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Extra hood latches?

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by cj5lover, Oct 20, 2011.

  1. Oct 20, 2011
    cj5lover

    cj5lover Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2011
    Messages:
    64
    just finished restoring my 62 cj5. took the windshield frame off to paint that (last thing to do). drove it with the kids today without the windshield and it was a blast!! but, when going down the road i got a sinking feeling. realizing that if the hood latches broke, and the hood flew up i would most likely be killed. my paranoia comes from, my hood actually flying up on me after i restored my 56 chevy many years ago. i survived but the 56 spent 3 months in the body shop after that.

    so, my question is... how good are these stock hood latches? has anyone ever run anything else? race style hood pins? i think i like the non-windshield look, at least for now. if i added some hood pins that would look ghetto right?

    what do yall think? am i just being paranoid?
     
    cj5lover, Oct 20, 2011
    #1
  2. Oct 21, 2011
    bkd

    bkd Moderator Supreme Staff Member 2022 Sponsor

    K-Town Tenn.
    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2007
    Messages:
    3,294
    Some folks add a extra set of latches for the extra security
     
    bkd, Oct 21, 2011
    #2
  3. Oct 21, 2011
    BC3Jeep

    BC3Jeep Electric Bill

    NW Illinois
    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2009
    Messages:
    47
    If you are serious about this worry..... add some chain to the INSIDE of the hood with a padlock. I have done this to several of my vehicles over the years. Original was a hood issue......follow ups were theft deterrent during some leaner years in the country's history.....keeps battery from disappearing.
     
    BC3Jeep, Oct 21, 2011
    #3
  4. Oct 21, 2011
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2003
    Messages:
    8,131
    Never head of the stock latches failing. However (& I speak from bitter personal experience) forgetting to use them can be a serious bummer :(.

    You might want to consider retrofitting the front latch from an intermediate.

    H.
     
    Howard Eisenhauer, Oct 21, 2011
    #4
  5. Oct 21, 2011
    lynn

    lynn Time machine / Early CJ5 HR Rep Staff Member

    Huntingdon PA
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
    3,437
    IIRC, the '71 CJ5 had the safety latch. A '71 hood and grille would bolt up perfectly to your 62.... Or just a '71 hood/safety latch, and add the catch hole to your existing grille.
    Like Howard, many of us have forgotton to latch the hood at some point :oops:
     
    lynn, Oct 21, 2011
    #5
  6. Oct 21, 2011
    nickmil

    nickmil In mothballs.

    Happy Valley, OR
    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2002
    Messages:
    12,529
    I also have done that :(.
    Just a fwiw my daughter's mid '69 titled as a '70 CJ-5 has the 3rd safety hood catch. Just remember the mount up of the Radiator is different than the earlier versions and the turn signals are the same as an Intermediate. Nothing that can't be overcome though.
     
    nickmil, Oct 21, 2011
    #6
  7. Oct 21, 2011
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2009
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    4,524
    There used to be a lot of aftermarket hood lock conversions for a cable type latch that should be adaptable to a CJ. Personally, I don't like the look of extra stock type hook latches. For my 3B, I customized some hood locks to provide some additional security, but it would be very desirable to just have the act of closing the hood engage something.
     
    duffer, Oct 21, 2011
    #7
  8. Oct 21, 2011
    SFaulken

    SFaulken Active Member

    Bellevue, WA
    Joined:
    May 24, 2011
    Messages:
    1,178
    I know my '70 has the additional safety latch under the hood. It probably *could* fail under enough force if the external hold downs were unlatched, but I don't think it's likely.
     
    SFaulken, Oct 21, 2011
    #8
  9. Oct 22, 2011
    jeepcj

    jeepcj Member

    cincy, Ohio
    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2009
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    601
    Been there, I forgot to latch the hood down and it flew open on about 3 days after a paint job.. I was very unhappy! knowone to blame but me.
     
    jeepcj, Oct 22, 2011
    #9
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