72 hood latch setup?
Thread Starter
Parts Sherpa
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 520
Likes: 98
From: ICE boneyard, Pa
72 hood latch setup?
Are there any tricks to aligning the hood pins to latches and setting the release cable tension? I have gotten the hood stuck closed 3 times so far. I need a lesson because it seems to be working but only wants to fully release on one side.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 19,212
Likes: 1,671
From: Long Island
I used PVC pipe and a coupling to make a similar fitting - it worked great.
If you make the "tool" as described it works well also.
Be careful of very worm catch / female part (on the hood) of the latching mechanism. The head of the pin gets stuck in the space between the frame and slide mechanism. This will not allow the hood to release.
If you make the "tool" as described it works well also.
Be careful of very worm catch / female part (on the hood) of the latching mechanism. The head of the pin gets stuck in the space between the frame and slide mechanism. This will not allow the hood to release.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,852
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Here is a link to the hood alignment tool... It's probably cheaper than making your own when you consider the time involved, we sell on average one of these every day.. it's one of our best selling items. (we sell these to Ecklers, Zip, Central and CA so anyone can get it from their favorite vendor if desired.. plus we have them on eBay.
https://willcoxcorvette.com/hood-ali...968-1976-26912
https://www.ebay.com/itm/132528966256
Here is a link to the full instructions for using it.
http://repairs.willcoxcorvette.com/1...ent-procedure/
1968-1976 Hood Alignment and Tool Instructions
A) Insert tool into the left hand hood latch assembly, the pressure of the lock will hold the tool in position.
B) Slightly loosen the striker mounting bolts. Bring the hood down on the striker guiding the striker cone into the bottom of the tool bottoming out the tool on the striker bolt. This will position the centerline of the latch.
C) Raise the hood and tighten the striker mounting bolts. Recheck the alignment and then remove the tool. Move to the passenger side and repeat. Before shutting hood, push downward on the latch area, it should feel springy and not be hitting anything. (be careful not to lock it just yet). If the latch is hitting something and doesn’t feel springy, re-adjust.
D) On early built Corvettes which utilize retaining sleeves for lock cable adjustment, perform the following (reference Figure 1 below).
1) Pull on left retainer sleeve until slack is removed from the cable. Do not pull hard enough to pull the latch on the passenger side.
2) Measure the distance between the left retaining sleeve and face of the left latch arm. There should only be 1/8” gap between them. This slack is needed to insure that the latches will not disengage due to road vibration.
3) If 1/8” does not exist or if the slack is greater than 1/8”, loosen retainer sleeve screw and move retainer accordingly.
4) If not already done, bend the cable at the sleeves (right and left sides) to insure that it does not pull through if the cable retainer sleeve screw loosens in service. On later built cars that utilize the clevis pin attachment, simply check to see that slack is taken up in the cable. If slack needs adjustment, loosen the retainer and adjust the pin accordingly. (to 1/8” free travel).
Figure 1.
E) Close the hood and check for hood surface alignment with the front fender upper panel surface. If necessary, adjust the height of the lock striker assemblies till this surface alignment is obtained, torque down the lower lock striker spring retainer to maintain this height setting. Note, if hood will not close far enough to lock, loosen lower bumpers and lower bumpers. (Bumpers will be re-adjusted in step F)
F) Adjust the hood bumper height until, in the closed position, the hood cannot be deflected downward more than 1/16” when firmly pressed on the lock area by the adjuster. In effect, there should be little or no vertical movement by the hood when properly adjusted. If the hood will not latch as a result of this adjustment, the bumpers are adjusted too high and should be lowered. Remember to torque down the jam nuts to maintain bumper height.
https://willcoxcorvette.com/hood-ali...968-1976-26912
https://www.ebay.com/itm/132528966256
Here is a link to the full instructions for using it.
http://repairs.willcoxcorvette.com/1...ent-procedure/
1968-1976 Hood Alignment and Tool Instructions
A) Insert tool into the left hand hood latch assembly, the pressure of the lock will hold the tool in position.
B) Slightly loosen the striker mounting bolts. Bring the hood down on the striker guiding the striker cone into the bottom of the tool bottoming out the tool on the striker bolt. This will position the centerline of the latch.
C) Raise the hood and tighten the striker mounting bolts. Recheck the alignment and then remove the tool. Move to the passenger side and repeat. Before shutting hood, push downward on the latch area, it should feel springy and not be hitting anything. (be careful not to lock it just yet). If the latch is hitting something and doesn’t feel springy, re-adjust.
D) On early built Corvettes which utilize retaining sleeves for lock cable adjustment, perform the following (reference Figure 1 below).
1) Pull on left retainer sleeve until slack is removed from the cable. Do not pull hard enough to pull the latch on the passenger side.
2) Measure the distance between the left retaining sleeve and face of the left latch arm. There should only be 1/8” gap between them. This slack is needed to insure that the latches will not disengage due to road vibration.
3) If 1/8” does not exist or if the slack is greater than 1/8”, loosen retainer sleeve screw and move retainer accordingly.
4) If not already done, bend the cable at the sleeves (right and left sides) to insure that it does not pull through if the cable retainer sleeve screw loosens in service. On later built cars that utilize the clevis pin attachment, simply check to see that slack is taken up in the cable. If slack needs adjustment, loosen the retainer and adjust the pin accordingly. (to 1/8” free travel).
Figure 1.
E) Close the hood and check for hood surface alignment with the front fender upper panel surface. If necessary, adjust the height of the lock striker assemblies till this surface alignment is obtained, torque down the lower lock striker spring retainer to maintain this height setting. Note, if hood will not close far enough to lock, loosen lower bumpers and lower bumpers. (Bumpers will be re-adjusted in step F)
F) Adjust the hood bumper height until, in the closed position, the hood cannot be deflected downward more than 1/16” when firmly pressed on the lock area by the adjuster. In effect, there should be little or no vertical movement by the hood when properly adjusted. If the hood will not latch as a result of this adjustment, the bumpers are adjusted too high and should be lowered. Remember to torque down the jam nuts to maintain bumper height.
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Aug 14, 2018 at 12:31 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3,306
Likes: 697
I've had good luck using tape to help align hood pins. Just put a few pieces of tape over the latch and then lower the hood until the hood pins make an indent on the tape then adjust as needed. If you poke a hole in the tape just get new tape.
Thread Starter
Parts Sherpa
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 520
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From: ICE boneyard, Pa
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Something else you might consider:
Follow the hood release cable to where it connects to the latch release and using picture frame wire tie one end of the wire into the same hole as the release cable and tuck a length of the wire into the wiper area, that way if the original cable breaks you can open your hood with the picture wire cable.
Follow the hood release cable to where it connects to the latch release and using picture frame wire tie one end of the wire into the same hole as the release cable and tuck a length of the wire into the wiper area, that way if the original cable breaks you can open your hood with the picture wire cable.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,852
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Guys.. I have to say... the hood tool is a can't miss item... If you follow the instructions the dog pecker bolt (what my father called them for lack of a better word, sadly I've out lived him by 5 years but I still bear the burden of his country slang lol) on the latch will align the female lock perfectly. It's something we should have made years ago for sale, I made one for the shop about 20 years ago from the GM specs.... but only started making them for sale this year... why I have no idea because the damn thing works like a champ.
Pete (as usual) is 100 percent correct too cheat on the release..
Ernie
Pete (as usual) is 100 percent correct too cheat on the release..
Ernie
Thread Starter
Parts Sherpa
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 520
Likes: 98
From: ICE boneyard, Pa
Guys.. I have to say... the hood tool is a can't miss item... If you follow the instructions the dog pecker bolt (what my father called them for lack of a better word, sadly I've out lived him by 5 years but I still bear the burden of his country slang lol) on the latch will align the female lock perfectly. It's something we should have made years ago for sale, I made one for the shop about 20 years ago from the GM specs.... but only started making them for sale this year... why I have no idea because the damn thing works like a champ.
Pete (as usual) is 100 percent correct too cheat on the release..
Ernie
Pete (as usual) is 100 percent correct too cheat on the release..
Ernie
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,852
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
I never got any email from you.. email me at service@willcoxcorvette.com and we'll get this to you asap.