it? Thats Coremat.Good stuff.It helps strengthen the part.Usually about an 1/8 in. thick it soaks up a lot of resin,(it can get heavy adding weight sometimes) and can bulk up to greater than an 1/8th.
If the other side of the part to be bonded isn't weighted or clamped down enough it can easily allow for a greater than desirable gap in the part.
I ground down both shock tower areas to help fit a TT Stealth on this job.

[UTRacerX9]

My hood still looks fantastic. Haven't driven the car much the past few years, but I'm hoping to change that in 2011. I need to take some pics when I get my new headlights, I'll have to post them on here for all to see.

I moved back to Dallas btw, so maybe we can schedule a meet sometime next year and you can check out your finished, painted hood yourself. :)