Mystery Hood Latch - need some help to identify latch for 58 Fiberglass Car

[kghia]

Hello,

I am restoring a 58 fiberglass car. These pictures are of the rear latch. The front latch was missing but it uses a similar style tongue with a cable release. The cable release on the rear was replaced with a brazed on stick. They might have used the same exact latch and just made new mounting hardware to get it to work. In the last picture I took the latch out of the sheet metal mount that was made to hold it in the body.

The door hinges are 55-57 Chevy and the latches and striker 55 T-bird. They were using easy to find 50s parts but this looks like an older style latch.

I need one more and would like to find one in better condition.

Any help is appreciated.

[Guest Davethewave]

It is very possible it is not auto related. Look at similar vintage truck tool boxes. Please post pics of the car itself. Thanks Dave

[kghia]

It is very possible it is not auto related. Look at similar vintage truck tool boxes. Please post pics of the car itself. Thanks Dave

Like most at the time they were trying to get ready to mass produce. They used standard items so I would think the latch was common, what ever it came from.

Here is a black and white promo of the car.

[keiser31]

Is that a VW undercarriage?

[kghia]

Is that a VW undercarriage?

Yes it is, I am a big VW buff and this was likely the first body designed specifically for the VW chassis.

[kghia]

Also I need to know if this type of trim is available. It is a flexible crome trim, maybe 1/4 inch that is over a fabric. This could have been a fender beading. This was used around the windshield to set if off nice and seal the gap. Is anything like this availabe?

[keiser31]

Try this place for the welting....Home | Andy Bernbaum Auto Parts for Chrysler's cars from 30's to 70's

[kghia]

Try this place for the welting....Home | Andy Bernbaum Auto Parts for Chrysler's cars from 30's to 70's

That was a good tip. You got me thinking of fender beading/welting. That must be what it was. This company has a chrome over rubber that I am going to try. It is 3/16. When I looked at mine it was aluminum, maybe easier to shape. I'll have to see if this can follow the bends. Thanks again.

Fender Welting, Chrome (50 ft) - gtrestoration.com

[kghia]

OK, no luck with the latch yet.

How about help with the door pull strap. They used a cable in the door pull to run down to the latch. This could be a rear seat grab strap. The ends were nice because the chromed cap slides over the base so that the screws do not show. The ones I have seen have a visible screw that anchors a cable.

In the pictures below you can see the cable installed and then two close ups of the cap and base that it slid off.

[kghia]

Hello,

I am restoring a 58 fiberglass car. These pictures are of the rear latch. The front latch was missing but it uses a similar style tongue with a cable release. The cable release on the rear was replaced with a brazed on stick. They might have used the same exact latch and just made new mounting hardware to get it to work. In the last picture I took the latch out of the sheet metal mount that was made to hold it in the body.

The door hinges are 55-57 Chevy and the latches and striker 55 T-bird. They were using easy to find 50s parts but this looks like an older style latch.

I need one more and would like to find one in better condition.

Any help is appreciated.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]167642[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]167643[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]167644[/ATTACH]

Hood latch solved after putting "latch" into ebay motors, vintage parts, and looking through about 5000 latches. It is a Porsche 356, 356A rear deck lid latch.