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getting frustrated trying to get the headlights to sit flush when closed-----any tips

Get used to the idea that panels on a 25 year old car may not line up as good as when new.. haha

When I fixed mine up, I tightened up the bolts just enough to hold the cover, but enough to be able to move them slightly. When one corner was flush, tighten it. Make your way around all four and it should be as good as it can get..

As above.

The bad news with older cars, is be prepared to discover they may have been hit by the Spirit of Progress at some point. May look ok, but often they're fairly mangled and panels can be frustrating to line up.

i'm just being very fussy-----they aren't that bad

Fussiness is part of the obsession

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as Dundy2456 has suggested. Also may need to reposition the bonnet slightly (loosening the bolts on the latches on either side) and may need to reposition the actual headlight popup assemblies slightly too. This should give you a good square positioning allowing for a consistent panel gap between each piece.

I did that with mine recently and have it the most flush it's been in years. (and re-adjusted the headlight positions afterward).
It takes a while and a lot of bonnet/headlight opening and closing but its worth it.

Given it seems to always the end of the cover nearest the windscreen that sits low they get bent down by people working in the engine bay leaning on the covers, so a gentle upward pull should rectify the situation. Once aligned work on engine with the lights popped up.

I used to have a handle on life but mine broke

Most I've seen are out of adjustment.
I've adjusted 2 of my mates cars with trial by error and panels fit much better..
If only I had the time to do my own


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