After jump starting my van this morning, I went to close the hood. It would not latch! I checked and it seemed like the hood bumper stop may have been too high. So I screwed it in some. I still could not latch the hood. So I got out the 7/16 wrench and adjusted the catch up as high as I could. Still it would not latch. It was not making any sense because I have had the hood open over a dozen times. Well, we were now running behind time, so I drove it to the dentist anyways relying on only the secondary latch. Made the trip fine. After coming home having more time to look at it, I found my issue. The issue was not on the latch side of things, but rather on the hood side of things! The metal where it catched on the latch has cracked on both sides and pealed inward. I pried it out to make it work for now. But obviously this creates a very week point! If someone just tried to pull the hood open, I am sure they could. Now I have the original hood to the car, the 77 hood. Are there any differences between the 77 hoods and the 79 hoods? But, on that hood, it also is showing signs of distress. So altimatly, that one will need some modifications also if it would still fit. So my real question is, has anyone modified this area of the hood. Cut it out and weld in a new section, or made a new brace for it and weld it on over the old metal? Is there enough play in the latch for me to make that area thicker by welding on a new brace over it? Thanks.
Make sure that the release cable handle is pushed back in to where it should rest.
My 78 had the same issue about 4-5 years ago when we first started driving it again. We had to replace the latch assembly on the car side. Has been working great ever since!
A habit I have gotten into when purchasing used cars is to oil/grease every moving hinge, latch and key hole there is to ensure proper operation of said parts and keep them from breaking after several years of no use.
The problem is though, its NOT on the car side of things. The latch is working very freely. Thats one of the things that stumped me. Looks like it has been slamed a few times or something on the hood side. NOw I need to try to figure out how to fix the hood, or figure out if the original 77 hood will fit on the 79 bobcat fenders and grill and lighgt assembly. Thanks.
The hood will bolt on but will interfere with the Grille and possibly the headlight bucket trim. It would not match the contour of the fenders either. Can you weld the hood back together?
If I remember correctly the hood side of the latch has elongated bolt holes so you can adjust it so it latches straight with the body side of the latch.
The hood latch does have elongated bolt holes. But it is for up and down movement only. As for welding the hood. I only have a 75 amp arc welder. How thin the metal is, I would burn through the metal. Thats why I was wondering if I could add a small panel on there and weld that on. I think with the extra thickness I could weld it. But I am not sure if the extra thickness would interfere with the hood latch working? I would be afraid of welding on a extra piece only to find out that it did interfere with the hood latch. Thats why I was hopeing someone else has had this issue to tell me what they have done. But perhaps I will be the first guinie pig for it? :( By the way, thank you for giving me the heads up about the hood not fitting. I have the original hood and another spare hood that appear to be the same thing. If I decide not to retro fit the front end, that would mean I woud have two hoods to offer up for sale then! LOL. Thanks guys for the help so far.
Can you post some clear pictures of the damage? Also clear pictures of both latches? Maybe we can get this figured out without welding!
I will have to take them tomorrow when it is light out again. Prolly after 10 when it starts to slowly warm back up. Thanks.
Here is the latch side of things. Notice it is only adjustable up and down. This makes no difference in the hood hole. The second picture is of the hood itself. Since I have pried the metal back out, I have no problem gently closing the hood! However as you can see in the photo, that IS in dire need of repairing! The metal is too thin for me to weld with the arc welder.
(http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad54/mykustomcarz/junk/HPIM5079.jpg)
(http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad54/mykustomcarz/junk/HPIM5080.jpg)