1956 fairlane hood latch

[JimT]

I had the hood latch off of my 56 ford and now I can not get it to latch. What am I missing or not doing right I need help.

[Daves55Sedan]

If it is not latching, either your latch is propped open OR the spearhead on the plunger isn't adjusted deep enough to get past the latch.
This is all easily adjustable. Take it easy and don't get it in a bind or too tight. Might help to get the '56 Ford Car Shop manual. Gives great detail how to adjust things.

[dmsfrr]

The hood latch piece bolted to the firewall may have slightly slotted holes and been put back on a little too low.

The pointed plunger on the hood may have been adjusted slightly too short, not quite long enough to engage the latch?

[56sedandelivery]

The manual shows the plunger/dowel being installed on the hood as plunger/spring/bracket/jam nut. On my frankinFord the plunger dowel is non long enough to install that way. I had to put the lock nut inside of the spring. So it is plunger/spring/jam nut/ bracket instead.

[Daves55Sedan]

Originally Posted by dmsfrr

The hood latch piece bolted to the firewall may have slightly slotted holes and been put back on a little too low.

He has a Fairlane, not a T-bird, so the hood latch is in the front on all full-size '55/56 cars. In '55, the spear faced up from the front air deflector and the latch was part of the bracket that bolted to the underside of the hood. In '56, they swapped the two, so that the plunger/spearhead is mounted downward on the under-hood bracket and the latch is underneath the front air-deflector.
However, another thing you might wanna check; if you had removed your adjustable hood bumpers at the front near both ends, they may be holding the hood too far up so that the hood latch can't catch.
Adjust your two hood bumpers so that the top of the hood aligns with the front fenders first, then tackle adjusting the latch if needed.

[dmsfrr]

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Originally Posted by Daves55Sedan

He has a Fairlane, not a T-bird, so the hood latch is in the front on all full-size '55/56 cars. ...

Obviously I'm confused about which years and models have a rear or front opening hood.
But the concept is the same, the lower and upper sections of the latch hardware are usually at least slightly adjustable.
My first thought was the body mounted piece might have been put back on a bit too low just due to it's weight while the bolts weren't yet tightened.
If the working hood latch was only removed and reinstalled, I agree, it should just be a matter of adjustment.
.