Are you sure the rad isnt too high in your frame?
Pic of one of my ongoing build attempts.. its not alot of room to play with under the front bodywork …
Morten
Or just fit original Hartwell latches from an EE Lightning or a Tornado fighterjet, which are plentiful on ebay…
These Hartwells will save you a ton of work by not altering all the bodywork to fit garden gate latches.
Morten