Hi, I’m trying to take apart hood latch to change the spring. I got the top of, but don’t know what to do next. Does someone have a blow down diagram of a latch? Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I suppose I need to smooth down the mushroom that the rod will fall through the body of the latch. I hope I won’t ruin the latch. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
It seemed to work fine. I heated it with the torch and smoothed the mushroom. Spring seems to be i bad condition. I wish I’ll find one long enough for this. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Serviced and ready for the car. I welded a washer to the rod. Did not wan’t to make 100% restoration. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
On our original latches , spring was OK but the beak on the latch was plain worn out . Some careful tig welding and as good as it was in 32. Now if our spring fails we know how to fix it.
If you cant fix the early latches here are some nice early reproductions' Early Style 1932 Ford Hood Latch Set Polished Stainless Steel (roadstersupply.com)
The repros I have seen are not exact to original 32 Ford. So us anal 32 dudes like to rebuild the old stuff.
If the spring(s) have lost a little length over the years or lost tension, you could maybe shorten the rod slightly to compensate......... unless they are stacking up all the way with no more gaps to compress. I'm not a metallurgist so I don't have a clue how to lengthen spring steel the proper way.