Hood latch restoration

[jswoody]

I am looking for any recommendations where I could send the original hood latch for a 1967 GT500?  Any help is appreciated. 

[Bob Gaines]

I am looking for any recommendations where I could send the original hood latch for a 1967 GT500?  Any help is appreciated.

Describe the condition of the latch. Make sure it is a 67 style and not the 68 style.

[JD]

]Describe the condition of the latch. Make sure it is a 67 style and not the 68 style.

...see attached

[jswoody]

I am looking for any recommendations where I could send the original hood latch for a 1967 GT500?  Any help is appreciated.

Describe the condition of the latch. Make sure it is a 67 style and not the 68 style.

It is a 1967.  To me the condition is fair, however the latch handle feels loose.  The finish is definitely poor.  I am including a picture for what it is worth.

[rcgt350]

You might want to send it out for re riveting before phosphate
The X rivets look right to me.

[Kent]

yes the part is correct re riveting is the way to go if you want it perfect. But hard to find people that do it concourse right. Any recommendations? Bob?

[Bob Gaines]

yes the part is correct re riveting is the way to go if you want it perfect. But hard to find people that do it concourse right. Any recommendations? Bob?

I wouldn't worry about the rivets unless extremely loose.  Instead of new rivets some times the rivets can be tightened . Just like with the hood hinges, restacking them by what ever means like a press ,air hammer etc. can help tighten a otherwise loose rivet up. You have to think outside the box and come up with a x pattern tooling or something that can be used to preserve the X pattern on the rivet during the restacking /tightening process. You also have to be concerned about a point of diminishing return given the labor cost involved given that the latches are still out there relatively available. I would find another before I considered replacing rivets given present availability but that is just me.

[Rukiddin]

Great info...! The side-by-side pictures JD provided saved me a lot. My question is if the color of plating in picture is accurate and Same as hood hinges? Looks more grey than I thought of "phosphate" to be. I cleaned my original '68 very complete and just can't get it perfect,or close enough for show. I think I can get the latch that grey color,but need to know if that is correct. Thanks!

[jswoody]

yes the part is correct re riveting is the way to go if you want it perfect. But hard to find people that do it concourse right. Any recommendations? Bob?

I wouldn't worry about the rivets unless extremely loose.  Instead of new rivets some times the rivets can be tightened . Just like with the hood hinges, restacking them by what ever means like a press ,air hammer etc. can help tighten a otherwise loose rivet up. You have to think outside the box and come up with a x pattern tooling or something that can be used to preserve the X pattern on the rivet during the restacking /tightening process. You also have to be concerned about a point of diminishing return given the labor cost involved given that the latches are still out there relatively available. I would find another before I considered replacing rivets given present availability but that is just me.

Great advice.  Thank you Bob.

[JD]

the phosphate treatment can vary in "color" or shade/darkness.  a few factors involved, I think Jeff Speegle may have posted some insights on this topic in the past, or maybe it was Bob G...

[J_Speegle]

the phosphate treatment can vary in "color" or shade/darkness.  a few factors involved, I think Jeff Speegle may have posted some insights on this topic in the past, or maybe it was Bob G...

Starts with which phosphate you choose - Magnesium phosphate or zinc phosphate. Magnesium being the darker of the two and then how long you cook it.  Lots of slightly different recipes out there and most have their favorite one as well as supplier for the chemicals.

Sure the search feature both on this site and elsewhere, will provide a fair amount of reading