I put a replacement hood on my '79 that came from a donor '78-79 truck. I got the gaps adjusted, but I can't get it to latch. The safety latch catches, but it won't latch all the way and leaves a gap. No matter how I adjust the latch mechanism, I can't get it to catch. I check the latch bar and it is straight, I loosened the latch and tried to close the hood, and still it won't latch. i even loosened all the hod mounting bolts and it still wouldn't close. The latch is lined up with the latch bar.

What else can I try? This is driving me nuts.

 

How it the alignment of the hood front to back and do you have pics ?

 

I don't have any pics, but the alignement looks good with a small gap at the rear of the hood to cowl of around 1/4". The hood its also around 1/4" behind the grill surround, so nothing is rubbing. I have the hood centered pretty well, though not perfect. These old hoods always look a little off to me even, from the factory. I'm not seeing any rub marks on the underhood primer, so it doesn't appear to be anything preventing it from closing. I'll try and move the latch spring around tonight and see if it is pinching on anything.

i'm hoping someone will have gone through the same thing recently and can give some advice.

i may be able to get some pics up in a few days if I can't figure it out.

 

There was a thread a week or so ago.

Check back to page 6 or 7.

Hood alignment starts at the cowl with the hood matching the little hump in the cowl.

Sometimes the pop-up spring can get in the way of closing the hood.

 

Thanks. I saw that thread last ight when doing a search. I'm thinking it may be the pop-up spring too.

 

Got it. The hood latch has slotted bolt holes so I had to adjust it up 1/2" for the replacement hood. Might have had something to do with the big tree that fell on the old hood. The hood closes and opens nice and easy now.

 

Quote:

No matter how I adjust the latch mechanism, I can't get it to catch. I check the latch bar and it is straight, I loosened the latch and tried to close the hood, and still it won't latch

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I considered this a complete inspection of the latch mechanism.

 

Yeah me too Mil1on, I was gonna post up yesterday to raise the latch up, but i thought it was already covered....to adjust the hood latch, loosen and raise it all they way up, tighten, then close the hood....measure how much it needs to be lowered to sit even and adjust the latch accordingly...