so this is how a backdate project starts...

[SpyderMike]

Okay, first part after paint to go back on. Why the hood? Because I need to come up with a latching system. I need the fender out of the way so that I can look down the end. I also have to work a few more items in the frunk and I don't want to scratch the fenders.





The color match looks good. I will need to buff out the whole car when done.

[SpyderMike]

So for the latch, I need to come up with something to fit in this space.



I found some micro latches for hotrods that just might work...there is enough space there to come up with something that will work.

[SpyderMike]

So I spent about 3 hours mocking up the latches and trying different locations.
I wanted two latches and to have them spread out on either side of the original latch location
The actuating arms are long and I first tried to located them to be in the indent areas of the hood either side of the original latch plate:



but the interference was there - just slightly enough for me to punt this approach. Then I figured if I make some small cuts out of the front metal, I could their swap sides and tuck the latches inside the frunk (darkened area of blue tape to be cut out) with the latch actuator arms pointing inside:



Then I had to come up with a bolt-on plate that would be at the correct angle so that the latching shoulder bolts would be at the right angle and location to intercept the latches. I had some aluminum sheet lying around, so I started to mock this up. This will bolt into the hood at the original two locations but will span further apart and to this I will bolt the latch shoulder bolts:



The angle turned out perfect and the clearances are very good.



As they are oriented now, the latches can either be push actuated by a rod on each side or pull operated by cable or rod. The latches are hidden out of the way under the wire runs in the front. I like this approach. If my hood plate work, I might have to find someone to make a nice one for me. I have limited sheetmetal tools.

I will start cutting the front soon.

[rbogh901]

Originally Posted by SpyderMike

So while I was waiting for my painted parts, several things happened to me, and the only thing I got done on the car was to take car of the spot welds from the rear plate removal. I used a 3M putty filler. I had never done it before, but it was pretty easy actually.

Before - note the spot welds:



I sanded those spot welds down with a grinder and then a sander. Then I mixed the spot putty and smeared it into place.

I had to fill a couple of times to get one hole just right.

After curing, I sanded and primed:

Hi Mike,

Very nice work. I need to do this and it looks great. Did you drill the spot welds or what?

[SpyderMike]

I used a spot weld drill bit from Harbor Freight:

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth-inch-double-sided-rotary-spot-weld-cutter-95343.html

It worked great. I had never done it before and was a bit too aggressive on a few. You can see one I blew through - 5th from the right. Slow and steady...

Not sure why they needed that many spot welds for that piece.

[SpyderMike]

oh, here are the latches and one of the shoulder bolts:

[SpyderMike]

so a couple of hours later and I have the latches installed. The bottom of the slot is right where there were holes drilled by the factory for the smile or something (I don't recall). All I did was slot down to them. The brownish stuff was there from the existing hole. The holes are still rough openings and need to be cleaned up and the area painted:







From inside - perfect locations. The actuators are right under cable straps so that the wiring is kept out of the way. These latches seemed to be perfect for this application.

.



I slotted the mount holes for the hood plate:



and installed it:



Looking in from the side, you can see the clearance between the bracket and the latch:



The red shows where the shoulder bolt will pass through. I am going to source slightly smaller (in diameter) shoulder bolts than the ones it came with. The head is too big.



I will also trim the hood latch plate to remove excess material and prep for paint once I dial everything in. I am thinking I will use rods behind the horn grills (one for each side) to activate the latch releases. The movement to release is only about 5 degrees.

[SpyderMike]

I kept rolling with some smaller tasks. Next I riveted in the front blower block off plate. I bought a roll of neoprene rubber 1/8" thick single adhesive tape to seal the perimeter:



used hole punch to allow the rivets through the rubber and then riveted the plate in:



I then set about reinstalling my fender/bumper outriggers and new horns. I had dialed in the outriggers at level hence the digital level:







I then cleaned the fuel drain in preparation for my new fender and filler seal



I am pretty much ready for the fenders and bumpers (when my deco trim shipment comes in).

[SpyderMike]

I couldn't readily find a shoulder bolt meeting my needs, so I created one with steel spacers and some hardware. It works perfectly in this application:





I cleaned up the holes with a small file (I still need to paint the exposed metal):



The latches allow the hood to fully seat and the hood doesn't move at all. I have some lockwire attached to the latch release levers and coming out of the side of the frunk so I don't accidently lock the hood down with no way to release it.



Then the conversation with Uwon on another thread got me to think of a way to release both latches with one pull. I figured a simple bellcrank should work and I could use the original location of the single latch. I had some L angle aluminum laying around so I made this prototype in about 15 minutes. You can see my safety wires. It works like a charm! I think I can design this to actuate by pulling the original handle in the cockpit.



The safety wires will all be replaced with nicer covered swagged cables or with rods.

[Flojo]

nice. if this gets 100% you could sell this as as a DIY-kit and make some money.
all those backdaters will love it, as it saves time and money compared to welding in the tin.

[SpyderMike]

Thanks, I will post some sketches and dimensions when it is finished.

[SpyderMike]

I got my deco trim today and started putting it on the rear bumpers. Had to put layers of blue tape on it and hit it with a mallet to get it to conform. I am using the earlier thin deco without the reflector in the back and forcing it to work on my RS bumpers. First one took a couple of hours to get right...next one should be easier.

I also got some thin rod material, some "throttle cable swivels", and some hardware to finish off my bellcrank front hood latch. Pretty happy with how it works. I need to figure out a single point pull and a spring return and I am set. That will have to wait until I get my rear pumpers and panel on

[SpyderMike]

Well I spent over 2 hours trying to get the right rear bumper on the car. First, the removal and disassembly of my attach brackets for paint resulted in me having to adjust them again and again to get them right. That is not easy with the oil tank right there. And the seal above the bumper has got some adhesive tape that doesn't seem to hold well at all. Anyway, it is on and the left hand side only took another 2 hours to form and install the deco and then mount it to the car. Ugh. I tried putting the center panel on and was reminded that the muffler on this car interferes with it. So off it comes until a new muffler is sourced.















I like the look of the car and the direction this is going. Does it have to be sooo hard at times?

[SpyderMike]

I need to pull the rear bumpers back off to install these aluminum trim pieces. I wasn't sure I wanted them, but once the bumpers were installed, I think it closes off the ends nicely.





There is a little reshaping needed to get them to fit properly and I think some black seal goes between them and the body. Fun, fun, fun.

[Neilnaz]

Hi Spydermike, did you use single bracket and clamp to align the bumpers with the body or do you have additional clamps. Your gap is really even and the gap between bumper and wing on my car is not.

By the way, your car is really looking great

Cheers, Neil

[SpyderMike]

Thank you Neilnaz! I used the single bracket attached to the bumper shock support and the round tube attach at the front end of the bumper (refer to post 120 on page 6). No clamps...although they might be a good idea. I spent hours figuring out my main single bracket design and it does most of the locating and is somewhat adjustable.

[Neilnaz]

Cheers Spydermike - maybe I just need to have a go at adjusting the bumper again.

[SpyderMike]

There are a few things at play. I had to make sure my rear light assemblies were straight and flush, then each bumper, then the center panel and finally the chrome bumpers. Each of these has to be massaged to fit right with the others. It has not been a simple bolt on affair for me. The problem is that any single part that is off will stand out. I am taking them back off to tweak them even better.

[Neilnaz]

Thanks for the explanation - my car has a twist in the right rear (drivers side for me ) light assembly caused by a less than perfect bodywork repair. So it is the rear wing (guard) that is slightly askew. The bumper gap to the wing is slightly wider in the middle and I wondered whether a couple of clamps might assist in bringing the wing and bumper together. I could fabricate a clamp to achieve this rather then drilling holes in the flanges and using a nut/bolt/washer arrangement to draw them together.

Cheers and sorry to hijack your great thread. Carry on

Neil

[SpyderMike]

I removed the bumpers once again to install the trim detail. It took some massaging to fit okay:





on to the other side now.