There's a bolt on the top of the hood latch support ('72 Dart). Nothing's attached to it. What is it for?

The only thing I can think of is some kind of bushing to protect the paint from the hood tongue as it passes through?

thanks.

How about the brace that goes from there to the bottom of the core support? You see it is there to support the hood latch.

But the nut is permanently attached (spot-welded) to the sheet metal, and the bolt goes in from the top so whatever it holds also has to be on top. So I can't see how it would go to the bottom of the core support.
Anyone got a picture of this area?

Goes to the vertical brace that mounts under the header panel.

Thanks. A picture is worth 1000 words I guess the nut is actually affixed to the brace, not the horizontal support

I'll go take another look at it.

Meanwhile, IS there any "liner" for the hood tongue opening so the paint doesn't get scuffed every time the hood is closed?

I pull on the safety release when shutting the hood so the ears don't scratch the paint. Otherwise might try some clear packaging tape.

for what it's worth, my one buddy uses a 35mm film canister cap on the big hood spring to keep the under side of the hood paint from being destroyed.

good advice

I put a condom on mine.

There is a Ford minivan that is supposed to have a factory cap on the spring and it will fit the Mopars.

Thanks for the reminder, I completely forgot about the top of the spring also scratching up the paint. A latex condom is just a few thousandths thick - how often do you have to change it?

I may try threading a piece of shrink tubing over the first turn, and hitting it with the heat gun so it'll stay in place. If I start buying prophylactics I will get a lot of questions and "looks" at home.

A short piece of vacuum hose on the end of the spring will protect the paint and it looks better then a film cap IMO.

X2, what I use...

Joe

that is a great tip ! i never gave that a thought, but i agree, it would look MUCH better than a film cap. Thank You !

Use a piece of "clear" tubing to slide over it. Most people won't even notice it is there. Buy it at your local hardware store.