ill-fitting engine lid

[Hnichols]

Hello everybody,
A couple of years ago I installed a tail-less engine lid on my '88, which originally had a tail. The "new" lid -- actually bought used from another Carrera -- never really fit properly. Basically the gap on the passenger side was noticeably bigger than on the driver's side, as if the whole thing was shifted 1/16" to the left. After finessing the bolts holding the lid onto the hinges, with some spacers, it closed alright and didn't bother me.

Fast forward to today, when I'm reinstalling a rear wiper mechanism. The bracket doesn't really fit: bolting the wiper motor onto the left hinge puts the hole on the motor bracket about 1/16" to the right of the hole in the lid for the wiper spindle. Hopefully the description makes sense; unfortunately I wasn't able to snap a picture today.

So I'm wondering if anyone can explain this to me. The distance between the threaded holes for the hinge bolts and the hole for the wiper shaft is fixed: how can the thing NOT fit? The hinges are obviously being skewed to the side, so that they're no longer perpendicular. But I don't see what's exerting this force. Nor do I see an obvious solution.

I'd appreciate any insight!

[JAR0023]

Off the top of my head. You originally had a lid with tail. Do you have one or two struts on the left hinge to hold the lid open? If two remove one. The struts on one side can make the lid sit askew. -J

[SpawnyWhippet]

You can also adjust the fit of the lid at the latch as well as the hinges, plus using shims on the hinges and rubber bumpers that screw in or out.

[Hnichols]

Thanks for the replies.
JAR0023: I thought of that possibility, too, but not with my car, which factory-equipped with the tail and shocks on either side. But I suspect that the decklid came from a car that had used the double-shock set-up which may have skewed the lid.
SpawnyWhippet: I haven't fiddled with the latch, but I still don't know how to shift the lid as a whole a bit to the right.

[LJ851]

Originally Posted by Hnichols

Thanks for the replies.
JAR0023: I thought of that possibility, too, but not with my car, which factory-equipped with the tail and shocks on either side. But I suspect that the decklid came from a car that had used the double-shock set-up which may have skewed the lid.
SpawnyWhippet: I haven't fiddled with the latch, but I still don't know how to shift the lid as a whole a bit to the right.

The hinges have very little left to right strength, if you open the engine and push it side to side you will see what i mean.

The location of the latch/pin is the primary left to right locator when latched. The hinge to lid attachment allows for front to rear movement and some rotational movement (rotating around the latch pin)

Remove your grill when making latch adjustments so when you get it a little too far off and the engine lid gets stuck closed, you can reach your hand in and open it.