The protrusions from the steel tube at the leading edge of the cowl are just mild steel sheet metal formed and positioned to give the tangs on the catch mechanisms something to slide under as the handles are rotated. That design developed early in the CSX24xx chassis run of Cobras and continued to all following chassis from AC.
The handles used by AC just had the chrome plated L shaped casting on the square steel shaft.
This a shot of the "Shelby" latches from a CSX209x car. The later Wilmot Breeden supplied handles are not the same of course and all the pieces are different but the same type anti-rattle spring arrangement was used. (The split keys are similar to the original type but not exact. They are just there in this image to hold everything in place.)
