Post disk brake up grade along with new tubular upper control arms, and adjustable strut rods there has been clunking from front end. It only happens when traveling over uneven pavement, not so at grade man hole covers, and poorly patched pot holes. If the surface is undulating but not too abruptly all the moving parts are quiet.

I have torqued and re torqued all fastening hardware involved with brake swap thinking it is caused by something recently installed. One noise was produced by a not torqued enough lower ball joint, another time one of the new Chinese wheel bearing caps got loose and was rattling around the cast aluminum Rallye Wheel center trim which made quit the clunk, and song of out of round tires singing away when driving. All that is fixed and quiet.

Now that all the old part have been replaced with new including new round balanced tires and new rims the noise/clunking sound seems as if it were coming from the fire wall on both sides of the car.

After driving around for a while, over various pavement conditions, and slowly driving through a battalion of potholes at slow speed I'm now thinking this noise is coming from hood moving side to side along with its sloppy hinges. After cam brake in last year and driving with hood off with hinge arms pointing up, those things rattled around making a racket... And, now I believe that is the source of my noise including hood contacting fenders and cowl during caused by body flex.

Is there a fix for floppy A Body hood hinge arms? Currently the four rubber hood to fender bumpers are like new that cradle hood when closed, but still can shake side to side a bit. Convertibles shake rattle and roll with a lot of body flex, but there must be a way to stabilize hood hinge arms.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

Hmm, yes, when the hood is off, those hinges can easily flop laterally. But, if those hinges are bolted in and the springs are good, they shouldn't move laterally much when the hood is closed, as there is tension from the springs on them. If the 4 bumpers are also good, i'd say check those hood hinge bolts.

Are you sure it's from the hood? Are there signs of metal rubbing between fender edge and hood edge? You can see the hood moving laterally when you go over bumps in the road?

Please elaborate.

Brian

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I can see windshield end of hood move side to side on rough road, and looks as if it is contacting fenders occasionally. Rubber gasket on under side of hood to cowl has worn paint off of cowl from movement, same happening with the front gasket. Until now I haven't given a thought to worn paint and clunking noise.

I'm going to pull apart a few clothes pins and wedge them in between hood and fender and see if the clunking goes away; if I can ever think of it before taking off.

Bolts connecting hinge arm to hood are nice and tight. The rivets and other attaching hinge hardware holding mechanism together tucked down within finder look to be a bit sloppy. When closing hood, struts tend to bow outward. There's that feeling again that this is going to been another PIA project.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

The bit of outward bowing of the hinges when you close the hood is normal flex from my experience. Every a body I've touched does that.

I wouldn't use wood clothespins I would use rubber or leather shims, perhaps some soft plastic. Still, the hood shouldn't have a ton of lateral movement. They all shake some, but if the 4 rubber bumpers are good, the cowl and radiator support seals are touching the body, and the rubber stops/height adjusters at the front are making contact, it should be well supported and not move around too much.

Any pics?

Brian

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https://tinyurl.com/yynpj4v2

The noise is all but gone. I had assembled the hardware holding the caliper to brackets incorrectly, and not torqued it down enough.

Occasionally there are metal sounds from out front suspected to be the adjustable strut rods containing hemi joints that are not buffered by factory type rubber hockey pucks. I think any large sharp movement of lower control arm causes some noise that transmits to the lower radiator support.

The car is much more smoother and quieter than before all the up grades. I can now hear the purr of engine up to about 50 mph when wind noise over powers exhaust note. Mrs wjajr might like riding in it now, previously the noise and un settled ride put her off. Plan is to take her for ice cream one evening this week.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

Ice cream trip in an old Dart with your Love - perfection...

Lou

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