Hi guys,

I made a big dumb mistake today! I was changing the valve cover gaskets today and finished up and went to shut the hood. It was at that exact time that I saw my flashlight still under there. Well the hood came down but didn't shut quite right. The driver's side was almost completely closed but the passenger side was up about an inch and a half (because the flashilight was obstructing the hood).The hood release wouldn't work because it had the flashlight was obstructing it. I managed to squeeze the flashlight from under the hood by pulling up on the passenger side of the hood. Now the hood is "shut" but not quite as well as it used to. And the hood release still doesn't work. I cannot get my hood open now. Any tricks? I appreciate any suggestions! What a stupid mistake!!!

Rod

 

A couple of things...first,you can very carefully pry your hood up by hand and then snag the release cable giving it a tug...that might release it...another is,open the port in firewall in your wiper bay...opposite the latch...and use a long screwdriver to push the latch open...hope you have those ports..i have two,one inway of each latch...

 

I don't see any ports. I have the shorter hood that has the windshield wiper cover up near the windsheild, not like the full one piece hood on your 1978. Where abouts were those ports again, inside (passenger compartment) or outside the firewall?

Rod

 

try the Mid America website article:

http://www.madvet.com/shop?frame=1.264.3852


Roger

 

Roger,

Thanks for the link. It does help me somewhat but it is shown on a '78. I think I have found the port on the passenger side of my 1972, but I am not sure what to look for on the driver's side. Is it the larger square 'cover plate' that is held in place by 4 1/2 inch bolts? Or is it a little round grommet like thing as on the passenger side? I cannot tell from the MidAmerica photos.

Could somebody take a picture of their driver's side release port on a 1968-72 Corvette so that I can see what it is that I am looking for? Thanks for your help, I am a bit stressed!

 

Don't feel bad, the fella I purchased my 75 from let the hood slam down by accident. It just so happened the breather bolt was a little too long.... I guess you can see where I am going with this.... I have a small diameter hole I now need to repair in my hood.

BLVette75

 

Could any '68-'72 owners snap a couple of pictures of their hood release mechanisms both on the car and on the hood, so I can get an idea of what I am aiming for to pop my hood? Pictures of the PORTS would be nice as well.

Thanks again,

Rod

 

been there, done that, and got the booby prize

i was adjusting the hood latches, didn't have the release hooked up, when i heard the dreaded 'click'. what i ended up doing was to go up from underneath the front lower openings just behind the grill with a ratchet wrench and unbolt the lower hinges at the front of the hood. once unbolted, the hood will open up from the front, get a long hook and pull the release cable. or what i had to do, unbolt the rear hinges from the firewall. took about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. but i was really pissed, it was hot out, and a lot of beer got consumed.

 

Don't feel bad. I just spent three days trying to figure out how to get my hood off. I forgot to adjust it after adding a new hood.

Since I didn't want to break the hood, I did was Sleazy did and it worked. Had to lay on my back and reach up through the car at each end of the radiator.

Since my hood was totally out of adjustment, I had to use the above procedure. If your hood was pretty much in alignment, you can remove the grill behind the driver's side wheel. From this access, you can actually see and reach the driver's side hood release. You should be able to grab the release and rotate it just as if the cable were pulling it. I tried this and was able to release the latch, but my hood was really stuck, so I had to resort to the drastic removal of the front hinges.

In my opinion, and looking at how my hood is set up (1970) I think you might damage, or at a minimum, scratch up the hood by trying to insert a rod under the hood to reach the latch. There isn't a plug on mine (this area is extended forward and holds the master brake cylinder), but there is a notch on the bottom of the hood which is in alignment with the hood release latch. You would have to pry the hood up gently with something soft (someones hands) and use a rod between the hood and the hood-surround to get this to work.

(Sorry - no pics). Good luck -

 

Z-Man,

I took your advice and removed the "egg-crate" just behind the front driver's side wheel. Then there was a ton of room to reach up and release the hood mechanism. I was lucky too, when the hood came down on the flashlight, it just shut out of position a bit. Once I popped the hood, the cable was fine and it worked great now! Thank goodness!! What a relief, and I didn't have to take it to a shop and get ripped off!!!

Thanks for all your support guys!!!

Rod

 

Now with the hood open look for both those plugs and try working them with the hood open. Its a lot easier than removing the gills.

 

Good! You can't imagine how much of a pain it is to remove the rest of those hinge bolts.