[DeTomaso] Decklid latch (fifth try...)

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

Ron wrote:

When I got my car back from the painters, I found they had removed the rear 
striker plate on the hatch and could not reinstall it. Mine is an early 
model deck with no center seam. The metal seems too thin to tap threads into.


>>>You're right--it is.



>When I got the car 6 years ago, the striker was always
     loose, so with considerable effort I slipped the largest nuts I could
     through the access holes and eventually got bolts to thread into them.
     Not a fun time.

     Is the deck supposed to be threaded?
     Are nuts supposed to be inside the deck lid?
     Is there some trick to ease the insanity?

     Inquiring minds and fingers less nimble than 6 years ago need to know.


>>>The flat-decklid cars used a pair of studs coming out at an angle, and a 
simple bar with washers welded on the end.   Very crude.   Later cars had 
studs sticking straight down, with a similar catch.

http://www.panterapartsusa.com/cgi-bin/detail.cgi?prod_id=18139A

The 73 and later cars used a stamped steel piece that attached in a 
different location, although at the moment I can't remember if it used studs/nuts, 
or if there were captured nuts welded inside the structure and it was held 
by bolts.   

http://www.panterapartsusa.com/cgi-bin/detail.cgi?prod_id=18139C

What you can do to adapt a later (and far superior) piece to the early 
decklid, is to use a pair of nutserts (otherwise known as Rivnuts, short for 
Rivet Nuts).   

Installation requires a special tool, which is fun to own.   Once you have 
it you'll find all sorts of uses for it.   There's a great Aussie Youtube 
video showing the tool and how it works:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz2yZNqGNqo

They are sold at Harbor Freight etc.

Once you have your Nutserts installed, you can then securely bolt the catch 
to the underside of the decklid.

Note that the catch has a certain amount of latitude by virtue of having 
oval slots, but you want to have the holes as close to perfectly located as 
possible.   This can be achieved by putting a child or small person into the 
engine bay with a flashlight and a scribe, attaching the catch to the latch 
on the body, then closing the decklid with the person inside.   The person 
inside notes the location of the catch on the decklid, and marks it where the 
bolts need to go.   Open the decklid, let them out, drill holes and install 
the nutserts and you're good to go.

Sounds like maybe somebody already drilled holes in your decklid, meaning 
you can just go ahead and install the nutserts into them.

Let us know how it works out!

Mike
-------------- next part --------------
   Ron wrote:
   When I got my car back from the painters, I found they had removed the
   rear striker plate on the hatch and could not reinstall it. Mine is an
   early model deck with no center seam. The metal seems too thin to tap
   threads into.
   >>>You're right--it is.
   >When I got the car 6 years ago, the striker was always
       loose, so with considerable effort I slipped the largest nuts I
   could
       through the access holes and eventually got bolts to thread into
   them.
       Not a fun time.
       Is the deck supposed to be threaded?
       Are nuts supposed to be inside the deck lid?
       Is there some trick to ease the insanity?
       Inquiring minds and fingers less nimble than 6 years ago need to
   know.
   >>>The flat-decklid cars used a pair of studs coming out at an angle,
   and a simple bar with washers welded on the end.  Very crude.  Later
   cars had studs sticking straight down, with a similar catch.
   http://www.panterapartsusa.com/cgi-bin/detail.cgi?prod_id=18139A
   The 73 and later cars used a stamped steel piece that attached in a
   different location, although at the moment I can't remember if it used
   studs/nuts, or if there were captured nuts welded inside the structure
   and it was held by bolts.
   http://www.panterapartsusa.com/cgi-bin/detail.cgi?prod_id=18139C
   What you can do to adapt a later (and far superior) piece to the early
   decklid, is to use a pair of nutserts (otherwise known as Rivnuts,
   short for Rivet Nuts).
   Installation requires a special tool, which is fun to own.  Once you
   have it you'll find all sorts of uses for it.  There's a great Aussie
   Youtube video showing the tool and how it works:
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz2yZNqGNqo
   They are sold at Harbor Freight etc.
   Once you have your Nutserts installed, you can then securely bolt the
   catch to the underside of the decklid.
   Note that the catch has a certain amount of latitude by virtue of
   having oval slots, but you want to have the holes as close to perfectly
   located as possible.  This can be achieved by putting a child or small
   person into the engine bay with a flashlight and a scribe, attaching
   the catch to the latch on the body, then closing the decklid with the
   person inside.  The person inside notes the location of the catch on
   the decklid, and marks it where the bolts need to go.  Open the
   decklid, let them out, drill holes and install the nutserts and you're
   good to go.
   Sounds like maybe somebody already drilled holes in your decklid,
   meaning you can just go ahead and install the nutserts into them.
   Let us know how it works out!
   Mike