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I casually walked by my ‘70 wagon this morning with the hood up and was quickly reminded why you should always be mindful of the “tooth”. I’ve been bitten before, but have never required nine staples. Be careful folks!
Damn that smarts !! been bitten many times when working as a tech. but not to the 9 staple degree, hope all heals well.
The other one that frequently sent me to my knee's was the extended receiver/trailer hitch on pick ups !!!! used to be in hustle mode
walk around the rear of the pick up and not see the extended hitch and catch that hitch right across the shins DAMN that hurts !!
and lingers for days !!! it hurts just talking about it !!
Never got bit enough for stitches or staples, but I still have scars from the "tooth" on Mama's 70 S.
On the way to 1990 Columbus Nats, a 70 SX lost its water pump. We fixed it in a furniture store's parking lot. 2nd time the fang bit, I backed out of the way and let the other guys finish it. I'm 6'3" and they were about 5'8". They didn't get fang bit!
I had opportunity to buy an immaculate one-owner 70 S sports coupe a few years back. The fang is one reason I didn't. Then one of the local knuckleheads bought it and stuck a 454 Chevy in it, and I have kicked myself ever since.
I hope that fang tore the back of his head up every time he raised the hood😤. Never liked his fat obnoxious *** anyway. Picture a 300 lb Richard Rawlings with a shaved head and you get an idea what he's like.
Last edited by rocketraider; Sep 5, 2021 at 11:44 AM.
Damn that smarts !! been bitten many times when working as a tech. but not to the 9 staple degree, hope all heals well.
The other one that frequently sent me to my knee's was the extended receiver/trailer hitch on pick ups !!!! used to be in hustle mode
walk around the rear of the pick up and not see the extended hitch and catch that hitch right across the shins DAMN that hurts !!
and lingers for days !!! it hurts just talking about it !!
Looks like the staple gun hurt, too.
There was a car at the Nats with a piece of pool noodle over its tooth. Not sure how it affected judging, but a must accessory.
Last edited by F-85 4-4-2; Sep 5, 2021 at 12:23 PM.
Has anyone tried using pool noodles or foam pipe insulation padding to protect against these kind of injuries. I caught my head on the latch of my 68 due to the hood being so low, but I recall back in the day working on several 69 442s how nasty that tooth could be, too. I might try cutting some pipe insulation for my hood latch to prevent this.
Solly,
I worked at the local grocery store in high school and had a similar issue with trailer hitches when gathering carts in the parking lot at night. 40 years later and I still vividly remember the first hitch that caught me across the shins.
Yeeeooouuuccchhh! Talk about getting your 🔔 rung! I hope your recovery goes well. So is that why they "pulled" the tooth on the '72 models...cuz too many people were getting bit?
At shows I clip a red rag onto the tooth that dangles to help onlookers pass safely, I also saw someone put a piece of bright pool noodle on there. As the owner of numerous 70’s over the decades I noticed I have a natural dip as I duck under or across the front of an open hood, regardless of make.
You should get a '69. I don't think the tooth is as sharp! Seriously, I've caught my head on the tooth of my '69 a few times and it hurts. Nothing like the cut you got, though. And my '68...the hood doesn't open very far and I'm constantly hitting my head on it as I come out of the engine compartment. I think the idea was that, since the hood hinge design for '68 didn't allow the hood to open very far, the hinge design for '69 was changed to allow the hood to open more. But then some devious designer added the tooth which negated any advantage the newly designed '69 hood hinges gave. It took a couple of years after that but someone finally figured out that, with the tooth removed, the redesigned hood hinges would actually provide the benefit they were supposed to present when they first came out in the '69 model year.
Damn that smarts !! been bitten many times when working as a tech. but not to the 9 staple degree, hope all heals well.
The other one that frequently sent me to my knee's was the extended receiver/trailer hitch on pick ups !!!! used to be in hustle mode
walk around the rear of the pick up and not see the extended hitch and catch that hitch right across the shins DAMN that hurts !!
and lingers for days !!! it hurts just talking about it !!
Folks here in Texas love to leave their hitches inserted into receivers as a first defense when getting rear ended. They also back their vehicles over sidewalks/walkways creating hazards for other pedestrians. I only have a hitch in the receiver if towing as a courtesy to others. If you’ve ever taken one in the shin, it’s very painful and will make you want to deposit the hitch through their rear window! The hit this morning did hurt substantially, but I was even more upset when the fountain of blood poured down my face as I knew I’d need medical attention, time/money. Thankfully there was a fresh pile of shop rags on my toolbox to help apply immediate pressure. I will heal up just fine and likely have little scarring to serve as a reminder. I was shocked at the severity of the damage based on no sharp edges. Maybe I have buttery skin. Regardless, I’ve received a touch more “life experience”!😃.
Folks here in Texas love to leave their hitches inserted into receivers as a first defense when getting rear ended. They also back their vehicles over sidewalks/walkways creating hazards for other pedestrians. I only have a hitch in the receiver if towing as a courtesy to others. If you’ve ever taken one in the shin, it’s very painful and will make you want to deposit the hitch through their rear window! The hit this morning did hurt substantially, but I was even more upset when the fountain of blood poured down my face as I knew I’d need medical attention, time/money. Thankfully there was a fresh pile of shop rags on my toolbox to help apply immediate pressure. I will heal up just fine and likely have little scarring to serve as a reminder. I was shocked at the severity of the damage based on no sharp edges. Maybe I have buttery skin. Regardless, I’ve received a touch more “life experience”!😃.
In 2018, I was the front car of a 5 care pileup. My receiver had no hitch in it, and you can see the outline of it in the car that hit me's bumper.
What are the pointy things sticking down from the hood tooth? I HOPE those are rubber bumpers. My 69 doesn’t have anything like that. I thought the 69-70 hoods will technically interchange, however I think there are minor differences.
[QUOTE=Koda;1367429]In 2018, I was the front car of a 5 care pileup. My receiver had no hitch in it, and you can see the outline of it in the car that hit me's bumper.[/QUOTE
Wow, I never conceived the idea the tooth is that menacing, but obviously so. Quick recovery.
Crashes can happen so quickly there is little time for reaction. On another note, I was involved in a T-bone accident several weeks ago when a car pulls out in front of me as I motored along about 40mph. I T-boned the car, the car swings around, and the driver still having the foot on the accelerator T-boned me. It happened so quickly.
Luckily there were no injuries, but now each time I see young folks and older folks too riding in door-less vehicles with their limbs hanging outside the vehicle I cringe . Had I been doing so, I’m certain to have suffered crushed bones.
X2 I keep a foot long piece of black foam pipe insulation on the passenger seat floor. It goes on the tooth every time the hood is opened. It’s always a big hit (pun intended) at cruise shows. But it does the trick.
Can’t be much of a market for “tooth noodles” otherwise opgi would be selling them for $49.50 lol. I do like the idea of using pool noodles instead of pipe insulation, a little more colorful than the basic black
