I need a little more help, I thank you in advance for any input. This is what am dealing with, this is the hood closed. Simply not catching on the primary latch, only secondary latch. I look at the catch, and assume it would connect with a slot on the post. But I look at the post, I use a wrench to move the spring up .... there is no slot. Too me, something smells fishy here, just wonder if I am missing something? Do I need a new post?
There is a a adjustment nut to raise the piece shaft that fits into the latch up & down, if my memory serves me correctly it is on the other side of the bracket.
start by carefully lubricating the latch and post. There could be a locknut on top, above the bracket...that's how it is on my Hudson. Tricky to get a wrench on it, but it can be done. If so, loosen the nut, then unscrew the post a couple turns, and see what you have. the -25 on the panel makes it look like a junkyard or swap meet piece, it could be that the front was pieced together and not adjusted, and some parts might possibly be bent out of shape a bit. Expect to have to futz with it a lot.
BTW, there are two good sites to help with any information you might need, one is here on the hamb.HRP The 52-54 Ford Social group and JeffB2 is the moderator The other is The '54 Ford Club of America - I am the Administrator http://1954ford.com/forum/
I guess my next step will be to remove that nut, Clean the pin and put things back together. I would just expect there to be some slot on the pin for the latch to catch on. Raising or lowering the slot would adjust the hood. The pin is smooth as far as I can see. Maybe if I remove it and clean it, will understand it better. I have no history on the car, I just wonder if it is the right pin ... maybe I can cut a slot in it and make it work.
the -25 98 is the coolant level for 1998, was also a -20 03 ... kinda silly but same time, it gives the car a little history. Going to continue with it and add -22 19 to it.
The arrow is pointing at something that doesn't look right, can you take a better photo? The pointed part should slid into the hole for the latch and it is flat on the back where the latch can close around it after it when the hood is shut. HRP
I hope this helps, here is what I see. And I use the wrench to push the spring up. I see nothing for the latch in the core support to catch on. Why I am wondering if it is correct pin ... I suspect I am ignorant though
ok I am slow, if you look up about 3 turns on the spring, the pin changes. Possible I loosen up the pin and it will catch on the latch. Just seems like a lot of adjustment is needed for it to work. My job was to fix the cooling system, and seems like a lot of tlc is needed before returning to the owner .... next step is to run the old gas out, like to get the hood shut down tight first.
I'll look at mine when I get home and see what the difference is. This entire piece slides into the opening. Reach inside the grille and pull the hood release, the latch mechanism should slid back ( arrow) and open up to allow the pointed plunger to slid into the hole and latch if it is working correctly. HRP
seems to me the "nut" under is welded. and the "slot" adjust hood > use a Pipe wrench or grind a slot in pin.. USE A Flashlight and a mirror and show us the nut...
Now I feel really silly. We all try to put out one fire at a time, we go for the biggest fire first and work our way to some peace. Here is the real issue right here. This hood when you close it, you have to walk back and push down on one hood spring, then walk over to the other side and push on the other ... you can see the alignment is stopping it from closing properly.
I bet the -25 refers to the antifreeze in the radiator. At one time the antifreeze was tested to -25 degrees. That was very common to see up here in Minnesota when I was a kid.
we never did that in Arizona, but we did write prices on ancient sheet metal parts with a paint marker, when I worked at the junkyard. Thanks for the education. But back to the hood....yes, you do need to fix the hinges before the latch will work correctly.
that spring compresses and lets the step on the pin be caught by the latch. As far as the pushing on the corners to close fully good luck with that I know of several around here they all act like that. Repop hinges were available, VERY expensive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had the same problem and loosening that nut at the top of the pin and threading that pin down lower was enough to make it catch. It grabs and holds snug now. My hinge on the driver's side is completely busted and the arm holding the spring is broken off. I have to pull the hood up and towards me when opening and down and back to close so I feel your pain. $500 for replacement hinges is a lot more painful though.
The latch and pin need adjusting LAST when setting up a hood!!The hinges do need to be repaired first so the hood can be raised and lowered correctly and evenly. The way I was taught to set a hood up properly is to either remove the hood pin or the latch assembly so the hood cannot close. Then adjust the hood against the cowlfor a nice fit. Hopefully the fender alignment is good if not adjust the fenders to fit the hood. You may need to jiggle these around a bit but you should end up with a nice fitting hood by holding the hood down yourself. Now reinstall the hood pin and or latch assembly - this was left off so it would not fight you while you set up your hood gaps. Next lower the hood so you can watch how the hood pin contacts the latch assembly it should line up - if not don’t adjust the hood or you will loose all the nice gaps. Adjust the latch and pin LAST to get the hood to close down tightly.
If this is your first attempt at hood alignment, your going to need lots or patience. As I recall from owning a "54",the hood hinges bolt to the intake air ducts. The hood not closing on the back side is a pain to get it right. Worn hinges and bolts don't help. Stay calm, and have plenty of beer handy.
As has already been mentioned by Squirrel, you are obsessing over the wrong end of the hood. Remove the entire latch assembly and safety, then repair and/or adjust the hinges so that the hood moves up and down as it should and drops into the hole squarely without having to wiggle it. Then check all four gaps - front, sides and rear - to be sure they are uniform. A wreck in the car's past - or an unqualified amateur body man - may have shifted the doghouse (front clip) out of square. Once the hood moves without resistance and drops cleanly into a squared-off hole chances are your latch problem will have disappeared. Good luck!
I talked to the owner this morning, we drove it down for inspection & registration. He is out riding around now, first time he has been able to drive the car without it overheating. Driving around town 35 mph, he should be ok without the hood flying open. The second latch holds good. He has a smile from ear to ear He has to go back to work tomorrow, will drop it back off when done joy riding. He told me when he bought the car a year ago, the hood did close properly. He is guilty of not closing it properly and bending the hinges. I think a good shove on the right rear, would take the tweak out of the hood, so it can close again. At the same time, it would fix the issue in the left front. Other then that, yeah this hood hinges do bolt to the air boxes, I see no way to loosen and adjust .... will have to research just to find how it is done.
A bit of oil on the hinge pivots a few times a year, makes hinges last a long time. But preventative maintenance is a lost art.
one other problem with the hinges is the wave washers may have been removed(lost at some point)they help in keeping the hinges from binding when the bolts are tightened.also make sure the correct bolts are in place they should have a shoulder that hinge moves? on.as someone said patience is a must.joining the 52-59 social forum will be a large help to you
It appears to me the fenders need to spread at the front and the hood moved back. I had to loosen the bolts attaching the fenders to the grill surround to make the moves. Also lowering the hood centering spring pin should get the both the main and secondary latching. In the photos it appears the hood will not sit correctly with the spring/pin out. As stated above you need to do that first.
The basic way I described to set up a hood is the correct procedure. Once the hood to cowl gap is set perfectly the hood is like a template fore the other panels to align up to. You would be lucky to have the hood lign up with just a push although it is sometimes possible. Missysdad1 is right I would keep a close eye out for the front end sheet metal or rad support possibly being out of alignment from past trauma. DON’T drive the car relying on just the hood safety latch. If the hood flys up it will do much damage to that fine Ford or worse cause a bad wreck with another car.
the pin has nothing to do with the hood not closing.you say the owner had no problem closing it from the picture it looks like someone tried closing the hood like a modern hood and twisted it when passenger side hung up.if you take a hold of the hood from the front and try to twist to passenger side it may close properly.doing this will move it back and to right.closing the gap at back also moving the front away from fender.do not go crazy but be firm. post results
You are correct, I watched the owner the other day and exactly how he was trying to close it. The owner is 6' tall, pushing 300 pounds, he has some heft behind him. That did the trick, I held the passenger side with left arm, pulled down with right arm, I felt the hood pop, and now it is sitting square in the hole, and level distance left to right in the front. Still wont latch, now as the last step, the post needs adjusted. Just makes me wonder why it would close before, but not now?
glad to help as to pin not sure why it would have changed.did the six footer try to adjust? maybe at least biggest problem solved.hope you look into the social group easy to join no cost other than a few minutes time.
The Jalopy Journal
