C3 broken hood release cable
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: holiday florida
C3 broken hood release cable
I have a mint '79 C3. Although my hood release cable works perfectly, it is, however,almost 30 years old, and I've been obsessed with the idea that it might break. I've made emergency lanyards with 80-lb test fishing line that I've attatched to the bellcranks on the release mechanism and I open the hood using these,then store them in the wiper compartment. I noticed today that there were rubber plugs in the firewall directly in front of each release mechanism. Are these plugs for the sole purpose of manually releasing the hood mechanisms with some kind of tool or something,or are they there for another reason. I am only asking this because of the earlier post about how to open stuck C3 hoods,and was wondering why nobody mentioned these rubber plugs.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 876
Likes: 0
From: Canastota Ny
yes they are atleast thats what i think anyways. you can snake a screwdriver in there to click the lever. you have to practice at it but thats how its done. there are alot of threads that mention these but usually in between. and again the guys sometimes just go from underneither or at worst case pull up on one side of the hood and try to reach in. concerned about your cables replace them before its too late and keep the emergency ones hooked up.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: holiday florida
Yea,I figured that's what they were for,but I wasn't sure 'cause nobody mentioned them in the last "broken hood cable" post from a few eeks ago. The local Vette accessory shop here is holding a complete set of replacement cables and hardware for me,and I definately am gonna replace them so I can sleep at night (between quick trips to the garage for a peek!) Thanks.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Yea,I figured that's what they were for,but I wasn't sure 'cause nobody mentioned them in the last "broken hood cable" post from a few eeks ago. The local Vette accessory shop here is holding a complete set of replacement cables and hardware for me,and I definately am gonna replace them so I can sleep at night (between quick trips to the garage for a peek!) Thanks.
The reason they weren't mentioned is because they were not even there until '77. The last 'broken cable' thread was a pre-'77 car that had a different hood latch and cable system.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Hmm...it might have more to do with the wiper door then, and not the latch system change in '77. Maybe when C3s started getting long hoods they started getting the plugs.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 945
Likes: 1
Yea,I figured that's what they were for,but I wasn't sure 'cause nobody mentioned them in the last "broken hood cable" post from a few eeks ago. The local Vette accessory shop here is holding a complete set of replacement cables and hardware for me,and I definately am gonna replace them so I can sleep at night (between quick trips to the garage for a peek!) Thanks.
I, (or my wife actually) found a stainless steel braided wire hanging plant holder that fits the bill exactly. It has a preformed loop swedged with an aluminum swedge and the swedge is covered with a clear rubber cover. I haven't installed it yet but it's very cheap and works as good or better than those expensive cables sold by specialty shops. Braided wire is better than solid wire because the solid wire gets brittle from work hardening and breaks easier over time (like bending a paperclip over and over, fatigue failure).
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
I, (or my wife actually) found a stainless steel braided wire hanging plant holder that fits the bill exactly. It has a preformed loop swedged with an aluminum swedge and the swedge is covered with a clear rubber cover. I haven't installed it yet but it's very cheap and works as good or better than those expensive cables sold by specialty shops.
Do you know where you found it?
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,060
Likes: 46
From: winter haven florida
St. Jude Donor '12
you may be correct on the long hood idea. i cant remember if my 71 had a plug in it or not. the wiper door would prevent access in most cases but my wiper door was never working right. it could be pulled up by hand but dont know if that was the case on all of them.
