Early '70 BB Hood Release Cable & Mounting Clip(s)?

[Carr C.]

I have a very early (February '70) 1970 LS5 454 convertible. When I purchased the car it was fairly original w/ 80K miles on it and well documented.

As we are completing the restoration we have noticed that I have a 1969 RH female hood latch. This part is not reproduced, so it has to be an original '68-'69 latch.

My hood also has two nut plates on the back bottom edge for mounting the cable clips. The common one in the middle, and one more over to the RH side about 2/3 of the way to the latch.

So my question is:

What year hood is this with the two nut plates? I do not have a '68-'69 big-block hood to compare it to, and most of the C3 BB hoods I've seen have the single nut plate for the cable clip in the middle only.

Also, with this '69 latch it appears that I need to use the '69 hood release cable with the white case to reach which would make sense if this is correct.

And finally, how would this be judged because the JG mentions none of this except that the cable is black.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Regards.

[Terry M.]

Re: Early '70 BB Hood Release Cable & Mounting Clip(s)?

I can answer some of this, but a few pictures of my January 1970 hood will help you more. I can't, however, post those pictures from work. Rather than my relying on my feeble memory, I'll post some pictures later.

[John C.]

Re: Early '70 BB Hood Release Cable & Mounting Clip(s)?

Carr

The 68/69 JG states the double cable guide was used on cars until around August of 1969 when the single guide began.

My April 68 and Dec 68 built cars have the double guides.

John

[Terry M.]

Re: Early '70 BB Hood Release Cable & Mounting Clip(s)?

I have a very early (February '70) 1970 LS5 454 convertible. When I purchased the car it was fairly original w/ 80K miles on it and well documented.

As we are completing the restoration we have noticed that I have a 1969 RH female hood latch. This part is not reproduced, so it has to be an original '68-'69 latch.

My hood also has two nut plates on the back bottom edge for mounting the cable clips. The common one in the middle, and one more over to the RH side about 2/3 of the way to the latch.

So my question is:

What year hood is this with the two nut plates? I do not have a '68-'69 big-block hood to compare it to, and most of the C3 BB hoods I've seen have the single nut plate for the cable clip in the middle only.

Also, with this '69 latch it appears that I need to use the '69 hood release cable with the white case to reach which would make sense if this is correct.

And finally, how would this be judged because the JG mentions none of this except that the cable is black.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Regards.

Well, as promised, I went and looked and my January 29 1970 (can't be that far from your February car) has the single nut plate in about the middle with a black cable. Since I bought it new, I can assure you it is the cable, hood, and latches that came from St. Louis. It sounds like perhaps Bubba was close to your car.

As to judging -- if the judges are alert you will receive a deduction. I have seen one car that made it all the way to the National with about three or four previous judgings before the judges noticed the white cable with two nut plates on a 1970. Stuff happens, but boy was that owner surprised -- and we (the judges) were embarassed.