Bear Claw latches

al37ford

al37ford

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
I dislike the hood release setup in my '49 Meteor. Pops every time I hit a hard bump & tho I adjust slowly, not wanting to get it up a so far it won't release & have to remove the grille to get it open, ok enough commas! So has anyone used a bear claw latch meant for doors on their similar car? I had a small pair for a roadster but gave them away some years back. Easy swap on a finished car with nice paint?
 
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Maybe something like this would work?
B6A2FF3E-9B1E-45EC-AB6E-73AAB7003353.jpeg
 
I haven't got that far yet but I am thinking of using a gm style ( I 'm sure there's others ) electric pull down bearclaw latch ( as used on trunks ) on my 53 hood to enable a very tight fit without needing a hard slam .
 
i seem to recall some of the higher end cars (LINCOLN, CAD, etc) using the electric pull down style trunk latches, should be a bunch of them in Pick'n'Pull type yards by now??
 
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I can't remember the year or model, but that Autoloc latch is very similar to a Volkswagen hood latch of the past. I think it was the 80's Rabbit.

I have a pull down trunk latch on the trunk of my car that I installed in the early 90's. I believe it came from a late 80's Crown Viv or Grand Marquis. In addition to the Lincolns and Cads mentioned by James, I know that third gen Firebirds had them as well. I have also seen them on minivans.
 
Scotty said:
I can't remember the year or model, but that Autoloc latch is very similar to a Volkswagen hood latch of the past. I think it was the 80's Rabbit.

I have a pull down trunk latch on the trunk of my car that I installed in the early 90's. I believe it came from a late 80's Crown Viv or Grand Marquis. In addition to the Lincolns and Cads mentioned by James, I know that third gen Firebirds had them as well. I have also seen them on minivans.
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Scotty: A few years back at the Red Deer Swap Meet, I was looking at the items displayed by one of the vendors (Wadson's or Kustom King), and the hood latch kit they were selling appeared (to me) to be IDENTICAL to a mid eighties Rabbit, as I had an '86 Rabbit LS years ago, and had to replace the cable, so I was up close and personal with the one on my car.....

***Also, good to know the Crown Vics/Marquis used that as power latch as well as the higher end cars, as the yards are full of Crown Vics/Marquis!!
 
Higher end oldsmobiles into the 90's also used them so finding salvage ones should not be too difficult .
 
VW style ones are the ones that are sold by most aftermarket companies for HotRods. Don't buy anything from AutoLoc it is junk sold by the Hoffman group.
 
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