Hello,

Quick question that I can not find a clear answer on. The convertible I bought has a glasstek hood and is only using the hood pins to latch. My question has any one used the factory latch from the steel lined hoods on an all fiberglass one one? Or does anyone have suggestions or comments. Also the spring tension on the hood hinges are made for the steel hood. Has anyone used lesser springs as when you close the hood the fiberglass seems too light for the tension on the springs.

I ordered new hood bumpers as they are not on the car and one hood pin keeps coming loose thats why I ask about the latch.

Thanks and questions and comments welcome

 

The Parts Place has hood hinge springs with less tension that you use with all 'glass hoods.

I don't know about the hood latch deal?

Out of luck if you have an inside hood release without one.

 

The ability to use a factory style hood latch on an all-fiberglass hood is a function of how strong the underside frame is. At a minimum you will need to remove the wire spring on the core support that pops the front of hood open, as this will definitely cause cracking. Depending on the strength of the hood, you may or may not want to use even lightweight hood hinge springs. A prop rod is a fine alternative.

 

There is no inside hood release and the whole latch system has been removed from the front, T-handle spring, latch is all gone. With no bump stops the hood pins come loose and worried about the hood ripping off on the freeway and wondering what others with the all glass hoods have used to secure them.

 

I use just the pins on mine, it still has the safety latch . The rods in the pin on my car will move so keep an eye on those .

 

Mine does not have the safety latch and one of the pins come loose and the hood starts flapping in the wind.

 

If the adjuster screw is there put some cane ends on them for now ...

The pin set-ups get a little sloppy after 38 years so I was going to buy the replacement set ...

I also reinforced the hinge area when I detailed my hood, you also need the right spacer ( I used washers) on the back hinge bolt ...

I was sealing the body so I seem sealed the frame to the hood and it doesn't squeek anymore ...

 

Yea, the adjuster screws are gone to. There is nothing not even rubber bumbers. just the hood pins.

 

Do not drive as you could tweak the hood easily ...

There are guys in the parts for sale,

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums/parts-sale/

- that should have all kinds of pieces that may not be new but are correct ...

try this guy

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...ealership.html

 

Thanks, What I am trying to figure out is what did others use. I would like to use the factory latch system but am unsure if it will work. The bottom of the hood is not built like a stock hood so anything would have to either be screwed in or cut out and make custom brackets as it is just flat fiberglass and unsure if it is strong enough to support the factory latch.. Before I buy things that may not work just looking to see what others with the aftermarket hood has had success with.

 

I just have pins and safety latch ...

Works for me ...

 

Mugzilla, Yours is a steel lined hood correct? Mine is all glass and has no place to mount the latch. So before I cut into the hood to create a custom fit just wondering what the options are. Maybe on some of the glass hoods they atleast have a catch on them but this one is just bare flat fiberglass so there is nothing to latch too and will need to be cut or modified. Here is a link to a picture. I have an idea for it but would rather see what has worked on these all glass ones

http://www.tamrazs.com/ebayimages/fi...s/gla003_6.jpg

 

you should just get a hood with a steel liner

 

I tried to make the latch work on my Glasstek hood with no luck,If you get a good set of pins they will work all right,Mine have been up to 122MPH with no problems,I had to go with the post type with the new cowl hood and they dont look or work near as good as the stock W25 hood type pins................Jerr

 

Thank you BigJerr,
What I have thought about it making a slit in the glas under the hood to mount a backing plate then try to attach the safety latch at a minimum but before chopping it up see what other options I have. I think maybe a new set of locks may be in order since one side vibrates loose and then allows the hood to flap on one side

 

I took a piece of thin gauge metal and tried to form a place for the latch to catch but relized I would have to screw it to fiberglass to get it to stay so I bailed on that and just check my pins everchance I get to make sure there latched,As I remember I bought my stuff from Fussicks and the cross pin to hold down the hood was on the cheap side so I made my own out of a harder steel pin and tapped them thru many years ago..............Now that ole hood is sitting up in the garage rafters in a custom built shelfing unit to keep it safe!

 

Here is how I did mine. I used the stock safty latch. I reinforced it with some aluminum diamond plate. Don't know if it hold the hood at 100mph+ but its better then nothing.
70fendertrunkdeck154.jpg
Just get some bumpers so you can adjust them to keep some tension on the hood pins.
Jkaz

 

Kaz, Thanks for the photo that helps

Bigjerr The cross pins on mine are cheap and soft too so redoing those is a good Idea. I was tinking of replacing the whole hood pins on both sides but not sure if that is really needed

 

It's glass ...

I'm out of a camera right now or I'd show a pic ...

 

My latch is just bolted down but there are light stress cracks that I never noticed ...

I am going to beef it up with a plate like kaz442 ...

I'm really glad we had this thread so I can head off a disaster ...

...

 

Well Mugz glad this thread helps you as well. It also keeps me from just cutting up a hood and not know it would be the right thing to do

Still looking for more replies as i am sure there are more of us out there with the all glass hoods

 

I had one of those soft cross pins break on me one time on my '72. In a pinch I made one out of a nail. Held up fine, never did get around to replacing it. JKaz

 

The stock cross pin is grooved so it bites the hood pin ,,,

If it moves just a little you are screwed as it get stuck. I check mine constantly ...

I had to use vice grips once. But then mine are driver qual ...

I guess if you had a lift and a rollabout full of tools you could get it loose without tweaking your chrome ...

 

Man, glad to read this thread...I have a 72 that I would like to fit an OAI hood to, but without breaking the bank; I dont mind spending $600 to $800 but I sure don't want to have it fly up on the freeway.....I was thinking the Chevelle post/pin set up might be more secure on an all fiberglass repro OAI hood (not as attractive tho)....what do you thing? Thanks! John

PS - Thinking of buying a Partsplace or a Tamraz (Glasstek) hood

 

I've seen guys use small padlocks on the pin setup - seemed to work well for a lot of things!
Just keep track of the keys1

 

I was thinking of using a small padlock just to keep people out of the hood. I'd put the key next to my ignition key.

 

I got my hood from fiber concepts in Pennsylvania. Not a full steel frame but steel bars built in where hinges mount and a flat steel plate at the front to accommodate the factory latch and the spring. Only thing I'll have to do is a little finishing and drill holes for the twist pins to go through it. Only thing it doesn't have is the screen. I paid 775 cash for mine. No corners aren't broken. I left the padding on them for now.....

 

I hit a deer with my 71 in about 1997. I couldn't find a rust free hood and the body shop/insurance company approved a "442" hood which I always wanted. I didn't know at the time this hood was different than a original hood. When I got it back from the body shop they had removed the original latch and safety latch and it only uses the hood pins. They used a bumper like is on the outer edges on the radiator support in the middle so the hood doesn't rattle when going down road. Anyway it has worked fine since then. I can see the left pin from the drivers seat but I'm still nervous I will forget to latch them - especially if I let some one borrow it.

 

I bought the Glastek Hood from Parts Place. My car is in the body shop now. I bought the lighter springs when I bought the hood. We had the hood on the car the other day for mock up and the springs will not hold the hood open. the hood has the cut outs for the latch and my plan is to put some steel behind the glass so I can retain then original latch. I will be doing this in the next few weeks and will let you know how it goes. For the others in this thread that are thinking of buying this hood..........I will have as much in prepping this hood for paint as a Thorton's hood with steel inner frame would have cost. We set the hood outside on a 95 degree day and air pockets (bubbles) formed all over the place. These had to be ground out 1 at a time and filled. I am now on the third coat of high build primer and block sanding trying to get it straight enough for paint. The fit seemed pretty good when we were mocking it up however.

 

Primer coats alone won't save that hood...the hood needs sprayable polyester. Needs to be blocked, then applied again, then blocked again. If there are any break throughs, it needs to be applied again. You can't just apply surfacer over glass. You will regret it. It will shrink.....

 

Olds luvr. You need the adjustment bumpers to create some tension against the hood for the spring-loaded twist pins to clamp correctly. Could you post a pic of the latch area? I think modifying the hood to use a factory latch would be simple as the factory latch has a ratcheting mechanism and doesn't need a lot of pressure to close properly. Sampson has the right idea to put the metal plate above the glass, it is far stronger that way. You will need to cut an access slot to get it in there though that you would have to resin back shut after or you could use a 2-part SMC boding adhesive (better idea) that I would also recommend to bond the plate to the fiberglass. Get this plate positioned where you want it and use rivets from the bottom of the hood to the plate on the inside will be plenty strong enough. Only question is if the inner hood is low enough to use a flat piece of steel or if you have to get crafty.

 

You are correct. We are using polyester. I was just using generic terms. Sorry for the confusion. Bottom line though, I am not saving any money having purchased the cheaper hood.

 

Good information for proper prep method! I think many believe when going with glass, it'll be easy to prep for paint? Um, I thought so. Doh!

I have pitting in the nose of the original hood and visible rust looking under the area. Do not like daylight peeking through micro holes. Now looking into a glass, 442 replacement as the only thing I can find out there. Some makers reference light spring kits and list different model numbers for hinge or pin install. I assumed they beefed-up the hinge area and as the hood is lighter, it would operate as normal with the kit? Maybe not so much after reading here?