Closing the clam

[tlong]

It freaks me out to drop the hood from the top of the windshield as recommended in the owner's manual. Does anybody use the push on each side over the latch method? It torques the big slab of glass a bit.

We unlike most automobile owners frequently open the engine bay. That SLAM sound is a bit much.

 

[jon6535]

hi, I usually close it till it rests on each side, then push it down till it latche's on each side. I dont like to slam it either, I know the manual says its ok, but it's quite the slam, I cant see it being good for the car.

 

[Tuna]

After talking with Gordon Killibrew about this, I let it drop from about a foot up. This ensures that both sides close and latch at the same time and avoids any side to side forces on the latches or the hood pins. It may not sound right to some but it is the recommended technique from the factory. It works.

The 'slam' lets everyone around know that a C4 owner has just shut its hood!

It's your car however, so close it anyway you like.

 

[tlong]

Hey Tuna! Hows that vette doin'? I drop it from a foot and it's 50-50 shutting both sides. So I slam and torque. Top of the winshield is 100% I never thought about it being a mating call!

Cheers

Tim

 

[JRMaroon]

I let it go from about a foot or less and then give each side a tug to be sure it's latched. The latches are well lubricated and (knock on wood) it's never failed to lock.

 

[SPANISHVETTS]

I am one of the foot up guys. It works every time.

 

[Craig -1965]

I have knockoff's wheels and don't mind beating the hell out of them............... But I will never drop the hood from ANY height. I set the hood on the pins and push each until the little click is heard............... It's called TLC.

 

[KOPBET]

I've been known to "slam" a "clam" or two in my day. I'm with Spanish, slam away!

 

[lbitp37]

1 foot or so !!!

 

[tlong]

SLAM A CLAM!!!!!!!!

LMAO

I want that on a t-shirt with a C4 hood up!

 

[KOPBET]

SLAM A CLAM!!!!!!!!

LMAO

I want that on a t-shirt with a C4 hood up!

Great idea! Graphics artists, where are you ? Rain?

 

[Tuna]

Hey Tuna! Hows that vette doin'? I drop it from a foot and it's 50-50 shutting both sides. So I slam and torque. Top of the winshield is 100% I never thought about it being a mating call!

Cheers

Tim

Greetings. The Vette is doing fine. 328 HP at the wheels and loving it.
Put a little grease on your latches and check the alignment. 1 foot ought to do it.

Take it easy,

 

[3sacrwd]

Dropping from a foot isn't too bad, but I have unfortunatly dropped mine from full open more than once....My hood support was going bad, and I just rocked my car a bit, but enough to slam the hood down from full open. I have done this 2-3 times, and now use a broom handle to hold it open. I have ordered a hood support, but how do you tell if the 2 small supports are any good???? Are those supposed to help open the hood, or slow it down to close?

Thanks for the help.

P.S. I do usually prefer to slowly lower the hood and push to latch gently......

 

[DkBG]

I used to do the "drop from a foot " on my old 84 until one day the hood broke loose from the hinges up front . I would never do that any more . Sign me "learned the hard way " . :cry or Cliff

 

[Ken]

I drop it from 6-8 inches up, never any higher. Never had a problem either.

 

[ohsobad]

I usually drop from a foot to 8 inches; I dont want to take a toll on the fiberglass by pushing on it. Also you will avoid paint scuffing by not pushing on the hood.

 

[berky2500]

When I bought my car, only one side latched even when dropped from over a foot, cleaned, lubed, and adjusted both latches and now a drop from 6-8 inches is perfect. Dropping from the center allows both latches to hit at the same time, I don't like pushing on the fiberglas if I don't have to.

 

[GuzTel]

A foot or less and remember lubrication is a good thing, not only for the latch but the release too!

 

[RedRagTop]

Very important for the release. Buddy here had his break under the hood. Bit of a job to unlatch it from outside the car, and the part itself is a bit flimsy. I drop from about 8 inches..

 

[road_racefan]

Add me to the 1' list. It latches firmly, and doesn't seem to have any effect on the car. My son does the same on his 89.