Help! 1962 hood latches

[DUDLEY]

I AM ABOUT TO FINISH UP MY 1962 RESTORATION BY INSTALLING THE HOOD. CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHAT STEPS TO TAKE IN CASE THE LATCHES FAIL TO RELEASE FOR THE FIRST TIME, PERHAPS A CABLE BREAKING OR WHATEVER. I CAN'T THINK OF A WORSE NIGHTMARE. ANY IDEAS? :confused

 

[Tom Bryant]

You could remove a striker off of the hood and push it into the latch to check it for operation. If it works without being attached to the hood it should work when attached. Double check your alignment before closing the hood so it doesn't bind when closed.

Tom

 

[DUDLEY]

you could remove a striker off of the hood and push it into the latch to check it for operation. If it works without being attached to the hood it should work when attached. Double check your alignment before closing the hood so it doesn't bind when closed.

Tom

thanks tom, yes, that was my first thought, and i will do that. I will also make sure that everything is aligned. I will also make sure the wires from the female latch cables are also secure. But, the hood release handle is very hard to pull, (it is routed correctly and not binding). I'm just wondering if there is an alternative (emergency) method to get the hood open in case of cable failure after all that, i've not heard of any.
Dudley

 

[rondill1]

Hood Latch

I ran a extra (emergency) wire from each latch back through the firewall and left some wire coiled up under the dash -- should the normal cable release not work I should be able to open each latch with the extra wire.

Also, I used modeling clay and placed a disk about the size of a silver dollar (remember those?) on the hole in the female latch and then gently lowered the hood until the male portion of the latch contacted the clay -- it left a mark that I could see and used to make certain that I had things properly centered before actually closing the hood for the first time.

Ron

 

[DUDLEY]

I ran a extra (emergency) wire from each latch back through the firewall and left some wire coiled up under the dash -- should the normal cable release not work I should be able to open each latch with the extra wire.

Also, I used modeling clay and placed a disk about the size of a silver dollar (remember those?) on the hole in the female latch and then gently lowered the hood until the male portion of the latch contacted the clay -- it left a mark that I could see and used to make certain that I had things properly centered before actually closing the hood for the first time.

Ron

RON, THAT CLAY THING IS GENIUS, I WILL USE THAT METHOD TO CENTER THE MALE PART OF THE LATCH. AS FOR THE (EMERGENCY) CABLE I DID THINK I WOULD DO THAT AS WELL BUT THOUGHT I'D RUN IT AROUND THE BUMPER STUD AND DOWN THE FIREWALL TO THE GROUND, BUT THROUGH THE FIREWALL SOUNDS GOOD TOO.
THANKS
DUDLEY

 

[MEN6110]

I AM ABOUT TO FINISH UP MY 1962 RESTORATION BY INSTALLING THE HOOD. CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHAT STEPS TO TAKE IN CASE THE LATCHES FAIL TO RELEASE FOR THE FIRST TIME, PERHAPS A CABLE BREAKING OR WHATEVER. I CAN'T THINK OF A WORSE NIGHTMARE. ANY IDEAS? :confused

If you test the hood release by inserting a detached male pin, have a helper. When it releases, it will have some spring tension and might pop off and scratch that new paint! As to your hood release being hard to pull, it shouldn't be like that. Have you lubed the cables? It should move freely both to release and also when the springs pull the levers back closed. To adjust the male pins, I like to tighten the plates on the hood just snug, enough so that a little force can move them but not so loose that they can move by themselves. Then carefully lower the hood until the male pins just touch the female side and then bump the plate on the hood until everything lines up. If the worst does happen and the release doesn't work, the latches can be tripped from the bottom, but it isn't easy!