Hood Latch

[umrebelfan69]

I have recently installed fuel injection on my 73 with a Cleveland. With that comes the electronics associated with EFI systems. I mounted the coil and ignition box behind the radiator support in the huge area between the support and the grill.

didn’t want those visible, so I have been working with sheet metal trying to build a conceal. I’ve gotten a first edition built, but do not like how I have to go around the hood release lever. I was wondering if anyone has ever fabricated a different way to disengage the hood where I could just remove that lever. I know I could put in a cable system but that wouldn’t hold open the safety latch so you can open it all the way up. Just wondering if anyone here has done anything like that?

Here is a few pictures of what I’ve built so far, bear in mind that this is my first real attempt at metal fab….I will get better. Lol. But it’s still built and not bought. For now the hood lever has to be kept exposed so that it can be actuated.

 

[73MustangCoupe]

I like what you've done, and agree the cutout for the lever is a bit odd. I wonder if it would look better if you made the cutout area bigger with straight side that go front to back. How much room is there under the arm of the lever? Would there be enough to make am oval cutout for the vertical portion of the lever, and the two sides butt together under the lever arm? Just throwing those ideas out there, as food for thought. Good luck with it.

 

[umrebelfan69]

I like what you've done, and agree the cutout for the lever is a bit odd. I wonder if it would look better if you made the cutout area bigger with straight side that go front to back. How much room is there under the arm of the lever? Would there be enough to make am oval cutout for the vertical portion of the lever, and the two sides butt together under the lever arm? Just throwing those ideas out there, as food for thought. Good luck with it.

I should be able to run the sheet metal under the lever, and I was planning on doing that on my Rev 2. However with sheet metal coating about $120 a sheet, I didn’t want to start cutting and breaking it if I could find a better way to actuate the latch and safety catch. That way I could remove the lever altogether.

I did find a hood latch cable system made by Lokar, that in my head, I can see using to operate the latch from inside the car, as with late model cars, then maybe a second one located some under the bumper, out of site, to operate the safety hook.

I appreciate your input, and we are on the same page. Just wanting to shop other options before I committed to breaking metal.

 

[timachone]

One fellow in Denmark had done this mod too and posted his progress a few years ago. Perhaps he could chime in or you could find his thread...