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junior
Champion Member
Canada
28 Posts |
Posted - 10/03/2009 : 4:12:28 PM
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Here’s an idea I’d like to share with other c/k owners…two things
prompted this. First of all, I was snooping about the Forum, and came
across a post about securing c/k hoods. I really didn’t think too much
about this because my hood latch had never given me a problem.
Secondly, my Stude found a new set of legs this summer as I swapped out
the 4:56 rear end for a 3:42 rear end. From this point, Karma kinda
took over…wouldn’t you know it, ripping down the highway at about 80mph
the hood latch decides to let go not once, not twice, but three times!
Thankfully the safety catch worked...not wanting to tempt Karma any
further I decided to re-visit the hood latch post. The idea that caught
my attention was the one using a lynch-pin through the latch post. Out
to the garage I go to install said lynch-pin, but how does one install
this pin with the hood closed? The only way I could do this was by
getting on my back…something I have no interest in doing every time I
need to open the hood. FWIW, this is a simple solution I came up with.
This really works for me because 1) it’s CASO style, requiring only a
Ford F-150 tailgate cable, a bolt, a lynch-pin and a coupling nut 2) I
can lift the hood about 1 foot and remove/install the lynch-pin without
having to get on my back or knees, and 3)no cutting-up the car, this
system can be removed in minutes to return the car back to stock.
Perhaps one day I will actually take the time to figure out why the
latch is not staying closed, but for now my agenda is full, and I’d
rather put my time and energy into other things like installing the T5
tranny. Junior
54 Champ C5 Hamilton car. Stock...no way! A Stude hotrod since 1960. In my family since 1958. |
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brngarage
Starlight Member
USA
98 Posts |
Posted - 10/03/2009 : 4:59:39 PM
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Really neat and functional idea! Great pictures too. Thanks Junior. I'm gonna do the same thing to my '53 Commander Starliner.
Howard 53 Commander Starliner 56 Sky Hawk |
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sals54
Commander Member
1368 Posts |
Posted - 10/03/2009 : 7:57:17 PM
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That is a nice and clean install. Great addition to the forum.
sals54
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rockinhawk
Golden Hawk Member
USA
773 Posts |
Posted - 10/03/2009 : 8:36:25 PM
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I like that. I was wondering what I was going to do with the 54 clone
I'm working on. It has a fiberglass nose. and I removed the safty
catch. I didn't think it would do much good anyhow. But can I use a DODGE tail gate cable instead of a Ford? NT
Neil Thornton Hazlehurst, GA '57 Silver Hawk '56 Sky Hawk '51 2R16 dump truck Many others.
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woodysrods
Champion Member
Canada
36 Posts |
Posted - 10/04/2009 : 2:05:05 PM
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Any opportunity to talk about C/K hoods. I am still looking for one in
the northwest. No Sal I have not forgotten about you, but you are still
a little far from home. Have not driven a C/K yet. Are the hood latches
notorius for popping open?
Brian Woods woodysrods@shaw.ca 1946 M Series (Shop Truck)
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HawkGT
Champion Member
USA
20 Posts |
Posted - 10/05/2009 : 01:51:55 AM
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To answer Woodysrods -- YES, at least among 53 - 54 C&K models, the
hoods tend to come unlatched at highway speeds. It happened to my 53
Starliner, and I know two others with coupes who had this happen as
well. So it is very important to have a good safety catch, and Junior's
idea is excellent, much better than the factory safety catch -- the one
that we all love to cuss every time we hit our heads on it...
Gene Nagle 1963 Hawk R1 |
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barnlark
Commander Member
USA
3392 Posts |
Posted - 10/05/2009 : 07:29:55 AM
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Originally posted by rockinhawk
I like that. I was wondering what I was going to do with the 54 clone I'm working on. It has a fiberglass nose. and I removed the safty catch. I didn't think it would do much good anyhow.
I hope you're kidding, Neil.
That may save your head while you're working on it, but that's a sure
fire way to send it in your face, even with a new catch like this. Even
though we are discussing C/Ks, I'll never go without a safety catch
thinking it doesn't do any good ever again. That was a $1500 lesson.
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sals54
Commander Member
1368 Posts |
Posted - 10/05/2009 : 11:24:08 AM
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Brian, I've told this story before... and it still pains me a bit to
retell it, but I've been driving my 54 Coupe for over 35 years. I've
always had a secondary hood latch on it. Only a couple of times had I
noticed that the hood had "popped", but my safety latch had saved it.
Last year, I had been showing someone under the hood and in my haste, I
failed to safety latch it. The next day I went out for a therapeutic
drive which included a healthy romp through the gears. I had been out
and about for 40 minutes or so, when I made a U turn to head home. Just
as I was rowing the Hurst into 3rd, the hood suddenly went up and over
the windshield. When I say suddenly, I mean it was in an instant. I
barely got the car pulled onto a side street. I was like a raging bull,
I was so mad. I ended up using a piece of concrete to hammer the fold
out of the middle of the hood just so I could get it to fit over the
air cleaner. The hood was literally bent in half. Luckily and sadly at
the same time, I had a spare perfect hood in the barn. I changed it as
soon as I got home. Now, every time I go out in the Coupe, I check to
make sure my clevis pin is in the safety. I would HIGHLY recommend a
secondary safety on any CK hood. Just my 2 cents worth. Which turned
out to be $450 dollars worth of hood.
sals54
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sals54
Commander Member
1368 Posts |
Posted - 10/05/2009 : 11:25:25 AM
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Brian, I've told this story before... and it still pains me a bit to
retell it, but I've been driving my 54 Coupe for over 35 years. I've
always had a secondary hood latch on it. Only a couple of times had I
noticed that the hood had "popped", but my safety latch had saved it.
Last year, I had been showing someone under the hood and in my haste, I
failed to safety latch it. The next day I went out for a therapeutic
drive which included a healthy romp through the gears. I had been out
and about for 40 minutes or so, when I made a U turn to head home. Just
as I was rowing the Hurst into 3rd, the hood suddenly went up and over
the windshield. When I say suddenly, I mean it was in an instant. I
barely got the car pulled onto a side street. I was like a raging bull,
I was so mad. I ended up using a piece of concrete to hammer the fold
out of the middle of the hood just so I could get it to fit over the
air cleaner. The hood was literally bent in half. Luckily and sadly at
the same time, I had a spare perfect hood in the barn. I changed it as
soon as I got home. Now, every time I go out in the Coupe, I check to
make sure my clevis pin is in the safety. I would HIGHLY recommend a
secondary safety on any CK hood. Just my 2 cents worth. Which turned
out to be $450 dollars worth of hood.
sals54
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sals54
Commander Member
1368 Posts |
Posted - 10/05/2009 : 11:13:35 PM
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I just noticed this on another thread. This is evidently a period
original hot rod. Check out the hood safety latch on this one.
Seriously old school. As in 40s and 50s race car style.
sals54
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