Hartwell Latches Part Numbers

[rekab69]

Hi,

Does anyone have a part number for Hartwell latches used to secure the front and rear bodywork..??

Thanks in advance

David

[Gregg]

Dave, I have them but am away at the moment. I will email you in upon my return. I am also looking for a set.

[Tony Hunt]

Gregg,
Please let me know the numbers too.

[Gregg]

Tony & Dave, I have the info but having difficulty with the new software. If you guys could email me privately I will try and send the info to you that way. I looked up your email addresses in your display preferences but was advised that I couldn't send a private email and that I should contact the administrator. Sorry for the delay.

[Tony Hunt]

Originally Posted by Gregg

Tony & Dave, I have the info but having difficulty with the new software. If you guys could email me privately I will try and send the info to you that way. I looked up your email addresses in your display preferences but was advised that I couldn't send a private email and that I should contact the administrator. Sorry for the delay.

Gregg,
Having problems with the software - your e-mail and mailbox aren't receiving messages.
I have set my profile to receive e-mails, so would you please e-mail me?

[John Ross]

I have enabled my email to receive, could you please send me the info. Also where do you order from.

Thanks,

[Bill D]

I could use the info too.

Thanks
Bill D

[Mark Charlton]

Maybe I'm missing the obvious here, but isn't part of the idea of this forum to SHARE information? Is there some reason why the part number could not be posted here so that everyone could have the information? It would help future users who will need these latches but don't yet know they do...

[JCoop]

Yeah! Out with it, now.

[Gregg]

Gentlemen, I will try and post the info tonight.

Mark, I agree that the idea of the forum is to "SHARE" information, however everyone registered is not so inclined to. I can tell you that it took me several YEARS of asking orignal owners and searching to obtain the part numbers. In fact, I only obtained the part numbers after I purchased an original set. Things got tight and the project slowed so I regretfully sold the set of latches that I had. I wish I never did. I know if you search the archives, you can confirm same. You should also come across a post from another forum member who advised that the latches were not made by Hartwell but he refused to advise who the "true" manufacturer was. I can further attest that some of the owners of the original cars denied that they even owned the cars. I guess Ronnie Spain must have interviewed some other "owner" of said vehicle. Others wanted to know what I was going to do for them if they helped me. With that said, if a forum member is successful in locating some latches, it would be appreciated if they would keep me in mind for a set.

As an aside, you will not be able to call anyone to order the latches. I spoke with Hartwell and if memory serves me correctly, they advised that you needed to be in the government to order the latches and that they were very expensive to start a new run. There was a minimum as well.

Edit: You try and do something good and you have a guy from New York (Ray) making demands. Damn New Yorkers. How rude. I guess I will take the secret numbers to the grave with me. Unless Ray wants to come by with a meatball sub and give me a ride in his 40.

[JCoop]

Gregg, funny, I just had a meatball sub for lunch and still have acid reflux from it. Hey, what kinda NewYoker are ya, can't appreciate the sarcasm, eh?
Er, my wife wants to move out of New York because of demanding, pushy bastids like me. : )

When I parked next to 1058 at Captree, I swore to try and get my lowly CAV up to those standards. The hardware on my car looked like sh!t next to the real stuff.

Parked next to GT40P1058

I stopped by Bill Ostrouer's place in Freeport and inspected the Superformance GT once again, and let me just say that the latches they've produced looked pretty darn close to the real McCoy. And he said they'll probably sell me a set.

So c'mon, out with it!

[Mitch D]

Jeez, this has to be one of the most common things discussed on this forum. It seems everyone with every type of replica thinks they must have these damn aircraft latches. Here's the thread from years ago when what's his name sold his set. Take a close look at the pics - maybe you can make out the part numbers - and witness the inspection stamp!

Hartwell latches for sale

For the millionth time, they are god damned expensive since they are aircraft spec parts (and military qualified too)! Hasn't anyone else worked in aerospace?!? Everthing costs big time due to incredibly tight specs, ridiculous amounts of inspection, and relentless qualifying if there are people on board! These are not $2000 toilet seats like some chuckleheads like to think. These damn things will probably hold unreal weight under unreal conditions.

I wonder how long before someone else asks - where can I get those hartwell latches and how much do they cost?

Sorry for the rant - just weary of this subject. It's right up there with what are the paint codes for gulf colors (light blue, marigold, and dark blue - the dividing stripe is supposed to be dark blue - not black)

[Mitch D]

After looking at the pic of these allegedly original type parts, I conclude that they are not the same. On the part of the assembly that attaches to the clamshell, these have a flange on the left and right with two holes each. It's not possible to mount these unless you want to put some holes through your body work. Take a look at the exploded view sketch on the ERA website

http://www.erareplicas.com/gt/body.htm

Scroll down till you see the sketch of the latches. Notice how the part that attaches to the clamshell does not have a flange? Rather, there are bolts coming out of the back of the piece - and these go through the body unseen.

The parts in the picture would require machining to work properly, but no doubt this could be done without too much difficulty as the parts are aluminum.

Edited by Mitch - I see in the original thread with the pic that the original poster concedes they are not exactly as original, but will require machining to suit.
MD

[Gregg]

Ray, sorry to hear about the acid reflux. Pick my sub up from a different pizzeria as I am not interested in that. Better still, swing by in the forty and I'll pick the place. This way I am not taking my chances. Let me know the next time you are going to Ostrower or H.R.E. If I can, I will meet you over there. As far as your wife is concerned, do I say she is right or ask you why are you stopping her? You decide upon your mood. (similing icon would go well here Ron)

Mitch, Why all the hostility?? Please don't turn into the new Oliver.
As far as the latches I sold, they are the closest you will get to the original. Yes the side tabs have to be machined off and new mounting holes drilled. The base is also different. Outward appearance is a dead ringer and the aluminum is military spec. The gentlemen who purchased same is putting them on his ORIGINAL numbered car. I was advised that the ERA latches are made from pot metal and hence no where near as strong. Albeit they must be strong enough as they are on the ERA cars.

On to the part numbers:

Male catch: RayMaraIwantmysub
from a good pizzeria

Female catch: Mitchrelaxalittle
yourheartwillthankyou

Sorry guys, I couldn't resist.

Male latch: 83014/H3095 15
Y145

Female latch: 83014/H3009 11
341A58 100820

From memory, 83014 was the Hartwell cage code. I believe the H numbers are the true part numbers.

Anyone here with military connections who thinks they might be able to get some from surplus, please contact me. Thanks guys and good luck.

[Mitch D]

No worries, Gregg. I was just "venting" a bit and NOT trying to be OLIVER-esque. Actually, by constanly relieving pressure over such matters, my heart and blood pressure seem to be better off since I never hold anything in! Maybe what frustrated me at the time of my post was my inability to search efficiently. Am I the only one that has had some trouble doing searches on the new forum? Everything else seems to be working so it's probably just a matter of me getting used to the new look and feel.

As for those latches, it seems to me that someone in CA or AZ (USA) should have local access to some sort of aircraft/military 'recycle yards'. I bet with some sweat equity, someone would be able to find a bunch of them. I also heard that ERA replicas were cast zinc (or zinc alloy) so I agree that strength would not be the same as the originals.

And come on, Gregg, you have to admit, questions about these latches have come up so many times. I'm just curious why many folks seem so bent on having them when there are so many other things on which a GT40 replica owner could spend his time and money. Now I don't have a replica (thanks to RF) but it seems to me that I'd be spending time on chassis, suspension, engine, gearbox, wheels, brakes, tires, interior, and let's not forget driver training before I worried about these latches. Unless everything else is already very close to original specs, I'd think spending a bunch on these is like a fat lady getting a fancy pedicure.

MD

[JCoop]

Forget those latches! I like fat ladies with fancy pedicures.

[Mitch D]

Ha ha!

Also - I'm horrified, my last post was OLIVER-esque. I spelled it "releaving" instead of "relieving". Doh!!!