Anybody know where to buy them for a 70? I saw them years ago when I did not need one, but can`t remember where.

 

try DR rebuild

 

Hi Mn,
I'm not sure what you're referring too….the only PLASTIC plugs I can think of are in the floor of the underbody?
I thought everything in the firewall was either a grommet of some sort or the rubber carpet plugs.
Regards,
Alan

 

alan is right

 

rubber only in the firewall. next !

 

Hi,
Mako is right!
I was wrong!
Cars with wiper doors have a plastic plug in the firewall behind the right side hood release .
It was part of the system Chevrolet developed to release the hood with a rod that fit in a slot in the wiper bay grill!
ME DUMB!
After a quick look I see both ZIP and Willcox have them.
Regards,
Alan

Partially hidden by the probe.

 

The plugs weren't limited to the wiper door cars. Those holes and plugs are in the firewall of all 68-82 Corvettes.

I may be having a senior moment now, but I seem to remember that a third firewall plug was used in some years. I may be thinking of 63-67's though. Mid-years used one of those plugs to fill the clutch push rod hole, on automatic cars, but 68 up automatics have a plate screwed on over the push rod hole.

 

These are on both sides correct? But I only see it pictured once ( called out ) in my 73' AIM as GM part #3916702, for the passenger side as Alan shows above.
Thanks,
Tooch

 

Hi Tooch,
There's only one plug on my 71 also.
I guess the thinking is… if the interior hood release fails, tripping the right -side latch cycles the left-side latch too. If the cross hood cable fails the interior release trips the left-side latch, and the rod is to be used to trip the right-side latch.
Regards,
Alan

 

Hmm!
Is there another similar opening on the other side on your 71? The reason I ask is that on my 73 I have a rubber not plastic plug in that area on the driver' s side. Maybe they started using two on the 73' because of the different style hood?? Here is a pic of it. Obviously it must have been put there by a previous owner. There is definitely nothing behind it to reset
Thanks,
Tooch

 

Hi Tooch,
Based on what I'm seeing on my 71 I agree that it appears to be an owner inspired addition.
Regards,
Alan

 

I just checked 75 and 80 parts cars I have at the shop, and both have a hole on the left and the right.

 

Thanks for the info.
I'm betting it changed in 73, when the wiper door was eliminated and the hood changed. Hopefully we can hear from an original 73 owner
Tooch

 

Hi,
Since on 73+ cars you're reaching from the rear of the hood rather than through a wiper grill slot what did the tool look like? Did it's configuration have to change?
Was the drawing updated in the Service Manual or Dealer Bulletin?
???
Regards,
Alan

 

Hi Alan,

I'm not sure about that. Tripping the right side latch will not activate the left side. I think the left side "pulls the right side. the right side cannot "push" the left side. What do you think?


Joe

 

Hi Joe,
I just checked again…. on my 71 when you cycle the right-side latch the cable cycles left side too.
There's only one spring that loads the latches, but because of the way each latch's 'arm' is placed they are both loaded by the single spring.
It would have to operate both sides or Chevrolet's release tool wouldn't work.
Regards,
Alan

 

Hi Alan,

I must be suffering from fuzzy thinking, commonly associated with senior's status. I don't see how the right (passenger) side latch can operate the left. However mine is a 69. I'll check it out on the weekend and report back!


Joe

 

OK, On my 69, operating the RH latch will not release the LH. See photos...






I imagine the Chevrolet tool is needed in the event the hood cross cable breaks, so the RH latch can be released. If the underdash cable breaks then you would need to release the LH (and RH) latch from underneath or through the gills.


Joe

 

Hi j,
Honest!! I just tried it again.
On my 71 the sheathed cable is stiff enough so that moving the right side latch lever also cycles the left side latch.
That's with the hood open.
Hood Closed? I can see that it wouldn't cycle the latch closed because of the tension on the latch.
The tool's use instructions show a photo for 68-69 and one for 70-71…. different latch?
Regards,
Alan

 

Hi Alan and Joe,
With my 73 hood open, if I push the release on the left side it moves (opens) the right side also. However, when I push on the right side lever to open, it does NOT move the left side at all to release. Therefore, I'm thinking that's why there are two holes for access on the firewall starting in 73. Now, I haven't tried to open the hood manually with it closed because I'm still trying to find a photo of the correct tool for the 73 and newer application. I've read from many that they just use a long screwdriver ,but in my cautious attempt, I can't see how it's done without hitting the lower edge of the windshield which I definitely did not want to damage
Alan,
I wasn't able to find any GM Service bulletins (like you've posted) on this issue for the 73 and up. That's not to say that one doesn't exist. I did not find anything at all on it in the 73 GM Service Manual either unless I missed it somewhere. I have posed the question about the tool and the number of firewall plugs to some other C3 owners but haven't heard back yet. I did find a photo of a home-made tool on the web when I searched for the 73, but not sure for what year, or who actually came up with it to give due credit. Here is a photo of it.
One final note: Its very interesting that the hood latches posted by you and Joe are very similar to my 73 latches, but the 71 only has one firewall access hole??
Joe,does the 69 have holes with plugs on both sides of the firewall too?
Thanks,
Jimmy

PS: Boy, we've really ventured off the OP' s original question as to where to purchase the plastic plugs. Haven't we??