dumbest e30 question ever, but serious.

[Pantless Spency]

when you guys remove your hood's for extensive engine work, what do you use to mark the placement of the mounting bracket on the hinge or whatever it is?
ive been told "mark it or you will spend hours trying to get your hood straight"
but im not sure what to use.
help a noob out?

[blefevre]

There was a very noticeable bolt circle in the paint when I removed mine, therefore it marked itself pretty good :)

[Philo]

I use a pencil.

[Rennsport]

[KenC]

Mines been off center for two years.

[scottinAZ]

There was a very noticeable bolt circle in the paint when I removed mine, therefore it marked itself pretty good :)

This, plus I use a scribe to get a good sharp marking of where the washers sit. Yes you remove/scratch the paint a bit, but it is not only nearly impossible to see, but it also provides a better line to work off of than either a pencil or sharpie which can be rubbed/blurred so you can not get a good alignment back again.

[TurboJake]

I take off the whole hood hinge with the hood still attached.
Never had to spend time aligning my hood. Never been off center either
;)

[mikeedler]

when you put it back on, leave all the bolts loose, remove the headlight grills, close the hood and get it in the correct place, tighten the 2 bolts you can get to, lift it back up and tighten the rest. its really easy.

[alB5]

when you put it back together, open the hinge so that it lays up, then position hood on top of said hinge and bolt on. It's a one man job if you do it like this. When i took off my hood, a white area where it was bolted was left, so it was easy for me.

[acolella76]

when you put it back on, leave all the bolts loose, remove the headlight grills, close the hood and get it in the correct place, tighten the 2 bolts you can get to, lift it back up and tighten the rest. its really easy.

Good idea. Mine has been off-center since I removed it even though I marked where the hinges were.

[Jafxod]

No. Ive removed and reinstalled my hood a dozen times. But then again Im not perfectionist

[bernzpeed]

There was a very noticeable bolt circle in the paint when I removed mine, therefore it marked itself pretty good :)

+1 even for trunk lids

when you put it back together, open the hinge so that it lays up, then position hood on top of said hinge and bolt on. It's a one man job if you do it like this. When i took off my hood, a white area where it was bolted was left, so it was easy for me.

[AndrewBird]

An old hot rod trick is to drill an 1/8" hole through the hinge into the hood before you remove it. Then when you put it back on, just use the drill bit as an alignment pin back in the hole and tighten up the bolts.

[ohthejosh]

just be badass and go hoodless 4ever

[Pantless Spency]

just be badass and go hoodless 4ever

ima do this.