# Hood Latch Fell Off!



## Goatman455 (May 29, 2009)

Great, it never ends, I was driving through the neighborhood today when I heard a clink clink sound as I hit the gas a little and when I got out of the car I found the hood latch on the side of the road. Now I can't open my hood and my idle is too low, how the hell do I get this thing back on.

It's a 1969 by the way, and the latch was in the front of the car right under the nose in the center.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

If the main hood latch has fallen off, then the hood should just open with the saftey latch.


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## Goatman455 (May 29, 2009)

What and where exactly is the (a) safety latch?


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

Is your hood partially open in the front so you can at least get your fingers under the hood(in the center)?


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

Goatman455 said:


> What and where exactly is the (a) safety latch?


When you normally open your hood, you first pull the latch to get the hood to 'pop' up. Then you reach your fingers under the hood to release the safety latch. It's there under the hood, if you've ever opened your hood before, you've already used it.


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## Goatman455 (May 29, 2009)

Yeah I don't have the configuration. I pull the arm and the hood pops, then I have to pull and hold the arm while opening the hood to bypass the lock.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

Goatman455 said:


> Yeah I don't have the configuration. I pull the arm and the hood pops, then I have to pull and hold the arm while opening the hood to bypass the lock.


As long as you have to do it twice, then you are doing the safety latch. It's the second time you pull and hold the arm while opening, that's the safety latch. The first is the main latch, the second the safety latch.
So now if the main latch fell off, then you no longer have to pull the arm to get it to 'pop' up?


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## Goatman455 (May 29, 2009)

It's fixed, but I don't actually have a safety latch, just a regular latch. That's not good.


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

For what it's worth, my '68 doesn't have a safety latch nor does my buddies '68. I looked around and I don't see where one would even mount up unless it was part of the main latch.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

It may be part of the main latch. You should have to pull the handle twice, once to pop the hood up (but it shouldn't open fully), the second to releace the saftey (secondary) latch.


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

Yeah, I hear what you're saying. I wonder if it's been swapped out at one point with a different latch. Just by looking at everything, that's the only way a safety latch would work. But as it stands, I only have to pull the handle once... The rod goes straight down thru the valance. I did notice, awhile back, that my buddies handle comes out right underneath the bumper above the valance. Mine's probably been altered at one point.... Guess I never really thought about until this thread got started......


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## GeezerGoat (Jun 10, 2009)

You guys have had me under the hood so many times this week...

I have a 68, evidently it has only one hood release, but with a two part latch.
My latch has a release on the left side and another along the top right side, both within the hood latch release unit. If I don't give the release lever a good yank, I have to close the hood and start over, since there is no under hood release to pull.


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

I'm sure your goat appreciates all the attention. My release must have been changed somewhere down the line. Thanks for the verification.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

Looking at the GTO restoration guide it is not clear at all for `68. If it's anything like the `70, the safety latch is part of the main latch. The main latch is on the pass side and the safety latch is on the drivers side of the latch assembly. It's a two stage latch. Just happen to be working on a real sweet `70 LeMans today to verify that. :cheers


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

Judging by what I'm seeing on my car, that's exactly(and the only way that I can tell) how it should work. I looked in OPG's catalog, they list a latch for '68 - '70. Yet, I look at their website and they only list it for '70 and nothing for '68/'69. Go figure! Sounds like from what you're saying it should work. '65 - '67 is completely different. Thanks for the update.. Enjoy working on the Leman's.....


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