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Thanks, but I'm almost sure I'm past the half moon latch, because I can push down on the hood and feel the spring resistance. Isn't the half moon latch the solid lock of the latching mechanism, holding spring tension on the hood? The base latch is loose, floating on it's 2 studs w/washers & nuts. I'm trying to free the cone bolt from the hood hole and it's been damn hard (for me anyway) to do.
But everyone knows, I can be wrong.
Great pictures, thanks again.
There's not a lot of height difference between the half-moon and the fixed part of the latch though. If the hood is still sitting up from flush, there is a chance it's only caught on the fixed part, (not guaranteed)
If that's the case, the half-moon should (?) have pushed the bottom pin part towards the rear of the car or sideways but who would know which way,
I think if you can find a way of moving the pin around, maybe lift the hood slightly so as you slide it around if it does find the hole it'll try to pop out
M
(Sound like you've got the workings right)
When everything is working correctly, the spring half-moon part is the only part that goes under the mushroom head of the pin. The rest of the circle shouldn't touch at all (centered around it)
As the hood closes, the half-moon part hits the cone and the taper pushes it away a little bit, the hood touches the spring pad and it sits there.
When the hood is pressed down (you don't drop it do you the spring compresses, the half-moon retracts more as the taper on the cone increases until the half-moon drops below the tapered head and it then springs "closed"
The spring pad pushes up holding the half-moon tight to the bottom of the mushroom cone
(the fixed hood stops prevent the hood from dropping too far and letting the cone pin go wayyyy too deep into the latch)
M
Borescope doesn't tell me much. Only that the push lever from the Hood Open cable doesn't contact the upper Hood Latch, which is normal anyway in a hood's current position.
Just not any other choice but to look elsewhere, and low & behold, I can see the hood's Hinge Bolts. I plan to remove them, raise the hood, and go from there.
And every mech has his/her favorite, or GO TOtool. This is mine: a 1/2 X 9/16 Open End. Super thin: a 3/25" handle and 1/5" thick at the ends.
Don't know where I got it or where it came from, but it's been my Savior countless times.
At 9" long, it can reach long and handle good torque but seemingly easy in working in tight places. Would be lost without it.
Will removing the hinges and letting the front of the hood lift actually help much? you won't be able to move it around a whole lot before it hits the fender/front and if you lift it much it'll jam tighter on the pin???
(just wondering)
M
Will removing the hinges and letting the front of the hood lift actually help much? you won't be able to move it around a whole lot before it hits the fender/front and if you lift it much it'll jam tighter on the pin???
(just wondering)
M
You are right again M. That LH bastard does NOT want to let go!
BUT i do feel somewhat closer to verifying what exactly is hanging that corner up.
Speaking of verification, and if it's not too much trouble, can someone confirm my belief that if the crossover unlatching cable is pulled up/out/wherever from say the RH latch area, BOTH RH AND LH latches RETRACT, just like what occurs when the Hood Release Handle is normally pulled?
I am following this thread with great interest. My 73 hood is very stuck, after I did a poor job adjusting the anchor points on the firewall. Thought I had unbolted the LS hood hinge, now realize it was the bracket that holds the hood open. Surprised you found the hood hinge bolts, back to the garage to look for those again. I think if I can get that forward edge up, like you did, I might get it open. Thanks for sharing your photos, and progress. Good Luck!
Borescope doesn't tell me much. Only that the push lever from the Hood Open cable doesn't contact the upper Hood Latch, which is normal anyway in a hood's current position.
Just not any other choice but to look elsewhere, and low & behold, I can see the hood's Hinge Bolts. I plan to remove them, raise the hood, and go from there.
And every mech has his/her favorite, or GO TOtool. This is mine: a 1/2 X 9/16 Open End. Super thin: a 3/25" handle and 1/5" thick at the ends.
Don't know where I got it or where it came from, but it's been my Savior countless times.
At 9" long, it can reach long and handle good torque but seemingly easy in working in tight places. Would be lost without it.
Hoods comin off today!
Steve
Just confirming, the hinge bolts in the photo are going into the hood? I have looked every way I can think of to visualize mine, but the radiator frame blocks the view.
With the hood disconnected from the hinges you should be able to slip a string around the arm on the drivers latch and pull it sideways (away from the passenger side) to fully open the latch and move that half-moon out of the way.
With the hood disconnected from the hinges you should be able to slip a string around the arm on the drivers latch and pull it sideways (away from the passenger side) to fully open the latch and move that half-moon out of the way.
M
I see now. NO IT WON'T!
Thanks for that picture and suggestion.
If you follow the outter Radiator Frame all the way up to the top M, the bolted hinge is right there. Had to remove a headlight Vacuum Accumulator support strut to get my arm (w wrench) up there.
Is the '73 latch the same as a '74? Here's photo of a '74 that shows the access hole on the drivers side.
I made a L tipped push pull rod out of .100 steel flat bar and bent the tip 1/2" it's about 18" long. stays in the jack compartment!.... through the hole and unlatch!
I see now. NO IT WON'T!
Thanks for that picture and suggestion.
If you follow the outter Radiator Frame all the way up to the top M, the bolted hinge is right there. Had to remove a headlight Vacuum Accumulator support strut to get my arm (w wrench) up there.
Steve
I just meant it should hold the latch open now that it's no longer in contact with the factory release part, you'll still need to move everything around trying to find the placement that lets it pop back off. Maybe some strings can be looped around the tapered pin (one to the drives and another to the passenger, fore and aft as well and that would let you move it around anyway you need, you know, hold the drivers one in one hand and the passenger in the other hand and the latch open one in the other hand and the fore one on the other hand and the aft in the other hand and hold the hood up with both hands.... you work alone right ???
I made a L tipped push pull rod out of .100 steel flat bar and bent the tip 1/2" it's about 18" long. stays in the jack compartment!.... through the hole and unlatch!
My l 88 hood got stuck shut due to misalignment.I ground off the welded nuts on the front hinges in the wheel wells where I was able to lift and move the hood around while helper was pulling on hood cable.,Popped right open.This method will work
My l 88 hood got stuck shut due to misalignment.I ground off the welded nuts on the front hinges in the wheel wells where I was able to lift and move the hood around while helper was pulling on hood cable.,Popped right open.This method will work
Any chance you could show photos of where those are? Would hate to grind off the wrong parts, if I go that far. Thanks!
the spring compresses, the half-moon retracts more as the taper on the cone increases until the half-moon drops below the tapered head and it then springs "closed"
