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I recommend using the old cable to make an "emergency" release. Tie one on each side and run them down the fire wall. If it breaks again, you can reach under to release it.
I recommend using the old cable to make an "emergency" release. Tie one on each side and run them down the fire wall. If it breaks again, you can reach under to release it.
(the blue shet is gone :-))
When what breaks again? Nothing broke, he can move the levers. It's stuck. Passenger side works, that uses all the cables. Driver's side uses only cable to handle in cockpit. Adding another cable, while great to have if the hood release cable does break, wouldn't help here. His also uses the cone into the hole type latch instead of what's pictured here.
Just to clarify the difference, the cable is mounted to the hood and goes up with the hood. The cable from the handle runs to a lever that stays in the engine compartment and moves another lever that is attached to the driver's side end of the cable that goes to the passenger side, so if the passenger side opens, as his did, the cable to the handle and the cable to the passenger side has to be good. Here's a picture of the hood cable and the cone it sits down on to catch. Both ends of the cable that stays with the hood have the levers that open the driver's side and the passenger side. In other words, the moving mechanisms that open the two sides are both on the hood instead of across the engine compartment.
If the driver side unlatches but you are CERTAIN that cable that runs between them is connected at both sides you can pull up the drivers side hood just enough to get a finger in and hook behind the driver side of the latch mechanism. Give a tug and the passenger side will open.
Since the original cable on mine was looking quite ratty, I bought a replacement. Guess what? It worked for a while but after a few operations the passenger side latch refused to operate.
Besides being longer than the original (not a terrible problem) the shields around the inner cable at both ends of the replacement did not stay attached to the retainer clips. This was a BAD problem as most of the movement of the lever just served to take up slack in the inner shield between the retainers.
Solution: I wrapped some aluminum bailing-type wire around the metal cable armor that was exposed between the retainers filling the gap between the outermost plastic shield and the retainer. Then I wrapped the wire with black tape. I tested it about 20 times and it's working perfectly.
If the driver side unlatches but you are CERTAIN that cable that runs between them is connected at both sides you can pull up the drivers side hood just enough to get a finger in and hook behind the driver side of the latch mechanism. Give a tug and the passenger side will open.
Since the original cable on mine was looking quite ratty, I bought a replacement. Guess what? It worked for a while but after a few operations the passenger side latch refused to operate.
Besides being longer than the original (not a terrible problem) the shields around the inner cable at both ends of the replacement did not stay attached to the retainer clips. This was a BAD problem as most of the movement of the lever just served to take up slack in the inner shield between the retainers.
Solution: I wrapped some aluminum bailing-type wire around the metal cable armor that was exposed between the retainers filling the gap between the outermost plastic shield and the retainer. Then I wrapped the wire with black tape. I tested it about 20 times and it's working perfectly.
Once again, the driver's side is the stuck side. The passenger side works.
If the driver side unlatches but you are CERTAIN that cable that runs between them is connected at both sides you can pull up the drivers side hood just enough to get a finger in and hook behind the driver side of the latch mechanism. Give a tug and the passenger side will open.
Since the original cable on mine was looking quite ratty, I bought a replacement. Guess what? It worked for a while but after a few operations the passenger side latch refused to operate.
Besides being longer than the original (not a terrible problem) the shields around the inner cable at both ends of the replacement did not stay attached to the retainer clips. This was a BAD problem as most of the movement of the lever just served to take up slack in the inner shield between the retainers.
Solution: I wrapped some aluminum bailing-type wire around the metal cable armor that was exposed between the retainers filling the gap between the outermost plastic shield and the retainer. Then I wrapped the wire with black tape. I tested it about 20 times and it's working perfectly.
Before bolting the hood on, I carefully inspected both cables. They are both in excellent condition- NO signs of fraying, stretching, wear, kinks, corrosion etc. I considered proactively replacing them but decided that the repro cables are probably not anywhere near the quality of the O.E. ones anyway, so why replace good cables with inferior ones? From your post, it sounds like my instinct was correct. Too many repro parts are of poor fit or construction...
By "ratty" I meant outer plastic casing in tatters near the center and lots of rust on the metal "armor". It too had difficulty releasing the passenger side lock. That's why I replaced.
Once again, the driver's side is the stuck side. The passenger side works
The (if I remember correctly) the spring is on the passenger side to pull the locks closed. If the cable is adjusted too tight then the drivers side will not open fully. If you are positive the cable is out of adjustment you can cut the cable and push the left side lock open.
If the mushroom cap is under the latch then the hood needs to move to release.
You can remove the left side dirt / dust shield (between frame and fender) and push on the hood lock mount with a broom handle. Yes
I did this on a friends car. I needed another friend to push the hood toward the drivers side as I pushed. He had the cable too tight. After cutting the cable the hood was still too far rearward.
If you know someone with a "Bora" Scope/ inspection camera they can look under the hood to check alignment of the pin / mushroom and lock. Harbor freight has one for $69 you don't need color.
I would consider cutting the mounting bolts as a last resort, but it does work.
once opened ;
Put masking tape over the locks and put nail polish on the tip of the mushrooms. lower the hood, don't lock it and check that the nail polish marks are centered on the tape / holes.
Last edited by BLUE1972; 07-07-2015 at 01:49 PM.
Reason: spell
... My issue is not that there is a broken cable, but that the hood won't pop up on the driver's side when the latch is released. Seems like the lock pin (the cone shaped part on the cowl) is hooked up somehow into the hood latch ...
I just had the same EXACT issue. What I did was lift the passenger side corner of the hood, and if you use enough force it will lift quite a bit. And since the lock pin was catching on an edge of the latch, the darn thing released and I was able to open the hood.
Hope that by now you've managed to open the hood, but if you're out of ideas, give my approach a shot. Desperate times (sometimes) call for desperate measures.
Been there done that! For sure way to get the hood open. Grind off the nuts in the wheel wells that hold the front hinges on. Takes 5 mins.Your then able to jocky the hood around so it will release.
UPDATE- hood issue is solved! After work and personal interruptions, I was finally able to get back to the stuck hood issue. After having spent much time trying every other way conceivable, I pulled out my grinder and cutting wheel and cut off the hood hinge bolts in the wheel wells, as per gjohnson's recommendation. It took me about 20-30 minutes per side and the hinges were free. A minute of wiggling the front of the hood around and the stuck latch popped free! After that it was just a matter of bolting the hinges back up and aligning the hood properly- about another hour. I used the modeling clay on the latches trick to ensure perfect alignment between the latches and cones and now the hood works better than it ever has. After I had the hood to body gaps set to satisfaction, using the modeling clay I was able to see that the driver's side lower catch (the 'cone' part) needed to be moved about 1/8" inward. Did that and now the release and closing is nice and crisp. Thank you to all who contributed ideas and experience, and especially to Gjohnson who suggested cutting off the lower hinge bolts. I should have tried his suggestion sooner...it would have saved me a lot of time and frustration!
UPDATE- hood issue is solved! After work and personal interruptions, I was finally able to get back to the stuck hood issue. After having spent much time trying every other way conceivable, I pulled out my grinder and cutting wheel and cut off the hood hinge bolts in the wheel wells, as per gjohnson's recommendation. It took me about 20-30 minutes per side and the hinges were free. A minute of wiggling the front of the hood around and the stuck latch popped free! After that it was just a matter of bolting the hinges back up and aligning the hood properly- about another hour. I used the modeling clay on the latches trick to ensure perfect alignment between the latches and cones and now the hood works better than it ever has. After I had the hood to body gaps set to satisfaction, using the modeling clay I was able to see that the driver's side lower catch (the 'cone' part) needed to be moved about 1/8" inward. Did that and now the release and closing is nice and crisp. Thank you to all who contributed ideas and experience, and especially to Gjohnson who suggested cutting off the lower hinge bolts. I should have tried his suggestion sooner...it would have saved me a lot of time and frustration!
My 82 latch would only open the drivers side a couple of inches, right side would not open. Could not pull cable enough to get right side open. Popped plug, took off right side wiper, tried a few (lot of fews) times could not get the tang to pop. Took a 10 inch small screw driver and bent the driver 2 inches down from the tip about an inch. Put on the tang and the first time the latch popped open. What I found was a broken plastic cable part broken . Hope to find a new part or new cable and fix.
Reach in with your hand into the open left side and move the tab on the hood (where the body mounted tab moves the hood latch to open) until the right side pops.
Go in through the rubber plug and push the tab - where the cable attaches to the right.
Cut a coat hanger and pull down on the cross cable under the hood until the hood pops - you may need someone to pull up on the hood. Pull on the left side if possible.
Have not done late C3's but these work on early chrome bumper cars.
Seems we've had a rash of hood latch problems lately. Before it strikes me I think I'll make the access hole on my '71 that the later C3's have. "Just in case"
07-04-2015, 10:26 AM
