SDS Photography

My '88's hood was stuck (and battery dead) and no amount of coat hanger finagling would release it. So, I had it towed to a local shop. When I went to pick it up my mechanic laughed because of how easy it was to fix. What he did was get down in the driver side footwell and pull the handle as far is it would go. Then, he grabbed the cable with a pair of pliers and pulled the cable until it released. After that he tightened up the connection at the release and now it works as good as new. I have yet to try it, but if it works it may save the lives of some metal hangers.

I am not sure if this is posted somewhere else, but I never saw it during my searching for a solution.

playsdixie

that method wouldn't work if cable broke....although you can make them yourself for next to nothing the emergency cable release kits don't cost much and are easy to install and work great....

corvetteronw

playsdixie

where's the 10% veterans discount?.....I know....

ace doesn't give it..shame on them............should have gotten it at lowes....would have only been 2 something.....

mikeb

PPPPPFFFFFFFFTTTTTTT!.


Took some 6" wire ties from work, drilled a hole in the wiper/windscreen drip tray, and looped the tie-wraps like ron's Picture.

jasonkraft

That looks great, I've got some stainless cable and crimps I use for shark fishing "new weekend project"

exitwound

If you can't get steel cable, para cord or the like will do just the same.

Its a good time to grease the release catches too.

ghoastrider1

The "tool" used for releasing the hood, cost around 20/25 bucks. Works great after you learn to use it. I had to buy one after my emergency cables broke ( poor instillation). Have now done a much better job.. its a heck of a lot easier than the "tool".

shootnstarz

I'll ask here to avoid a new thread. Is the hood supposed to "pop up" when the release is pulled? Mine just sits there and has to be pulled up from the fully closed position. The cable is adjusted right, just seems like the springs are weak.

Rick

SDS Photography

Yes, it should pop up a couple inches when released.

SpedRacr93

Wouldn't be worth the three hours it would take to find these pieces at Lowes because their hired staff is too dumb to stock items in the correct bins.

Ziggy*

You should see how they unload drywall from my truck when I deliver there....Better going to mom an pop hardware store for stainless cable and crimps.

MaxDaemon

Mine does too. I greased and worked on it for an hour or so and never got it to pop. It's my '84, and I suspect the little gas strut helpers are dead and the hood is too heavy to pop without them. I know it's a LOT harder to get my hood raised on my '84 than my '94.

http://www.zip-corvette.com/catalog/...category/7709/

playsdixie

My 85 doesn't "pop" either....also farted around with it....changed the struts but those two little struts on a 85 wouldn't help....they help closing it so it doesn't slam but little help lifting. Guessing you'd either have to change the spring or get the mid engine strut used on later model c=4's

shootnstarz

My 89 didn't have any assist boosters on it. I also haven't seen any replacement springs at any of the suppliers. Anybody know who has them?

Rick

ghoastrider1

you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.
They do have some very good staff there that know what their talking about. Trouble is, not many of them do. Look for some of the older folks. I used to be the tool "go to guy" at the local Lowes b4 I went on to better things and better paychecks.

Cliff Harris

Yes. If it doesn't then the hood studs are not centered in the hood latch holes. You need to loosen the three bolts that hold the hood studs/springs to the hood and move the plate until the stud goes into the latch hole perfectly.

The best method I've heard of (but not tried) is to put masking tape over the latch holes and then grease the stud and lower it until it just touches the masking tape and leaves a mark. That will tell you how close the studs are to the center of the latch hole.

murraybob

I made some like this a few years ago and they worked great. For my current car I got lazy and bought some pre-made ones. These can save a lot of grief for a broken cable, or just when the cables get stretched a little, especially on the passenger side which has the longest cable.

shootnstarz

Thanks Cliff, I will definitely do that. This forum is priceless.

Rick

3D87C4

When I collected my car after the engine swap the hood got stuck---the passenger side just wouldn't release. We tried to get to the latch via the wheel well, but discovered the inner fender has a couple of rivets in addition to the sheet metal screws. That's when I thought of grabbing the cable end & pulling.

Once we got it open we removed the passenger side latch. The cable for that side had a break in the housing that prevented it from working.

I installed some emergency cables like shown in previous posts & eventually had a local dealership install a new cable.