1939 pickup hood latch assembly question

[Seth Swoboda]

Can someone please post pictures of how the hood latch/ornament is assembled on a 39 pickup? I have pieced my hood ornament/latch together from parts I have gathered from ford barners.
Thanks, Seth

[39portlander]

Seth when I get through today, will post some pic's of my pre-restoration hood area it may help @ quick glance it look's like you got all the part's except the center spring

[tom/illinois]

ok thanks, we will be looking forward to what you post.

[jrhaelig]

Here is a shot looking at the back side of an installed hood release. May not show the detail you need, though:

[39portlander]

Here are some pic's of the hood latch when I pulled the hood and the pieces taken today on my bench John that is a great shot that shows the middle rotator piece that I have on the hood latch.

[Seth Swoboda]

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Excellent photos gentlemen! This is a huge help. Thanks to the both of you!

[Clem Clement]

thanks very mush.

[Clem Clement]

thanks. I cleaned the parts and reassembled the handle. still locked in the side ways position to the left. Mistakenly I cleaned all the parts forgetting which side is up. There was a slight bit of damage where the edges of the square hole rubbed the base of the boxed section of the shaft: thus I put that up. The rub bar sees OK. The bolts holding it on appeared rusted In place. I see no reason to remove it. What next?

Stay safe and strong

[Clem Clement]

No luck so far. I can't find the piece on the HAMB

[Tinker]

Clem you have to close the hood to be able to turn the handle back.

The knub on the radiator that the disc locks to, also pushes up the "pivot lock plate" to release the locking tabs.

Try pushing where the radiator receiver (knub) would hit and turn the handle at the same time.

Use a screwdriver not your finger. If you use a finger, turn the handle slowly or you'll pinch the heck out of your finger. Only has to be depressed for about 10degrees turn of the handle.


.

[Tinker]

1938 ford truck hood.

[Clem Clement]

Back at it.
It seems to me someone had a diagram of how the latch goes together. I've looked in my threads and don't see it. Bruce is coming by tomorrow to give assembly as try.
Thanks

[38bill]

Here's a couple of photos of my latch.

[Tinker]

I need to paint my hood. When I remove the latch again I will take lots of photos. No promises on timelines. I used to have pictures of assemble before. That was a while back. I usually take things apart, take pictures, and put it back.

[Tinker]

Originally Posted by 39portlander

Seth when I get through today, will post some pic's of my pre-restoration hood area it may help @ quick glance it look's like you got all the part's except the center spring

I was looking forward to this.

[1939mars]

Maybe these will help. If you want higher resolution versions PM me an email address and I will send the originals.

[Clem Clement]

My Friend Bruce Metcalf made a visit here today before the storm. We find that the shaft with the bolt on the on the bottom wobbles in its mounting. It looks like it doesn't allow the edge of the disk to get in position We used one of the photos you guys provided to be sure the disk was right-side up. Thanks Bruce. Golly that was a fun flogging an old Ford. Someone have an extra disk, please. Thanks for all your advise on this challenge. At the moment I have a matching-color bungee holding the hood nose down in place.

[51504bat]

Originally Posted by Clem Clement

My Friend Bruce Metcalf made a visit here today before the storm. We find that the shaft with the bolt on the on the bottom wobbles in its mounting. It looks like it doesn't allow the edge of the disk to get in position We used one of the photos you guys provided to be sure the disk was right-side up. Thanks Bruce. Golly that was a fun flogging an old Ford. Someone have an extra disk, please. Thanks for all your advise on this challenge. At the moment I have a matching-color bungee holding the hood nose down in place.

I've got some left over parts from when I put the one on my'39. I'll check tomorrow.

[Clem Clement]

Thanks very much.

[39portlander]

Good luck there Clem...the real sad part about this post is i still do not have that hood latch assembly on my hood yet

Seeing this post may spark some motivation.

[Bruce of MN]

Clem is right that the shaft isn't held firmly on axis. Two other items were a mystery to me.

The hook of the pivot lock plate (red arrow) doesn't fully engage the "handle" to the left of it in the pic below. That is with the pivot lock plate in my hand and trying to find some angle where it would engage the round cross section.
The stamped ridge on the top of the "handle" is surely part of the system, but I couldn't find any angle that would work. Should it? That seems to be the mechanism to lock the hood.

The disc (green arrow) tries to rotate when the handle is turned, but its ~3/16" thick edge just butts up against the edge of the pivot lock plate and doesn't lift it to unlock the hood. Clem has the pivot lock plate ears sticking through the bracket on the hood and a stiff wire through the ears to trap it in place. I should have taken a photo to show, but didn't. Is the disc supposed to slide under the pivot lock plate and lift it in a wedge action?

[51504bat]

Originally Posted by 51504bat

I've got some left over parts from when I put the one on my'39. I'll check tomorrow.

Finally got down to the shop. Attached are photos of what latch parts I have. If some one needs them they can have them for the cost of mailing.

[GaryU.]

The disc pictured with the green arrow is 90 degrees off from where it needs to be, here is a picture of mine with the hood open and the latch in the locked open position. When you close the hood and the spring loaded black plate pictured with the red arrow is depressed you rotate the latch and you see the latching plate pictured with the green arrow in this position.

[Clem Clement]

I don't remember seeing the little spring. Maybe that takes up the slop.
I'll check soonest.
Thanks Clem

[Clem Clement]

No time yet.

[Clem Clement]

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Seth's photo shows a small spring which I don't have. I big sloppy washer that fits o the handle shaft. The shaft of the handle is sloppy in the cross brace. The handle nut has a cast-in collar with is sloppy on the cross shaft hood brace's hole. the collar shows a minor wear pattern on its outer edge, but not enough to effect the side wobble of the shaft.
where does the little spring attach? The triangular piece had to tabs with one hole each that were bent down about 3 inches apart. Currently a short piece of wire coat hanger goes between them. The little spring stretches the 3 inches, it would keep the triangle ears in place. Whaa?

The round plate's ramp is quite worn. Anyone have a spare?
Thanks,
Clem

[Clem Clement]

I don't have the little spring Seth shows nor the lever 39portlander shows

[Bruce of MN]

Originally Posted by GaryU.

The disc pictured with the green arrow is 90 degrees off from where it needs to be, here is a picture of mine with the hood open and the latch in the locked open position. When you close the hood and the spring loaded black plate pictured with the red arrow is depressed you rotate the latch and you see the latching plate pictured with the green arrow in this position.

To clarify, is side 'A' or 'B' pointed forward with the handle in the closed position and are the "spurs" up or down?




Where is this part in the stackup of latch parts, do the points go up or down, and what points forward?




Thanks for your help!

[1939mars]

I could not tell for the first part from my assembled latch, but for the second, it is on top, ears down and pointed part towards the front. The ears stick down through holes in the hood and are pinned with cotter pins. The pointed part contacts the 'hook' on top of the grille and moves up out of the way to allow the mechanism to rotate.

From the pics I posted earlier it looks like the tabs are down on the first part. The flat is towards the front when open allowing the hook to go by. I think that should orient it fully.

[Bruce of MN]

Originally Posted by 1939mars

I could not tell for the first part from my assembled latch, but for the second, it is on top, ears down and pointed part towards the front. The ears stick down through holes in the hood and are pinned with cotter pins. The pointed part contacts the 'hook' on top of the grille and moves up out of the way to allow the mechanism to rotate.

That part is this:





From the pics I posted earlier it looks like the tabs are down on the first part. The flat is towards the front when open allowing the hook to go by. I think that should orient it fully.

I'm trying to nail down this part from post #22:

[1939mars]

Ah, I'm sorry - got them confused. I think you can just see the edge of it (the smaller triangular piece) in the picture I posted. Ears up and flat forward. The rotating piece rides inside the ears. The piece in question does not rotate when I rotate the handle.

[Bruce of MN]

Originally Posted by 51504bat

Finally got down to the shop. Attached are photos of what latch parts I have. If some one needs them they can have them for the cost of mailing.

PM sent! I'll use them on Clem's truck.

[51504bat]

Sorry but the latch parts went to a Barner in Alabama.

[Clem Clement]

Anybody else have '39 pickup hood latch parts?

[Tinker]

Sorry Clem I do not. If someone made a pattern it could be made from some plate steel. It's not spring steel. Probably the hardest part would be the punched holes for the handle lockout. Hope it works out for you.

[Tinker]

Originally Posted by Bruce of MN

Clem is right that the shaft isn't held firmly on axis. Two other items were a mystery to me.

The hook of the pivot lock plate (red arrow) doesn't fully engage the "handle" to the left of it in the pic below. That is with the pivot lock plate in my hand and trying to find some angle where it would engage the round cross section.
The stamped ridge on the top of the "handle" is surely part of the system, but I couldn't find any angle that would work. Should it? That seems to be the mechanism to lock the hood.

The disc (green arrow) tries to rotate when the handle is turned, but its ~3/16" thick edge just butts up against the edge of the pivot lock plate and doesn't lift it to unlock the hood. Clem has the pivot lock plate ears sticking through the bracket on the hood and a stiff wire through the ears to trap it in place. I should have taken a photo to show, but didn't. Is the disc supposed to slide under the pivot lock plate and lift it in a wedge action?

The handle will not close, less the hood is closed and the rad post releases the pressure. You can manually release the pressure when the hood is open. The hood emblem shaft shouldn't move much as it is loosely bolted to the inner hood section. The hood will not lock closed. But does lock open. It wouldn't be good if it locks closed. There is plenty of pressure to keep it latched without a "lock". Probably a weird ford thing about people slamming the hood and not realizing the hood emblem is not aligned,


It could be the spring is worn. Slides over, if I remember right, pushes it down to release. That little tab on the opposite side of your green arrow should put pressure on the plate release. If that makes sense. The plate with the green arrow is keyed to the shaft.

[Bruce of MN]

What is the function of this part and how thick is it? The orientation is defined in post #31.

[Tinker]

Bruce I'll take mine apart for you this weekend and take lots of pictures. It's a 38 but I believe it's similar or the same in parts to the 39.


Been a while, but I don't recall that part. Not saying it isn't there though.


Funny this thread started almost 10yrs ago with over 5k views and yet no one really knows or shows how it goes together.

[Tinker]

1938 ford. Someone might have to take a 39 apart.

[Tinker]

More... Hope this helps a little.

[Clem Clement]

Thanks Tinker. We'll study this. I dug out the original hood lever to see is there is any difference. (The original was quite pock-marked with corrosion to the chrome.)

[Tinker]

Ya mine wasn't what you would call pristine. But it works. I have replacement parts when I get to it. Still need to paint the hood! Glad to help you if it did.

[Bruce of MN]

Clem and I used the descriptions and photos posted by the great Barners here to make his hood latch work today as intended!

Thanks to all.

[1939mars]

Any chance you have pictures for how it went together for posterity? Also, was the mystery smaller triangular piece part of it or not?

[Bruce of MN]

Originally Posted by 1939mars

Any chance you have pictures for how it went together for posterity? Also, was the mystery smaller triangular piece part of it or not?

The pix by Tinker and 1939mars show it well. Mystery part shown in post#30 doesn’t seem to be part of the assembly.

The key was understanding that the handle needed to be at 90deg and how the “staple “ pushed the triangular piece up and allowed the disc to rotate under the staple to lock the hood when you rotate the handle to straight ahead.

[Clem Clement]

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Bruce of MN is an absolute hero. After lots of study and efforts, the hood is back together and works just fine. The noncolor- matched bungee cord has been retired.

Thanks a million Bruce!!

[39portlander]

Finally found this old thread as this is one of my Labor day projects.

Tinker thanks for those pictures, a little late getting back to this part of my hood on the 39 but been having too much fun with the Model T and will get to this over a good upcoming rain day.

These latch pictures are very detailed and helpfull, thank you again Fordbarn

[cubflyer]

Many thanks for the pictures I’m putting together at 38 right now everything‘s done but putting the hood latch on and the side curtains I’ve got two of these latches apart and two hoods a 38 and 39. that small triangle part that you have been question is for a 1939 I have 1938 hood latch parts don’t have that in The hood assembly I’ve got two of these trucks 30 eights and a 39 grill assembly and a 39 hood latches they are different many thanks for the pictures I was beginning to question what I have tinker you nailed it with the pictures these tracks are so old now and I’m sure I’ve been apart many times so it’s hard to be positive what a person has without a assembly manual my memory is old enough now plays tricks on me I don’t like tricks. Many thanks to all of you have a happy Thanksgiving Cubflyer

[cubflyer]

That triangle part goes with the points up it’s the last piece in or the first PIece however you wanna look at it and I found that piece in 2 1938 hoods and not in third hood however when checking the 1939 heard it did not have that piece in it and of course the 39 latch is different than 38 hope this helps out some I will try to send pictures.