Got my SS today...
Senior Member
Joined: 06-19-2008
Posts: 1,454
From: Indiana
the spotter mirrors are a small convex setup in the side mirrors to aid the panels with their blind spots. I think there are a few photos on here and they looked like the blended with the car a bit more then the regular stick on kind you get at the auto store.
Senior Member
Joined: 07-05-2008
Posts: 5,464
From: Akron Ohio
The hood WAS definitely latched properly.
But your comment got me thinking, so I had a look at the latch mechanism, and after loosening the three bolts on the latch mounting plate, I was able to adjust the latch downwards (towards the bumper). This seemed to decrease the gap a little at the front when the hood was fully closed, but an undesired side effect was that the hood was both difficult to close, and also difficult to open, as the gap that opened after pulling the hood release lever was also smaller.
I adjusted the latch upwards a bit from 'fully bottomed out', and I think it's made an improvement. I snapped some new photos. I think the hood seems to line up pretty well with the door...
Does the hood>fender gap look particularly large in these photos? (perhaps compared to your own HHR's...?)
But your comment got me thinking, so I had a look at the latch mechanism, and after loosening the three bolts on the latch mounting plate, I was able to adjust the latch downwards (towards the bumper). This seemed to decrease the gap a little at the front when the hood was fully closed, but an undesired side effect was that the hood was both difficult to close, and also difficult to open, as the gap that opened after pulling the hood release lever was also smaller.
I adjusted the latch upwards a bit from 'fully bottomed out', and I think it's made an improvement. I snapped some new photos. I think the hood seems to line up pretty well with the door...
Does the hood>fender gap look particularly large in these photos? (perhaps compared to your own HHR's...?)
Even when it is correct it may look off with some colors due to the reflection effect. Mine is black and can look like a large gap and be very small.
The release will be hard to reach if you have it adjusted down. There is no way aroud it.
The latch and rupper bumpers are the only adjustments you can do. The besty thing to do is use a gap gauge or some other way to measure the gap on each side and equal it out.
Try to hang a fender on this vehicle with the door gap it is one of the hardest around.
Last edited by HillsdaleHHR; May 12, 2009 at 07:14 AM. Reason: Removed pics from quote
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: 05-01-2009
Posts: 35
From: Middletown, DE
A couple more pics...
I tried out the launch control on Wednesday night for the first time. Pretty cool; I was able to get away with just a small amount of tire spin. Somehow I find it quite amusing that GM would put this feature in a car at all, but it actually is useful.
I did notice that the car is making only 15 pounds of boost, max. This, according to the factory gauge. I thought this should be closer to 22 pounds. Am I wrong, or is there something I could check for (such as loose plumbing)?
I tried out the launch control on Wednesday night for the first time. Pretty cool; I was able to get away with just a small amount of tire spin. Somehow I find it quite amusing that GM would put this feature in a car at all, but it actually is useful.
I did notice that the car is making only 15 pounds of boost, max. This, according to the factory gauge. I thought this should be closer to 22 pounds. Am I wrong, or is there something I could check for (such as loose plumbing)?