My '71 GTO did not love me back yesterday.
 

I had made an appointment for today to have the body shop repair my radiator core support. I bought new bushings and the reinforcement plates to do this and planned on getting done last year but the shop took forever and I ran out of time and had to get car in storage for the winter or forfeit my spot. The nose of the car settled some last year, I noticed my door gaps getting tighter at the bottom and got in as soon as possible. I decided also to have the underside of the hood media blasted and painted while it was there. I had installed an insulation pad to hide the mess from the prior owner (undercoat over rust) and thought a clean start would be good.

I always check the hood, grabbing both scoops and giving a heave to make sure it is closed and lock engaged. I had been driving it around with no issues other than it was taking 2 men and a boy to open the hood since the core support dropped some. I had opened the hood since last drive but I think you can guess where this is going ... carnage.

Hard 1-2 shift, top of 2nd and the hood springs up like a jack-in-the-box. I laid on the binders in hopes of inertia throwing the hood down, but no such luck. I heard both hinges snap and I'm looking through the little viewport GM provided me under the open hood.

Hood is buckled on both sides at the hinges, both back corners peeled up like a ski-slope and a huge oil can in the middle of the hood. No fender, cowl or windshield damage other than 2 small paint chips. Body shop says no bueno on repairing the hood, so I have to look for a replacement. No steel replacements available and body shop says VFN (8-10 weeks lead time) or Glasstec only as a last resort, better off with a used hood. I see a couple in the classifieds and am chasing a couple others through the body shop's suppliers.

All that I can offer is this - at least it didn't happen a week after having the underside fixed.

And you'll need hinges too.

Those are some big a$$ pics right there...so, really can't see them.
Sorry for your trouble though.

I blame myself for not getting it fixed sooner. Fortunately, I know I checked the hood to be sure it was matched securely when I closed it last. I am almost OCD with yanking on the scoops to check and wiping the fingerprints off after. Otherwise I would be sick over this.

You may want to look at the hood latch too. You have Haggerty Ins? You should be covered.

That really blows- sorry to hear that

Good point, Steve. Those ratcheting latches can be finicky.

Neighbors Complaint,
Sorry to see that damage. Very hard to find even used hood/ fenders.
I replaced the radiator core support last winter due to rust out below battery tray side. THAT was a huge issue because there are no 71 radiator core supports available. Spot weld removed the top and transplanted onto a 72 new support.

Finally forget to put the hood pins back in and had the ' glass hood come up and fold back.
No other damages.
Was glad it happened because the hood needed upgrades to steel.
PY steel hood in NICE.

Glass half full....
 

You kept control of the car and didn't wrap it around a tree, no one got hurt, you have a great story and a cool paced of garage art to go with that story:cool:

At 70 mph that would have been so bad. I see good in this, if that makes sense. Little consolation, but you could be looking for a car, not a hood. Go steel.

Hoods are repoped now? I didnt see one in my catalog

Every year except 1971 and 1972.

Sorry to hear about the damage. Your photos are so large I
couldn't find the damage in them.

Even if you had the hood closed and latched, the safety "ear"
on the latch should have stopped it from coming open all the
way and causing damage. Normally you have to reach in with
your fingers and pop the latch to get it all the way open. Tho
I'm not familiar with the hood latch on a 71. Tho in the catalog
I do see that safety "ear" on the 71 latch assembly. Maybe the
release rod is broken and the hood didn't latch. Check it out.

I've had the hood pop open on my 66 going down the road at
55 and it didn't fly back. That safety "ear" on it kept it down.
And I've seen guys going down the road with the hood open a
bit to get more air in the engine compartment to cool it down.

No safety latch release so to speak. You pull the lever and the hood pops open. You push it down slightly and it is free to lift. The motion of the front end bouncing up and down on shifting must have released it against the so-called safety.

Here's some smaller pics:

https://imageshack.com/a/img924/5462/tE4Vkj.jpg https://imageshack.com/a/img922/8707/4F6mlz.jpg https://imageshack.com/a/img923/3045/BdsxnZ.jpg https://imageshack.com/a/img924/2150/LG7SlF.jpg
https://imageshack.com/a/img924/8227/dy5Car.jpg

I thought every hood latch had a double catch? is yours working OK?

This is the second used one I purchased. It has no safety. Single pull of the lever opens the hood.

Looks similar to the 1968 but does not interchange. No reproductions available either so you are stuck with used.

https://imageshack.com/a/img922/1485/Bu9DHU.png

Ouch...I can see the pics now. I'd rather go used if the repops don't have the safety latch. I've been a passenger in a car going down the hwy with a guy when the hood popped up.... Scary stuff!

Check with Rick Grisham, Madison,Il. on Facebook, has a hood.

Thanks for the lead, Bill. I’ll get in touch with him. I’m not a Facebook user but desperate times call for desperate measures!

My son had that happen to him while he was driving his 92 Eagle Talon. It happen at 60mph, smashed windshield, caved in his roof,(looks like someone danced all over it), and lifted the top corners of both fenders.

He has it with him at a swap meet today. Talk about bad timing!

Now I see the damage in a better light NC. That's a shame, and it sure made a mess. I didn't realize there was no safety "ear" on it like on my 66. You're lucky it didn't take out the windshield.

Repo parts suck as most won't make them like the original part just to save money. It's one reason I'm careful on what I buy for repo parts. I've bitched about them and sent them back a time or two. Catalogs should warn us about what's correct and what isn't.... I mean it should be mandatory, no questions asked. Tell us it's made right or it's not. No guessing on our part. The main one that comes to mind is repo bucket seat upholstery. Pictures don't always tell the truth.

Be careful with the hood hinges, be sure they are not loose. Many of the reproduction hinges are not made well. Some I have encountered do not have the rivet tails swaged properly and sometimes pop out.

My hinges were destroyed, but to their credit, the hood stayed on and did not smack the fenders cowl or windshield. I had bought them a while back from Tamraz. Body shop is ordering replacements from NPD (the better Goodmark hinges with correct grey phosphate finish).

I threw in the towel on used hoods. The body shop has checked all their sources and is ordering a bolt on style fiberglass hood from Glasstech at my direction. Lead time is 3 weeks. The couple of used hoods I have seen are rusty and just need more work than I think they are worth. The body shop has used GlassTech before with good results and I am also installing a pair of flush hood locks for an additional measure of safety in addition to the having GlasssTech cast-in my original striker.

In the interim, I have started a couple other projects including sound deadener, new package tray and a stereo install. I picked up a basic Pioneer CD/Bluetooth kit with speakers, kick panels with 6.5 speakers, 1" component tweeters with crossovers and a low profile amplified sub. The stereo will go in the glovebox and the sub under the passenger side front seat.

I also repaired my dash and refinished the top. The prior owner had drilled holes in the steel top and also right through the speaker grille to mount a Monster Tach. That was a botch of a job without removing the windshield. I just didn't want to take a chance having someone pull the glass.

Here's the insulation job (double layer at trans and headers):

https://imageshack.com/a/img922/7419/F6VHNP.jpg https://imageshack.com/a/img922/1091/CxbpCh.jpg

Looks good NC! Good info on Glasstech, I've been debating a glass hood myselfand. What are you using for the insulation?

I used this material:

Frost King Foam and Foil Duct Insulation
Insulates Aluminum or plastic duct work.
Insulates all types HVAC Ducts
Conforms to sharp corners
Stops vibrations
Seals seams and screw heads
12" x 15" Roll $18.77 per Roll

4 rolls did the floors, under the back seat and also the package tray.

Probably too late now - and I'm in North Carolina

Have a good 71-72 hood still wearing factory paint.
Paint is worn thin and weathered - but eliminates any surprises.
Will need a light media blasting underside , or sprayed with some of the modern marvel evapo-rust.

Also have a good 71-72 core support
Needs minor repair at lower mount area - on the battery side.
And light media blasting

Last good 71-72 hood I had , was sold to a PY member , I believe in NY.
Built a crate from old pallets and shipped via Forward Air.
Approx 10-11 years ago.

I used the same and am very happy with the results.

NeighborsComplaint, if your interested in selling your original hood. I need to sheet metal to do some repair work in front of the scoops on my '72 hood. If your interested send me a PM.

Is that not the safety catch sticking out on the top right?

A single continuios pull may release the latch (lower left) and draw the safety in. But if just the latch released....should still have to pull the hood release to draw the safety catch in. Like it shows in the picture, latch open with safety sticking out.

Clay

Yes it functions that way but is not independant of the hood release like most fail safe latches.