Check out these hood latches on the J8 looks easy enough to do.
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff70/joekerrie/Stuff/0808_4wd_03_zjeep_wrangler_unlimite.jpg

Easy enough, and you could choose how stiff you want them by trial-and-erroring different springs. One downside though, is rust. (not necessarily in Texas, but other places for sure....and polyurethane doesn't rust)

Yep, the rust and the spring will lose tension quicker.