Could use some more hood help
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 294
Likes: 0
From: cincinnati oh
Could use some more hood help
I have messed with this POS hood for about 10 hours and have had enough 
. The drivers side continues to get stuck no matter which way I adjust it. I push the hood down and it latches fine. I pull the handle all the way and you can feel the cam pushing the latch on the hood, just not enough I guess. I get the hood to release 2 or 3 times in a row, and then it does not work. Here is what I have tried.
-Greasing all latches to make sure nothing is binding and all moving parts move smoothly.
-Put paint on cam to see where it hits the latch on the hood, and it hits in the center.
-Opened up holes in cam bracket (the one on the firewall) to adjust it forward/backward and left/right as much as possible.
-Disconnected cable to passenger side to see if it was causing problems (BTW don't do this! It gets VERY stuck.)
I must mention that some of the hood parts (hood & hinges) have never been on the car before, so I had no mechanical reference ponit to start with. Any help is appreciated.
BTW: That procedure for getting the hood unstuck by using a long screwdriver stinks for 76's. It may work for newer models, but you would have to have a borescope to do it. I ended up taking the 4 bolts out for the hinges and wiggling the hood to pop it up. My $0.02.
. The drivers side continues to get stuck no matter which way I adjust it. I push the hood down and it latches fine. I pull the handle all the way and you can feel the cam pushing the latch on the hood, just not enough I guess. I get the hood to release 2 or 3 times in a row, and then it does not work. Here is what I have tried.-Greasing all latches to make sure nothing is binding and all moving parts move smoothly.
-Put paint on cam to see where it hits the latch on the hood, and it hits in the center.
-Opened up holes in cam bracket (the one on the firewall) to adjust it forward/backward and left/right as much as possible.
-Disconnected cable to passenger side to see if it was causing problems (BTW don't do this! It gets VERY stuck.)
I must mention that some of the hood parts (hood & hinges) have never been on the car before, so I had no mechanical reference ponit to start with. Any help is appreciated.
BTW: That procedure for getting the hood unstuck by using a long screwdriver stinks for 76's. It may work for newer models, but you would have to have a borescope to do it. I ended up taking the 4 bolts out for the hinges and wiggling the hood to pop it up. My $0.02.
Last edited by vetteboy1976kr; Jun 12, 2005 at 08:47 PM.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 303
Likes: 2
From: southeast Idaho
My friend has a 73 and his cable broke the second day into a 3000 mile trip and we drove it up on the sidewalk and I slithered under it and was able to reach up and push the drivers side hood latch to open it then we got a choke cable from the local checkers and that worked fine on it. I spent several hours adjusting my new hood and I thought I had it about done when I realized the passengers side latch wasnt bolted up quite tight. I tightened it and latched it and I couldnt get it open, worked on it for half an hour prying it in every direction I could. I finally ended up drilling a hole in the hood exactly above the anchor pin that goes through the latch and was able to unscrew it from the body and get the hood opened. My hood wasnt painted yet so it wasnt a big deal to repair the hole but it sure was frustrating! It seems if the hood isnt quite lined up with the pin, the pin will get hooked on the side of the hole in the latch and only way to free it is to know which way to pry the hood to center it again . Maybe try latching it again with the hinge left undone and see which way you have to move it to get it to unlatch. The pin can be moved on the body as well as the latch can be moved on the hood. Hope this helps.
Mike
Mike
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 294
Likes: 0
From: cincinnati oh
Thanks Mike for the response. I have tried leaving the hood hinges loose while trying to adjust the latches on the firewall. It seems to help, but I can only pop it open 2-3 times in a row that way. I even tried leavin the latch on the hood loose, but there is little movement there anyway. Anyone else have this problem?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,668
Likes: 43
From: Eastern US XX
Originally Posted by vetteboy1976kr
I have messed with this POS hood for about 10 hours and have had enough . The drivers side continues to get stuck no matter which way I adjust it. I push the hood down and it latches fine. I pull the handle all the way and you can feel the cam pushing the latch on the hood, just not enough I guess. I get the hood to release 2 or 3 times in a row, and then it does not work. Here is what I have tried.
-Greasing all latches to make sure nothing is binding and all moving parts move smoothly.
-Put paint on cam to see where it hits the latch on the hood, and it hits in the center.
-Opened up holes in cam bracket (the one on the firewall) to adjust it forward/backward and left/right as much as possible.
-Disconnected cable to passenger side to see if it was causing problems (BTW don't do this! It gets VERY stuck.)
I must mention that some of the hood parts (hood & hinges) have never been on the car before, so I had no mechanical reference ponit to start with. Any help is appreciated.
BTW: That procedure for getting the hood unstuck by using a long screwdriver stinks for 76's. It may work for newer models, but you would have to have a borescope to do it. I ended up taking the 4 bolts out for the hinges and wiggling the hood to pop it up. My $0.02.
. The drivers side continues to get stuck no matter which way I adjust it. I push the hood down and it latches fine. I pull the handle all the way and you can feel the cam pushing the latch on the hood, just not enough I guess. I get the hood to release 2 or 3 times in a row, and then it does not work. Here is what I have tried.-Greasing all latches to make sure nothing is binding and all moving parts move smoothly.
-Put paint on cam to see where it hits the latch on the hood, and it hits in the center.
-Opened up holes in cam bracket (the one on the firewall) to adjust it forward/backward and left/right as much as possible.
-Disconnected cable to passenger side to see if it was causing problems (BTW don't do this! It gets VERY stuck.)
I must mention that some of the hood parts (hood & hinges) have never been on the car before, so I had no mechanical reference ponit to start with. Any help is appreciated.
BTW: That procedure for getting the hood unstuck by using a long screwdriver stinks for 76's. It may work for newer models, but you would have to have a borescope to do it. I ended up taking the 4 bolts out for the hinges and wiggling the hood to pop it up. My $0.02.
1. Take the 2 latch bolts (with the "teepee's") out completely
2. Get the hood lined up exactly where you want it, then tighten the hinge bolts up
3. Put a piece of masking tape over each latch hole (in the hood) that the latch bolt "teepee's" go into
4. Find the CENTER of each hole and draw a circle (about 3/8" dia) with a sharpie
5. Screw the "teepee" bolts back in to about where they will ultimately be set
6. Put a small dab of grease on the TIP (only) of each of the "Teepee's"
7. Close the hood ONLY until the tips of the Teepee's hit the tape [when lowering the hood, hold it from the center so both points hit simutaneously]
8. Adjust the latch bolts so the tips hit the CENTER of the CIRCLES you drew. When you get the BOTH centered, tighten the lock nuts up and give it a try.
Should work better with no binding.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,482
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
You might try moving the stops on the hood release cable to shorten up the cable and ensure you get a "full" pull when pull it. It sounds like the cable is almost, but not quite, opening the left latch which, in turn, opens the right.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 294
Likes: 0
From: cincinnati oh
Thanks guys for helping. I will try this stuff in a few minutes and let you know. Right now the passenger side is not even on the firewall so it is not a problem...yet.
pws69 thanks for your procedure!
pws69 thanks for your procedure!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,943
Likes: 3
From: Wildwood IL
Originally Posted by pws69
When I did mine, I was in a similar position (no reference). Had a h*ll of a time, but came up with a method that straightened it all out.
1. Take the 2 latch bolts (with the "teepee's") out completely
2. Get the hood lined up exactly where you want it, then tighten the hinge bolts up
3. Put a piece of masking tape over each latch hole (in the hood) that the latch bolt "teepee's" go into
4. Find the CENTER of each hole and draw a circle (about 3/8" dia) with a sharpie
5. Screw the "teepee" bolts back in to about where they will ultimately be set
6. Put a small dab of grease on the TIP (only) of each of the "Teepee's"
7. Close the hood ONLY until the tips of the Teepee's hit the tape [when lowering the hood, hold it from the center so both points hit simutaneously]
8. Adjust the latch bolts so the tips hit the CENTER of the CIRCLES you drew. When you get the BOTH centered, tighten the lock nuts up and give it a try.
Should work better with no binding.
1. Take the 2 latch bolts (with the "teepee's") out completely
2. Get the hood lined up exactly where you want it, then tighten the hinge bolts up
3. Put a piece of masking tape over each latch hole (in the hood) that the latch bolt "teepee's" go into
4. Find the CENTER of each hole and draw a circle (about 3/8" dia) with a sharpie
5. Screw the "teepee" bolts back in to about where they will ultimately be set
6. Put a small dab of grease on the TIP (only) of each of the "Teepee's"
7. Close the hood ONLY until the tips of the Teepee's hit the tape [when lowering the hood, hold it from the center so both points hit simutaneously]
8. Adjust the latch bolts so the tips hit the CENTER of the CIRCLES you drew. When you get the BOTH centered, tighten the lock nuts up and give it a try.
Should work better with no binding.
Eddie
