Hood Latch adjustments

[Mark Brye]

I have a question about adjusting the hood latches. When I parked my car for the winter, the hood fit snug against its rubber bumpers on the car. When I would engage the hood latches, the hood would fit nice and snug.
I just took the car out of hybernation and I now find that when the latches are secured, the hood will now move up and down about an 1/8 of an inch. I am worried that the hood may move around to much and actually overcome the little rubber snubers and possibly touch the body of the car.
I checked the latch mounting hardware on the hood and also the metal plates that the latches contact that are located under the engine cowl. They are all tight.
Is the best method to tighten this up, to bend the metal plates down a little bit? Or should I mount washers between the cowl and the plate to move the plates down a little?
It almost looks like the plates have given a little. But these plates look pretty beefy. I would hate to have it to tight when latched and cause stress cracks on the fiberglass cowl.
What is the best method for fixing this?

Thanks!

[Tday]

I certainly don't know the best way, but I had the same issue. When I purchased my car, the latches were loose as well and the hood even rattled. Very annoying for sure. I removed the plates from the body and bent them slightly until the fit was snug. I have a feeling the plate isn't quite up to the task, but I didn't replace them.

Tom

[6t8stang]

I did the same as Tom - took off the plates & slightly bent them, as well as adjusted the bumpers a bit

[Cashburn]

Removing and bending the plates is the proper procedure on the Gen 1 and Gen 2 cars. You can raise the rubber bumpers as a temporary fix as well or in combination.

[Mark Brye]

Thanks guys. I figured that was the correct method to fix the hood movement. How snug do you guys have the hood? Just to the point that it does not move around on the rubber stops?

As a side note, it looked to me like there are threaded inserts in the cowl so this should be pretty reinforced area for the latch plate. I am not sure if the hood latch has inserts or a backing plate. On the hood under each latch, it looks like just fiberglass. There is a hole in the fiberglass next to each latch. I tried to stuff my finger in to feel around but did not feel any reinforcement.

[Tday]

I looked at the amount of play and bent the plate to match...so that the hood did not vibrate or move but the latch wasn't stressed. It's easy enough, but when you look at the latch itself, it's not something you want a lot of pressure on, I don't think, regardless of the reinforcing on the hood.

[Mark Brye]

Ok, I bent the plates down a little last night. Played with it a couple times to get the adjustment just right. Nice an snug now.

[JUS BIT]

Mark, glad you got it working good now. You can also place small washers under between the bracket and the body to space it down a little as well. It should just be tight enough for when you rotate the latch, you get a slightly snug feeling, but not too tight.

Bests, James