Is the hood latch center mounting unit on the A bodies, more specific the 1970 models, supposed to be straight, or, did some come with an indent, or, crease in it (angled instead of straight). I am talking about the large piece that attaches to the radiator support and sits in front of it where the hood latch attaches to. I have seen ones for sale both ways. At first I thought the latter where the result of a front end collision, but I have seen too many like that.

 

I know the '71 and '72 are supposed to be straight, looked in the Olds parts catalog and the '70 is straight too. I had the same question when I was looking for a replacement for mine.
It was already bent like that from an accident 25 years ago, I only heard the story.
It was a dark and rainy spring morning in Los Angeles..

I see them for sale bent in the middle all the time too. It's from the bumper being pushed into the stone shield or hood tooth, you see the stone shields broken or the tooth bent in all the time. One little slow speed tap or another car backing into it like when parallel parking and it breaks the attachments off the grills, bends the bumper, creases the latch support right across the middle. I've heard the way the bumpers bend up and in called the "Cutlass grin".
My '68 GTO has an Endura bumper, can hit it with a crowbar and it won't hurt it, but then I would have to beat whoever hit it with said crowbar for trying to hurt my car anyway.
"Is your skull made of Endura?!"
"I think this crowbar is going to answer that question punk!!!"

 

I'm of the same opinion....while it seems virtually EVERY used one you see has that "slight bend" in it, I think they were originally straight.

Part of the reason I say this is I have looked at some of the bent ones recently VERY CLOSELY and quite a few really don't have a real "nice" bend in them. You know, what you would expect if this was done in the factory stamping process. Sure, you could respond..."well, they did have a slight bend in them and the ones you are looking at have been hit after that, thus making the bend look "inexact". Still, my bet is they were originally straight.

Also...I have seen NOS pieces and they were STRAIGHT....no bends, etc.