Hood latch problem

[matt7531]

There is a very slight but noticable gap on one side of the hood on my 84 380SL when it is closed. It seems like the hood is riding higher than it should on the latch - I can put my hands on either side of the latch when the hood is closed and rock the hood left to right, and the pivot point is the latch. If I could adjust whatever it is riding on down a quarter inch, it would fix it. The latch mechanism has some type of pin, and then the latch itself, and it almost seems like it is the pin that is too high because the latch itself ends up in a pretty deep socket in the hood. Has anyone else had this problem? Can anyne tell me how to adjust this?

Thanks
Matt

[denis gow]

Matt,

It may not have anything to do with the latch , it may be that the rubber seal around the bottom of the softtop may be depressed on one side or may have perished making contact uneven on one side .

Let us know the result of your investigation .

Den Downunder 1982 500SL Euro Red .

[matt7531]

We must be having a language problem - the hood here generally refers to that big lid that covers the engine.

[COLOR=Black]

Originally Posted by matt7531

There is a very slight but noticable gap on one side of the hood on my 84 380SL when it is closed. It seems like the hood is riding higher than it should on the latch - I can put my hands on either side of the latch when the hood is closed and rock the hood left to right, and the pivot point is the latch. If I could adjust whatever it is riding on down a quarter inch, it would fix it. The latch mechanism has some type of pin, and then the latch itself, and it almost seems like it is the pin that is too high because the latch itself ends up in a pretty deep socket in the hood. Has anyone else had this problem? Can anyne tell me how to adjust this?

Thanks
Matt

This may sound absurd, but I took a rubber mallet and pounded down around the latch and by doing so, it lowered the latch by about a quarter inch thus completing the hood closing all the way without a gap!

Bare in mind, my front end had been at some point in time hit and bent that cross member that has the latch, so I didn't mind adding a little persuasion to get it to fit better via mallet, or sledge hammer!

I also could not see where that latch could be adjusted, hence my method!

Also I should point out, so people don't get the wrong idea, if my 80 450SL was in decent shape, I would find a mechanical way to correct that hood gap, not with a hammer!

It may be possible to lower that cross member, but without looking at it (it's raining here today) I'm not sure. There is bondo, painted the color of the car, covering all of that cross member on my car, and have wondered if MB did that, or it's been hit more than once in the front?

[hudsmore]

...but do you know where the bonnet and the boot are??

[matt7531]

The bonnet is on grandma's head. The boot is on my foot.

[airedale]

Matt,
Mine is exactly the same. I will be interested in what this post discovers.

[GermanMarque]

Seems it is a language problem; English- (your American forebearers) and Australians, understand the hood to be the bonnet and roof to be the hood.
Matts right in a european forum and just misunderstood in a US one. If you think about it if the boonet is on grandmas head, then why should the bonnet not be on the engines head? Then again the manufacturer refers to the emblem as being fitted to the "Bonnet". Win for the good guys!