Whenever I shut the hood on my 2013 VS the hood safety latch hook bangs into the receiver. It looks like the hook is working properly but just goes too far forward so instead of going into the receiver hole it just misses it forward. Makes a hell of a racket and wont latch til I reach under and pull the hook back a little. Any of you more clever types solved this or do you just live with it? Thanks, Frank
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Frank, I have a May 2013 car and with the same issue. To this day, I live with it until I think of a clever idea to align the hook to the hole without having to make new holes in the body or hood.
Frank, I have a 2010 Speedster produced by Thunder Ranch also with the same problem. I haven't looked at solutions at this point, but maybe someone else has solved the problem without to much rework.
So is this an alignment problem or a batch of faulty latch systems or ....?
my '03 beck does the same thing
I have same issue on my may 2013 VS.
I thought about gluing a piece of rubber eging over the front of the hook to space it back so the angled edge if over the hole. This would allow it to push back and go into the hole without having to hold.it. The problem is you have to not space it back so far that the hook won't latch. I guess short of welding a tab on the hook this might be easiest. I'll try it and let you know if it works.
Frank, my routine is to gently set the hood down to rest, reach under and pull the safety catch lever a little until the hood drops down ready to engage, and to then push the hood home the last inch or so with my fingers.
Actually, before the final push, I usually check my fingertips for traces of peanut butter or chocolate that would leave unsightly smudges on the hood.
It's kind of a Zen ritual that has taught me patience, tolerance for all of god's creatures, and a growing closeness with the craftsmen who so carefully assembled this car by hand.
As time goes on, I find the Speedster is not so much a car as it is a way of life.
same here on my VS--reach in and pull forward-no room for proper adjustment-maybe my JPS wont have the same issue--
I finally got a picture. we took a bumper cushion from the gas door on a mid 60s Chevy, cut the cone off one end and put a 1/16" by 1/4" deep slot in it, then glued it to the hood latch right under the stop tang on the hook. this spaced it forward enough so the hook goes properly into the latch and catches. Now the hood closes properly without the hook slamming into the latch. It also will still stop the hood from flying open if it comes unlatched while driving. I hope you can see it OK in the picture.
good fix and simple--thanks
An elegant simple fix..... Well done....
