Hood Latches
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 1
From: Algonac Michigan
Hood Latches
I'm having a hard time getting the hood on my 69 to open and close. I have taken all the slack out of the cables, but I think the problem is in the alignment of the posts and latches. I was wondering if I could retro fit later model finger type latches but there has to be a better way. I've allready locked myself out of the engine comp. once 
and I sure don't want to do that again. Please help, I know someone else must of had the same problem at some time cause I think it is just a bad design. 
Sly,
and I sure don't want to do that again. Please help, I know someone else must of had the same problem at some time cause I think it is just a bad design. Sly,
Race Director
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 10,643
Likes: 8
From: Foxfield CO 1970 Convertible
Mine works great once it was aligned. Look at luerja's post about half way down on the following link. That's the method I used - took about 1/2 hour and it worked great.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...um_id=3&arch=1
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...um_id=3&arch=1
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Got a remedy for that!
If you own these cars for any length of time, sooner or later you'll get locked out of the hood! I remember a tip a while back and it was great advice. Snake a length of strong gauge wire from the latching mechanism under the hood, through the hole the factory used for routing to end somewhere above the hood-release handle. Mine's been there for 3 yrs since I restored my '72, never used it yet but you just never know 
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 1
From: Algonac Michigan
thank you
good news. I used the duct tape and a bit of lube on the top of the post method, to find the center, and it worked!!! I now have a functioning hood and it feels gooooood. 
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 19,659
Likes: 34
From: Lenoir City Tennessee
Ci 6, 8 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
I put a piece of duct tape over the receiver latch and put a little grease on the hood pin. I lowered it slowly to leave a make on the tape and if it was not exactly center it would loosen the 2 nuts on the receiver latch to align it to center and do it all over again till the hood pins align exactly center on the tape and then it worked great. You really have to be exactly center to have to work.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,019
Likes: 567
From: Conroe Texas
the last time i re-installed my hood, i pulled the springs from the latches, loosened the bottom latches and wired the catches open. put some grease around the posts and slid a peice of heater hose around the post and closed the hood around the hose. opened the hood and tightened the nuts. do each side and put the springs back on and adjust the height. no problem with the latches.
