Hawk Hood Tiedown

[ivorydan]

I remember driving a Hawk and having the hood fly up. I couldn't see where I was going. Luckily I was only going app 40 mph, so I was able to slow down and stop before the thing flew off or damaged the roof. I used rope after that. Has anyone found a simple way to keep the Hawk hood down while driving? Whoever designed the hood latch should have been launched from a catapult. Thanks!

[mbstude]

A leather belt works.

Matthew Burnette
'59 Scotsman
'63 Daytona
Hazlehurst, GA

Cruising the Proving Ground Test Track

[StudHawk60]

So does a dog collar.[]

[rockne10]

As would a bungee, but these will all eventually suffer the ravages of time, and be subject to failure.

One would think the real solution would be to have a steel, spring loaded safety latch to keep the hood from flying open.

....OH,...uh...[:I] Nevermind!

Mine has never failed; so what am I looking forward too? The latch rusts away? The spring breaks? I bend the safety hook by dropping the hood, rather than closing it with a soft caress?

Brad Johnson
Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
'33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight, '53 Commander Starlight

[jbwhttail]

Here is the best and easiest safety measure I have heard.

With the hood closed mark the pin below the latch, open the hood and drill a hole through the pin, now you can use one of those hairpin type cotter keys! no cables or dog latches, just reach under and pull the pin out or push it in......

Last time I do this,I promise

[Scott]

I have a short piece, about 7 inches long, of nylon strap. I think it's a little under an inch wide. It is bolted to the body and on the free end has a clasp as used on dog leashes. It can be clasped to the hole on the end of the bottom of the front of the hood. There is a hole on either side of the front. I can take a picture and post it to show what I mean. It's a little hard to explain.

[blackhawk61]

quote:Originally posted by jbwhttail

Here is the best and easiest safety measure I have heard.

With the hood closed mark the pin below the latch, open the hood and drill a hole through the pin, now you can use one of those hairpin type cotter keys! no cables or dog latches, just reach under and pull the pin out or push it in......

Last time I do this,I promise

THIS WORKS !.....I did the same.......I use a Equipment pin with a foldover ring (Tractor Supply) 41 cents........Works great !

1961 Hawk 4BC,4-SPEED,TT

Lewisville,NC
(formerly chevpartsman)

[Chucks Stude]

Pictures I say, must have pictures. I was knocked unconscious by a Hawk hood in 1972. We were going pretty fast. I would like to see a new idea that works.

[Tom Bredehoft]

Every C-K I've owned has had evidence of the infamous flying hood. Last month, after driving about 6 miles, some in excess of 50 mph, I realized my hood was sort of floating, rather than latched down. Suddenly I remembered that I had just lowered the hood, not latched it the last time I closed it. I immediately stopped and latched the hood properly. The HOOK had held it, or I'm living right (I doubt it) or it just wasn't my time. How come it didn't fly up? Any good ideas?


[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Bothcars.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe
'60 Lark VI
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All three Indiana built OD cars

[sbca96]

I just redesigned the hinge point :











It was on my '60 Hawk until I totalled it, now its on my buddies '56
Sky Hawk - which he JUST got running again!! Woohoo![8D]

Tom

'63 Avanti, zinc plated drilled & slotted 03 Mustang Cobra 13" front disc/98 GT rear brakes, 03 Cobra 17" wheels, GM alt, 97 Z28 leather seats, soon: 97 Z28 T-56 6-spd, Ported heads w/SST full flow valves, 'R3' 276 cam, Edelbrock AFB Carb, GM HEI distributor, 8.8mm plug wires

[S2DSteve]

I think the main problem with the Hawk latch is that the main latch and safety hook are both attached to the same bracket. That bracket tends to fatigue crack and break where it attaches to the cross bar. When the attachment lets go both the primary and secondary hooks are gone. Keep an eye on that weld and you probably will never have a problem.


Steve Hudson
The Dalles, Oregon
1949 "GMOBaker" 1-T Dually
1953 Commander Convertible
1954 Champion Coupe
1960 Hawk

[rockne10]

quote:Keep an eye on that weld and you probably will never have a problem.

So, I should have added some mig to that before painting the hood![:0]

Too late for me but, hopefully, some good advice for others.