Hood Latch? (Malibu-Buick-El Camino-Monte)

[80ELCAMINOFLAKE]

I recently came up on a buick grand national turbo hood and was installing it today and it dosent close...the hood will lock onto the 78 malibu hood latch, but will stay raised in the front about 1 1/2 higer than the header panel!!

My questions is "do the buick and malibu's have different hood latches? It seems like the latch needs to lower in order for it to close correctly.. Strange huh?? To me i thought that all gbodys had the same hood latch, we i think they do.. Can anyone help me out here, I think i need to go back to the yard and get the latch i took the hood off of?? When i was at the yard, i closed the hood on the buick with no problems... Let me know..

 

[L.A.X-RATED]

for starters i dont think a REGAL hood will adapt to a MALIBU?especially yours being a 78/79 and the regal being of the newer production line of 84-87? i dont know for certain,but id say it would NOT work unless you swapped out the fenders and header (basiCALI,the whole front clip)check over on mr?

 

[80ELCAMINOFLAKE]

for starters i dont think a REGAL hood will adapt to a MALIBU?especially yours being a 78/79 and the regal being of the newer production line of 84-87? i dont know for certain,but id say it would NOT work unless you swapped out the fenders and header (basiCALI,the whole front clip)check over on mr?

Ummm good to know, but the lines up front and side and rear line up real real good.. No gaps no nothing just need the hood to close all the way down about 1 1/2...i think the hood latches are differen like u said since its a new production car..

 

[L.A.X-RATED]

check it out,and if it does NOT end up fitting hook your homie up with first dibs!!! :wink:

 

[80ELCAMINOFLAKE]

check it out,and if it does NOT end up fitting hook your homie up with first dibs!!! :wink:

Lmao!! For sure homie...

Heres a night pic so u guys can see what im talkin about:

This is what it looks like closed and locked in malibu hood latch.. It just needs just just just alittle bit to shut all the way.. Im thinking the buick hood latch is lower, same model as all gbodys but the latch might be more shallow, to give me what i need to close it all the way..

Closer view of front:

 

[80ELCAMINOFLAKE]