rick shea
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
When I took delivery of my 2019 GT350R I noticed that the radiator support on the 19 had the same cutouts for the base of the Quik Latch QL-50 in the carbon fiber as is seen odd the GT500. The 19 GT350 also has a black decal on the underside of the hood where you would drill the hole for the top piece of the latch. I have since done a little researching and spoken with Quik Latch and Ford Performance. Indeed starting with the 2019 GT350 the carbon fiber support was changed to accommodate the QL-50 hood latch base just to the left and right of the radiator. In the same location as the factory mounted QL-50 latches standard on the GT500. It turns out Ford performance worked with Quik Latch on this product and produces the parts for Ford for the GT500 units. However the difference between the standard QL-50 and the stock units on the GT500 are two fold. The standard QL-50 is designed to be hight adjustable and does not come with the round base that fits and screws into the round cutout in the radiator mount. The GT500 latch rod is a fixed length, engineered by Ford to work with the height of the closed hood on the GT500. The top latch piece is also slightly different to match the thickness of the underside of the hood. Again for ease of installation at the factory.
The unknown is.......is the hight of the hood on the GT350 the same as the GT500 at those attachment points. Well we are going to find out. I purchased the QL-50 kit in black ( about $300) and also contact Ford to see if they sell the bases for latch for the GT500. They do sell the base separately ...but get this, the round stainless base with the fixed latch rod that fits precisely into the carbon fiber support is over $400.00 per side (just for the base and the rod not even the top part of the latch). Well I ordered those also. I can return them if I don't end up using them. Might just use them as a template to have the bases fabricated using the rod with the QL-50 kit and cut to size a stainless steel base. I am have this work done at my local shop in two weeks. I will report back;
1. if the GT500 latch base works with the GT350?
2. if not the process we go through to fit the QL-50 to the 2019 GT350R.
I know we can make it work either way and I like the location of the latches on the GT500 and believe to will look good and function the same on the GT350.
The unknown is.......is the hight of the hood on the GT350 the same as the GT500 at those attachment points. Well we are going to find out. I purchased the QL-50 kit in black ( about $300) and also contact Ford to see if they sell the bases for latch for the GT500. They do sell the base separately ...but get this, the round stainless base with the fixed latch rod that fits precisely into the carbon fiber support is over $400.00 per side (just for the base and the rod not even the top part of the latch). Well I ordered those also. I can return them if I don't end up using them. Might just use them as a template to have the bases fabricated using the rod with the QL-50 kit and cut to size a stainless steel base. I am have this work done at my local shop in two weeks. I will report back;
1. if the GT500 latch base works with the GT350?
2. if not the process we go through to fit the QL-50 to the 2019 GT350R.
I know we can make it work either way and I like the location of the latches on the GT500 and believe to will look good and function the same on the GT350.
Sponsored