But, instead of using JTR's hood latch mod, I'm taking a tip from Henry Costanzo (Georgia Z Club), and I've relocated the stock hood latch bracket over the drivers side (left) valve cover:
I drilled out the 8 spot welds (Eastwood Co. has a good tool for that) that hold the stock bracket to the firewall. I moved it over 6-1/2". There is 1-3/8" between the Tach/Batt "bump" on the HEI distributor and the bracket on my car. I used bolts in the old spot weld holes on the bracket to hold it to the firewall.
Of course, you have to move the male part of the latch on the hood over a like amount and align it. That was a pain. I first mounted the bracket to the firewall (loosely), inserted the loose male part of the latch into the firewall latch. I installed the hood and tried to line it up as best I could, and then slowly brought it down until it touched the male latch part. I carefully marked the hood as to where the bolts for the male part of the latch would go.
Then I drilled out the areas that I had marked on the hood and welded in some nuts so they were flush with the sheetmetal on the under side of the hood.
The area where the latch rests on the hood is not flat, so I had to make up a shim that was effectively a wedge to hold the latch at the right attitude to engage with the firewall mounted portion.
I also had to align the hood so that the passenger (right) side touched the bumper about 1/4" before the driver side bumper hit. (After they were adjusted to the correct height relative to the fenders. This keeps the passenger side of the hood from flopping around (I hope).
After the latch was adjusted (using the nut and screwdriver slot in
the male part), I tightened the firewall bracket.
