Hey there

Sorry, this is a bit long-winded but I think necessary for context, if not a story to tell.

I've got a 2012 Limited. Picked it up in 2020 with 100k with a salvaged title for a good deal. What I didn't realize at the time was that there was a micro bend in the tie bar up front from the accident that totaled the vehicle.
Previous owner's son put a 2014 hood, bumper, and lights on but it didn't fit quite right (wheel liner rubbed oversized tires on full radius turns, bumper attached with glue at seams and wire to hold it up underneath). The look and feel of the vehicle (and most importantly, price) caused me to overlook these seemingly minor details at first.

Then I realized that all the problems were focused on the front end where the accident had happened. After maybe 5k the front hood started to look cockeyed and slowly started to lift up front. I didn't want to deal with it so I kept on driving. Eventually, after a 4k mile family road trip with mostly 80+mph driving I started to get 2-4" of lift at the front of the hood. Again, I didn't want to deal with it, so I just relied on the hood latch. Terrible choice.
The hood latch is attached to a very thin piece of metal (core housing) that also surrounds the radiator.
Not 1 month later, the latch gave out and I took to securing the hood with a ratchet strap from underneath. It works but I probably could've avoided this problem had I acted earlier - always too many fires to put out it seems.

The metal has torn enough so that the latch and all the core housing must be replaced along with the latch. BUT that can't be done without replacing the front bumper, and even though I had it replaced last year - and it's coming loose again (because of the bent tie bar) - any body shop that looks at it, and is even willing to touch it, says they have to replace with a 2012 bumper. Which means that the hood and lights must be replaced, too.
Now this is getting pretty expensive for a hood latch replacement. And although this thing runs great, i've got 172k now and don't expect I'll drive it for more than another 25-30k before I look for another one.

That all said, I'm thinking about using some Jeep style exterior hood latch assemblies to secure the hood and bypass the internal hood latch.
My dad first came up with the idea of using hot rod hood pins, but those would either go into the failing core housing or require some fabricated mounts to secure adjacent to the fenders. Doesn't seem worth the cost as I won't be fabricating that myself.
So we came up with the exterior hood latches, a la Jeep.
I've looked around but can't see any examples of anyone doing this with a 4runner... maybe someone here has seen it and can reference it for me??

I've noticed that the Jeep style exterior latches are much closer to 180 degrees than the curvature of the 4runner hood-to-fender pitch is, but there are more styles of Jeep hood than I'm aware of.

Any suggestions or feedback appreciated!

in for the pics!!!!

No one does that because it is not functional and you would only be bolting to thin fender metal which will bend/rip eventually, not to mention it is cosmetically ugly and a half-assed solution. It would be no better than using ratchet straps or duct tape to hold the hood down.

Suggestion would be to spend a little to fix this the proper way. Either go back to the 2012 front or buy the proper parts to do the full conversion to the 2014+ front. No free lunch either way to fix it properly.

It's a Jeep thing, you wouldn't understand...

But slightly more seriously, as a previous owner of several Wranglers, unless you enjoy giving anyone who wants it, access to your engine bay, as well as the pleasure of watching your hood bounce up and down on the highway while you wonder just how strong those little rubber bands are that keep it all together, I'd take a hard pass...

This is an interesting idea, but like everyone else is saying, I don't think it will be worth the hassle in the end mostly just due to how the fenders would not likely be able to support that force coming from those latches.

Be like Mater, ditch the hood.

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Ah that takes me back. When I was just a lad Hot Wheels cars were a big thing. I had a little over 100 cars, a carefully curated collection accumulated over a couple of years with my allowance of $1 per week. There was an accessory called a Supercharger™ that looked like a little house. Inside were batteries and an electric motor and a pair of counter-rotating foam wheels. The car would roll into an opening on one side and the foam wheels would grab hold of it and shoot it out the other side. The Supercharger came with a car - a special car that could only be acquired by getting a supercharger. So they were coveted. The car was called the Boss Hoss. It was a chrome plated Shelby Mustang with two black racing stripes and an exposed chrome engine with no hood. And it was cool. I traded 10 of my best cars for a Boss Hoss. . .

@OP sorry I have nothing more constructive to offer but I hope you can sort it out because a hood flying off on the highway is bad news.

Perhaps the most valuable reply so far, as I would love to prove you wrong. But that doesn't matter anyway, because neither of us are spending $6k+ on a salvaged title '12 4runner with 172k just as the used car market begins its descent, imho.

I looked at some videos installing Quick Latch hood pins on a GX470 after his striker sheared off. I think with a little reinforcement at the upper core housing and this could be the way to go.

Will work on getting some pics up here for better context.

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Largely true, but Ive found there are some tightly clasping hood latches out there now (no rubber strap, just metal), including locking latches.
But without any latch or pinning at the front of the hood, I don't think two side latches would make it much, if any, better than the strap onto the striker I have now.

I bet you could source all the proper parts via ebay LKQ or junkyard and do it for way less.