Need advice on a EBay purchased challenger hood latch

[Jsand73440]

I bought a Dyancorn hood latch and bracket off of eBay, at the time i could not find an original used. I was able to get the brace/brackets to fit with a little massaging, but i can not get the latch assembly to work. I have twisted, adjusted and tweaked every which way i can. It just  latch into it. Almost feels like it is coming up against something solid.
Any ideas?
I likely will start looking for a used set up again, if i cant get this to work out.
1970 Challenger

[anlauto]

Are you saying that you can't latch it closed manually, I mean without using the hood ? just with your hand, push the lever over until it locks shut ?

[moparroy]

picture might tell a thousand words on this one

[Jsand73440]

Yes. I can push down on the hood but the latch wont grab. I have run the hood bumpers all the way down, thinking they were keeping the hood to high. I can put the latch in a vice and operate it pushing into it with a screwdriver. Are their different styles and sizes of the hood loop or whatever it is called? It looks like the correct one and it bolts correctly to the hood.

I will try and get some pictures of my set up

[jimynick]

So, to be clear, you're saying you CAN trip the latch using a screwdriver as a surrogate striker? If you can, then you might have to lower the latch until the striker can go low enough to properly position the hood. On my own oem latch/striker I had to elongate the latch mounting holes to get enough down movement. Just my 

[B5fourspeed]

Are you using the pop up spring?

[anlauto]

Have you tried adjusting the latch to the highest position, so it will catch the hood ? Maybe have to elongate the holes as mentioned.

[Jsand73440]

I took the pop up spring off in order to get less resistance. I have elongated holes. I hung the latch onto the latch hook and lowered hood into place. I can see the holes, and they line up. But when i try to get the hood to close and latch, it wont do it. I'm beyond figuring this dang thing out. I think i will look for a used oem brace and latch.

[B5fourspeed]

If you get the hood to close you need the pop up spring in place or the latch will not release.The spring adds resistance so the catch on the hood will put pressure on the latch so it can release.

[anlauto]

  very good point

[jimynick]

So, no matter what you do, the latch, even when tripped by a screwdriver, won't lock? If so, then, as you mention, I'd be looking for a different latch. Where are you?

[Jsand73440]

I tried with the spring also, and i still could not get it to latch. I had to grove the slots so much as well that it looked pretty cheesy. I think some of the problems is the aftermarket $30 dollar special grill support/latch tray. I don't believe the dimensions are correct, as i had to really lift and pull other areas to get attached.
No worries, i jumped on EBay and found a period correct used support as well as a latch. Should be arriving later this week.

[jimynick]

Good to hear you've sourced your parts. I'm in Canada, near? Toronto and I have those parts, but they're a long ways from Indiana! 

[Jsand73440]

I received the used oem latch today, i put it on, adjusted it and a few seconds later the darn thing worked perfectly. 
I may have screwed up though, i think it is for a Barracuda. Latch is perfect, but the handle is on the bottom of the latch, rather than the top.
It likely wont fit with the 70 challenger grill will it? My guess is that you cant even get your hand to it.