Technical Mmmmm... creative ideas....or not

Sure, but old worn out antique car door latches can be a bear to find in good serviceable condition to use as a replacement. Sometimes a rear door latch from a sedan can be found in good working order and repurposed to a front (typically drivers) door. On a truck it might be harder.

If you've never had the fun, I suggest being surprised while in a right hand turn and your door flies open.
-Dave

 

This is one serious bear trap, it was for sale at the Portland swap meet a few years back, there is nothing wimpy about its construction!

 

I'm looking to go that route on my trunk latch on my Lincoln. I got the stock latch loosened and lubed up, but it won't hold squat. I'm going to use an electric release with a cable backup. Figure I can put a small push button momentary switch under the stock push button so it looks factory from the outside.

 

I have an electric release with a key backup trunk latch on my coupe, it did work very well until the recent paint job, now the electric release is pretty sketchy. I believe I'm going to have to run a ground wire to the latch. Gene

 

Lets picture a F1 with the hood open. Now "tilt" forward the fenders/grill. Tell me what engine access would be like as I don't see much?

 

This is kind of self serving, but I sell USA made bear claw style latches. I have sold several sets to customers to *replace* the Chinese made latches that would not stay latched when car hit a bump or similar. My latches solved the problem, so it was a latch quality issue and not an installation issue.

I also have some real nice very small latches that work good for trunk or hood latching. Although I always tell people to use a secondary catch on a hood, just like the factory does. Not because I think my latches will fail, but because the consequences are too great to not have the secondary catch on a hood. I even sold some of these micro latches to a landspeed racer for his parachute tube covers. That's pretty critical for them to release when needed and I am sure they are working just fine.

I am happy to discuss any custom installation applications you might have like the tilt front end. Just check out my website in the link below. I have sold nearly 300 sets of latches over the past 12 years, all over the world and every US state. Not one single quality issue or return of product. Now back to your regular programming........