Oh, I agree wholeheartedly. I would want it fixed too and fixed right. I am just at a loss as to how it got the way it is. I have just never seen one of these parts missing. All I can think of is someone took it off for some reason.
The guy I bought it from was a real jury-rigger and owned a water hauling delivery business. He could keep everything running somehow. The front of the hood has a small wrinkle so he may have just taken that striker off because it was sticking. No biggie.