How do you properly close the hood on the 550?

Charlie, what did you end up trading the 456 on?

FWIW I slowly lower my hood and then let it drop with gravity the last 1.5 or 2"

First time I did it I slowly lowered it down with no rings on so as to not scratch the hood...mines perfectly aligned so no stress.

 

That's how was taught to do it when I bought my 550 in 2007.

 

Works on 575s, too, amazingly.

 

Also, a good thing on the maranello is that the badge is on the bonnet; so you can gently move the bonnet down and then finish to close it by pushing on the badge (no huge pressure is needed anyway, but that way you do not even touch the paint for the last step).

 

Hmmm, I've experimenting with mine (575) and it needs about 6 inches drop to properly close without a push.