Hood latches

[Roger D.]

I am doing the engine compartment on my 69 restore. Do the latches or any part of them get black phosphate?? Also is the hood support that holds the hood up get black phosphate. Thank you
Roger

[Joe L.]

Re: Hood latches

I am doing the engine compartment on my 69 restore. Do the latches or any part of them get black phosphate?? Also is the hood support that holds the hood up get black phosphate. Thank you
Roger

Roger------


The upper hood latches are entirely black/gray phosphate-finished. The lower hood latch assemblies are mostly black/gray phosphate. The exceptions are the spring seats and upper retainers. These parts were zinc or cadmium finished.

The hood support is entirely zinc plated.

[Roger D.]

Re: Hood latches

Roger------The upper hood latches are entirely black/gray phosphate-finished. The lower hood latch assemblies are mostly black/gray phosphate. The exceptions are the spring seats and upper retainers. These parts were zinc or cadmium finished.The hood support is entirely zinc plated.

Thanks Joe for the info. I assume that the large adjustable screw pin on th e lower latch is not blackened. I s that correct. I always seem to see a lot of them loaded with grease.

[Joe L.]

Re: Hood latches

Thanks Joe for the info. I assume that the large adjustable screw pin on th e lower latch is not blackened. I s that correct. I always seem to see a lot of them loaded with grease.

Roger------


The lock bolt is black phosphate, too. However, the phosphate rather quickly wears off the contact surface (the "bulb" on the upper end) so it appears as natural steel. So, the way these appear on virtually all cars is not the way they appeared when the cars left St. Louis.

[Roger D.]

Re: Hood latches

Roger------The lock bolt is black phosphate, too. However, the phosphate rather quickly wears off the contact surface (the "bulb" on the upper end) so it appears as natural steel. So, the way these appear on virtually all cars is not the way they appeared when the cars left St. Louis.

Thanks Joe, did all the blackening on one side and cleaned everything. Left the 2 zinc pieces. Looks real nice the contrast of color.

[Alan S.]

Re: Hood latches

Hi Joe,
What finish was on the nuts and washers used in mounting the male hood latches?
Regards,
Alan

[Roger D.]

Re: Hood latches

Hi Joe,What finish was on the nuts and washers used in mounting the male hood latches?Regards,Alan

Hey Alan you beat me to the punch on the bolts. Will be curious to see what Joe says. Thanks for asking.Roger

[Terry M.]

Re: Hood latches

Hi Joe,
What finish was on the nuts and washers used in mounting the male hood latches?
Regards,
Alan

I am not Joe, but see the nuts and washers and bolts all black on original cars.

[Alan S.]

Re: Hood latches

Hi,
Terry, black as in black oxide, or black as in manganese phosphate?
Also, Joe, the 4th edition 70-72 TIM&JG indicates the "probe" (can we say that here?) was 'natural' not phosphate plated as you posted. Is that correct?
Regards,
Alan

[Joe L.]

Re: Hood latches

Hi,
Terry, black as in black oxide, or black as in manganese phosphate?
Also, Joe, the 4th edition 70-72 TIM&JG indicates the "probe" (can we say that here?) was 'natural' not phosphate plated as you posted. Is that correct?
Regards,
Alan

Alan------

Black oxide is a finish very rarely used on any Corvette component. The lower latch retaining nuts and washers were phosphate finished. The coloration was more-or-less a medium gray.

The lock bolts ("probes"?) were phosphate-finished. This includes BOTH the 68-E69 type and the L69-76 type. As I mentioned, the finish on the "bulbous" end (68-E69) or "pyramid" end (L69-76) is rather quickly worn off resulting in the end appearing natural. The shank of the bolt is difficult to see within the springs. So, this might result in some folks considering the bolts to be natural. But, they were not originally natural.

[Alan S.]

Re: Hood latches

Hi Joe,
Thanks for the clarification.
Regards,
Alan

[Terry M.]

Re: Hood latches

Hi,
Terry, black as in black oxide, or black as in manganese phosphate?
Also, Joe, the 4th edition 70-72 TIM&JG indicates the "probe" (can we say that here?) was 'natural' not phosphate plated as you posted. Is that correct?
Regards,
Alan

I won't disagree with Joe, but all I look at is does the finish of all those parts "flow" or do some parts stand-out -- as in silver against black. If I were "restoring" those fasteners, since they are in a non-critical application, I would heat them on the barby till they glowed and then throw them in a can of oil I reserved from the last oil change on one of my drivers. You can decide if that looks like any plating process if you want, but it works for me, but then delicate finesse has never been one of my strong points.

Don't forget the little splash of body color paint on the hood latch studs.

[Joe L.]

Re: Hood latches

For the non-believers, here are some photos. These are all NOS pieces and most of them are very old NOS.



DSCN3005.jpgDSCN3006.jpgDSCN3010.jpg


Above are shown the spring seats and spring upper retainers. Note that they are zinc plated.

[Joe L.]

Re: Hood latches

More-----



DSCN3008.jpgDSCN3009.jpgDSCN3007.jpg


These are the lock bolts, both the 68-E69 (GM #3915814) and L69-76 (GM #3966625). Note that they are FULLY phosphate-finished.

[Joe L.]

Re: Hood latches

More-------



DSCN3012.jpgDSCN3013.jpgDSCN3014.jpgDSCN3015.jpg


Springs and 2 NOS examples of the driver side lower latch, one with return spring and one without. Note that all are phosphate-finished.