Ram Air Twist Locks

[BFH 429]

Hi guys - 

So, I think I'm finally may be in the home stretch of getting a painter to paint my car.  It's been a long and broken road to say the least..had to pull the project from the last guy due to some serious disagreements.  I'm behind about a year.  Anyway..before I bring the car in, there are a few final things I have to button up - and one of those is the issue of twist locks for Ram Air Hoods.  My car will be a 460 mated to a Tremec-T56 with functioning ram air, etc.  This is not a numbers matching car, so, I can cheat a little on correctness etc.  My hood inner does have the provisions for the locks (ie. holes), but the outer has not been cut.  To be honest, I really like the look of cars without the locks - I think it gives the hood a cleaner look.  However, I understand the importance of the locks for extra hold down capacity.  This car will not be a trailer queen, so, it will see some high speed exposure (at the track and I'm sure during the occasional street duel).  Question to 'yall  - what experiences do you guys have either way?  Put it this way - if I get a bunch of responses telling me that the ram air hood with only the latch is not reliable - I'll likely add the locks.  Likewise, if everyone says they have never had issues, I will likely forego. Appreciate the feedback..

 

[BeerDontCount]

Imo, they are more form than function. Not sure what speed you would have to achieve to have the hood latch fail. I like the old school look of them.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[donkost]

Many musclecars didn't have anything like hood pins or hood locks to supplement the regular hood latch. I know of many high speed maneuvers by musclecars far above legal speed limits (well north of 100), and I never once heard of someone's hood popping open. I'm sure it could happen, but then perhaps the stock latch wasn't functioning properly to begin with. That being said, I think they look great and I'd recommend adding them. And sure, if you're going to race the car then why not add that little bit extra of protection. They are stock on my '71 429 CJ-R hood and people many times comment as though I added them, and are a bit surprised they are stock. These people are of course unfamiliar with 60's and 70's musclecars in general.

 

[rackerm]

I have NASA hoods on two cars, one with locks and one without. It's really a matter of your personal preference rather than function. Our cars look good either way.

 

[jpaz]

I just added them to my car. But I did it for the looks, not for safety. These are really only intended for cosmetic looks. They will probably be a pain till I get them fine tuned and get use d to having them on.

 

[Fabrice]

They have no real purpose beside looking cool and racy unless you'd want to remove the center lock. They are beautiful parts for sure.

Busy restoring these (and the hood) for my 71 , I've noticed while restoring the hood that there was rust at the holes edges, matching the radius of the lower cups.

As the car has been repainted at some point, I don't know if there was some kind of thin gasket underneath them or if they were installed with some kind of sealant.

If there was a gasket of some kind, is there a ref number for these?

 

[Stanglover]

jpaz, Your hood is a repop, was it a good fit and quality?

I know he wants the hood black-out and stripes so in reality, the hood black-out package includes hood locks. His car is not to be concours, but he does want it to look like an authentic Mach 1 with a few mods under the hood.

I do believe there is function to the hood locks with ram air to maintain a complete, constant seal with the air cleaner, but was it intended as a design cue or purely function?

I guess one question he's getting at and not asked, is can the holes for the locks be reworked into a non lock hood cost effectively, or will he be better to buy a repop?

Geoff.

 

[jpaz]

jpaz, Your hood is a repop, was it a good fit and quality?

I know BFH429 and we are working to achieve the look he wants. I know he wants the hood black-out and stripes so in reality, the hood black-out package includes hood locks. His car is not to be concours, but he does want it to look like an authentic Mach 1 with a few mods under the hood.

I do believe there is function to the hood locks with ram air to maintain a complete, constant seal with the air cleaner, but was it intended as a design cue or purely function?

I guess one question he's getting at and not asked, is can the holes for the locks be reworked into a non lock hood cost effectively, or will he be better to buy a repop?

Geoff.

It’s a repo and my shop said it was a bit different than the one that was damaged. I think he said it was wider than the old one, which was also a repo. But it’s ok, fits way better than the repo left fender did.

IMO the hood locks are just for looks, not function.

Not sure what you mean about the holes Geoff. The holes are on the underside already. I think he wants to know if it’s worthwhile to cut holes and install them.

 

[Mister 4x4]

I think they look awesome, but then again the hoods look great without them as well (coolest hoods ever, IMHO).  

After learning as much as I have about these cars, I admit that the hood looks a little naked without the locks if there is blackout applied.  Seeing the hoods with the TuTone (Boss or Ram Air) and no locks says to me, "I just wanted the look, but didn't feel like going all the way to make it at least appear authentic."  It's kind of like the cars with Ram Air stickers... but no Ram Air - why bother if it's not real?  Now you've given me a reason to pick out everything else wrong with the car.

Keep in mind - I'm not a stickler for everything that must be absolutely correct, but I admit those thoughts do go through my mind when I see things that have been done in a less than authentic manner.  Just like I almost hate it now when someone posts Craigslist ads for our cars - they're just begging for scrutiny (especially when the seller wants Boss prices for a ragged out 302 Sportroof).

Sorry to get so far off track - if you don't want the locks, don't put 'em on.   :whistling:

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Humm, the locks are very functional. There is no way the hood locks can come loose unless you push them down and rotate them The way the cuts are made on the pins make them very good.

As far as the hood coming open without them. The hood latch has to be held over to open the hood the secondary catch I believe was required by safety standards.

The reason the hood latch is not painted and has phosphate coating is so that it does not stick on the painted surface. Never paint your hood latch or hood hinges they are phosphate for a reason.

I had a front U joint come apart on my 1950 Ford street rod years ago. I was doing about 70 on the interstate and heard something hit the floor. Was clip out of U-joint in front, then the cap and then it went crazy. It broke the cast iron tail shaft on the transmission and shook the car so hard that the hood latch popped but the secondary catch caught the hood. The emergency brake cables was all that save me and I got stopped.

There was never a gasket or sealer in the hood locks. You have to tape up a hole saw to center it in the reinforcement on the underside to cut the holes. I think they look better with the locks for sure.

I just put my brackets back on yesterday after cleaning them.

When I do my Q vert it came with a NASA hood but no locks or black out. When I paint it I will do a hood with locks and black and one without so I can go either way.

That was one of the cheapest options at I think $18.00 in 73.

 

[Stanglover]

jpaz, Your hood is a repop, was it a good fit and quality?

I know BFH429 and we are working to achieve the look he wants. I know he wants the hood black-out and stripes so in reality, the hood black-out package includes hood locks. His car is not to be concours, but he does want it to look like an authentic Mach 1 with a few mods under the hood.

I do believe there is function to the hood locks with ram air to maintain a complete, constant seal with the air cleaner, but was it intended as a design cue or purely function?

I guess one question he's getting at and not asked, is can the holes for the locks be reworked into a non lock hood cost effectively, or will he be better to buy a repop?

Geoff.

It’s a repo and my shop said it was a bit different than the one that was damaged. I think he said it was wider than the old one, which was also a repo. But it’s ok, fits way better than the repo left fender did.

IMO the hood locks are just for looks, not function.

Not sure what you mean about the holes Geoff. The holes are on the underside already. I think he wants to know if it’s worthwhile to cut holes and install them.

 Thanks John for your comments. Repop stuff never seems to be exactly right, but then I don't have any repop stuff other than a tail light panel, which fitted perfectly.

My question was in regard to the top surface holes. I know the under side frame has the indents there already.

 

[Fabrice]

There was never a gasket or sealer in the hood locks.  

thx. I think i'll add one, very thin.

 

[7173Vert]

Hmmmm. The hood locks do add to the safety (closed position) of the hood when properly set up, in addition to the standard hood latch. They are not just for show...

 

[jpaz]

Ya I guess they would add some safety, just saying I didn’t add them for that. I did have my hood latch come undone before though, but the safety catch kept it from opening all the way up on the freeway. I just added the twist locks for looks, and I really don’t know much about the safety of them.

 

[kcmash]

Hi guys - 

So, I think I'm finally may be in the home stretch of getting a painter to paint my car.  It's been a long and broken road to say the least..had to pull the project from the last guy due to some serious disagreements.  I'm behind about a year.  Anyway..before I bring the car in, there are a few final things I have to button up - and one of those is the issue of twist locks for Ram Air Hoods.  My car will be a 460 mated to a Tremec-T56 with functioning ram air, etc.  This is not a numbers matching car, so, I can cheat a little on correctness etc.  My hood inner does have the provisions for the locks (ie. holes), but the outer has not been cut.  To be honest, I really like the look of cars without the locks - I think it gives the hood a cleaner look.  However, I understand the importance of the locks for extra hold down capacity.  This car will not be a trailer queen, so, it will see some high speed exposure (at the track and I'm sure during the occasional street duel).  Question to 'yall  - what experiences do you guys have either way?  Put it this way - if I get a bunch of responses telling me that the ram air hood with only the latch is not reliable - I'll likely add the locks.  Likewise, if everyone says they have never had issues, I will likely forego. Appreciate the feedback..

I think they actually do provide a function, which is why they ALWAYS came with Ram-Air when the scoops were open.

My car was original non-ram air and no hood locks. It had the block plates in the hood scoops.  In my high school years I came across a Ram-Air hood and system and converted the car.  When prepping for paint one summer I ran most of the summer with the hod locks out and the scoops open.  I noticed a lot of extra vibration at highway speed on the hood.  After a while I noticed that the hood latch support brackets had torn near the lower mounting bolts at the core support.  The hood would lift about 1/4 inch in the latch.  I figured the open scoops with no locks added enough up-force and vibration to fail the hood latch when the twist locks were not present to help retain and stabilize.

Had another friend in high school who ran his with open scoops and no hood pins or twist locks.  His latch let go one night on the highway and popped the hood open at 70 MPH.  It trashed the hood by burying it into the lower edge of the windshield and upper cowl.  Of course it destroyed the hinges too.

Those are my thoughts and examples  If you have open scoops you should use the twist locks.  They DO function to hold and stabilize the front of our long hoods.

kcmash

 

[BFH 429]

Hi guys - 

So, I think I'm finally may be in the home stretch of getting a painter to paint my car.  It's been a long and broken road to say the least..had to pull the project from the last guy due to some serious disagreements.  I'm behind about a year.  Anyway..before I bring the car in, there are a few final things I have to button up - and one of those is the issue of twist locks for Ram Air Hoods.  My car will be a 460 mated to a Tremec-T56 with functioning ram air, etc.  This is not a numbers matching car, so, I can cheat a little on correctness etc.  My hood inner does have the provisions for the locks (ie. holes), but the outer has not been cut.  To be honest, I really like the look of cars without the locks - I think it gives the hood a cleaner look.  However, I understand the importance of the locks for extra hold down capacity.  This car will not be a trailer queen, so, it will see some high speed exposure (at the track and I'm sure during the occasional street duel).  Question to 'yall  - what experiences do you guys have either way?  Put it this way - if I get a bunch of responses telling me that the ram air hood with only the latch is not reliable - I'll likely add the locks.  Likewise, if everyone says they have never had issues, I will likely forego. Appreciate the feedback..

I think they actually do provide a function, which is why they ALWAYS came with Ram-Air when the scoops were open.

My car was original non-ram air and no hood locks. It had the block plates in the hood scoops.  In my high school years I came across a Ram-Air hood and system and converted the car.  When prepping for paint one summer I ran most of the summer with the hod locks out and the scoops open.  I noticed a lot of extra vibration at highway speed on the hood.  After a while I noticed that the hood latch support brackets had torn near the lower mounting bolts at the core support.  The hood would lift about 1/4 inch in the latch.  I figured the open scoops with no locks added enough up-force and vibration to fail the hood latch when the twist locks were not present to help retain and stabilize.

Had another friend in high school who ran his with open scoops and no hood pins or twist locks.  His latch let go one night on the highway and popped the hood open at 70 MPH.  It trashed the hood by burying it into the lower edge of the windshield and upper cowl.  Of course it destroyed the hinges too.

Those are my thoughts and examples  If you have open scoops you should use the twist locks.  They DO function to hold and stabilize the front of our long hoods.

kcmash

Thanks kcmash!!  This is exactly what I was looking for!  I'm an engineer by profession, and short of asking someone if they have ever taken pressure gradient measurements along the topside of the hood, this answer gives me a very clear mental visual of where the low pressure spots likely are with this hood.  I was always suspicious of the front portion at the corners, and what you're saying seems to corroborate that.  I saw a similar thing with my 1970 Maverick drag car when I took the first couple of rips down the quarter.  Solution there was to adjust the hood latch down a bit and tighten up on the bumpers.  It always It always seemed odd to me that in 71, these "fancy new" locks were developed and offered direct from the factory.  They usually don't do stuff like that unless there is a need - and they must have seen a need.  I'm sold...adding the locks.  So, next question, who offers the best kits, and is there a guide out there on how and where to cut the holes?

 

[BFH 429]

Thanks for all the responses on this guys - I think I am now leaning more towards adding them over omitting. So, next question, who makes the best kits and are there instructions for how and where to put the holes?

Marc

 

[6972boss]

Imo, they are more form than function. Not sure what speed you would have to achieve to have the hood latch fail. I like the old school look of them.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapata

Well, as a reckless teenager. I romped my 70 mach 1 down a long stretch of desert road. I had forgotten that my hood latch was out for chrome. At 120 mph i remembered (to my surprise) that i had no latch. All that was holding my hood down was my twist locks. Quickly hard on the brakes i brought my car down to 20 mph and caught my breath. These hood latch things actually worked!!

Needless to say, they really worked!! I am a believer!!

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

They had twist lock hood latches before 71. 68 Shelby had them 69 & 70 Shelby and also 70 Mustang. Beats having the cables and pins flopping all over your paint.