In a message dated 12/12/2001 11:06:27 PM Eastern Standard Time, dswingle@xxxx writes: << Actually the hood is quite adjustable. There are rubber stops at each upper corner that can be screwed up and down into the body, and I believe that the latch is also slightly adjustable. Did you have the fenders off the car? You may have reinstalled them missing the usual pile of shims between the fiberglass and the fenders. I've seen cars with as much as 1 cm of spacers/washers in between the fender and the fiberglass at the top edge. The production tolerances on the fiberglass underbody were far from perfect. >> Although the above information is correct, based on my experience, if the fascia, hood, fenders and related hardware were taken off, the most common way to adjust a "high hood" is to adjust the two hood hinges at the front of the bonnet. The adjustment is very straightforward, although the high beams & low beam lights must be removed to gain proper access in order to raise the hinges to return the hood to proper height. Upon correcting the "gaps" on my former 1981, removal of the aforementioned hardware was necessary, and an involved process of correct installation was necessary. Upon completion the hood was slightly higher at the rear. Minimal adjustment was necessary to the hinges, and after adjustment, the hood was returned to an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Historically speaking, The cars came out of the molds on a continuous 24 hour basis at Dunmurry. There were several molds utilized during production, and on occasion they would need some "tweaking" in order to service and maintain them as the molds encounter considerable pressure and wear during the VARI process. Mold were removed from production and serviced on a routine basis. The fiberglass bodies can differ as much as 1/4 inch in some areas of the car. This information was provided to me from former DMC chief engineer Michael Loasby. In real world manufacturing, 1/4 inch difference is a considerable amount of movement, as body panel alignment and door openings can be greatly effected. This could further explain the "gaps" found between the fenders and door on some mid 1981 cars. Seasons Greetings Mike Pack