TheSamba.com :: View topic

Mon Sep 22, 2008 9:45 pm

This is my first post to the forum, so if I mispost sorry(I have been reading for a long while though)

I am building a custom 69 and I am shaving the "trunk" handle (among other things) and was wondering what other people's experiences after they did it were.

I have heard that without the secondary latch many times people have had their hood fly open on the road.

thanks in advance

Mon Sep 22, 2008 10:01 pm

One thing to keep in mind if you have safety inspections in your area. If you don't have a secondary latch, you have an illegal car. I would think it would be rather difficult for the hood to fly open given the shape of it.

Tue Sep 23, 2008 12:40 am

No they will fly open,they are just easy to see around when they do if your window is down. When they fly up they bend the windshield wipers some.

Tue Sep 23, 2008 1:21 am

u would have to really be motoring for it to fly open given that once passed halfway close the springs force it shut not open
and also all beeltes b4 67 never had the saftey latch only the plunger lock and ive never heard of to many of them flying open
shaving the hood handle has been done decades like this

Tue Sep 23, 2008 6:13 am

Yes they will come open at speed, it usually takes a two lane road with a truck going the other way but it wakes you up really quick when driving all night !

The best way to do this is get the latch adjusted properly then weld the inner bracket to the trunk lid, remove the handle and weld up the holes. For the safety latch you have to cut the button off and modify a little flat stock down the inside so you can open the trunk, pull it up to the safety latch and get a finger inder to operate the flat stock lever you'll make.