When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I have a ‘68. My passenger side hood pin is not opening when I pull the hood latch. Only my driver side is unlatching. Any suggestions on how to unlock that latch?
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
if you can jack up the car, another way is to reach up on the passenger side along the exhaust manifold and undo the pin from underneath or try and release the the latch...I've done both from underneath but its a job....hopefully going though the wiper vent works.....Just take the vent out and if you have that hole there you may be able to get the rod to push on the latch....My 68 passenger side always pops loose while driving so the first time it stuck I just kept pushing on the side and it popped on its own...or try driving across uneven railroad tracks or a pothole filled road..I can never get that side to stay when I want it to
when you get it open, if its an alignment issue Willcox makes and alignment tool or you can make one out of wood
Last edited by Rescue Rogers; Aug 2, 2020 at 08:58 AM.
Thank you, I’m going to try going through the vent today and see if I can get lucky. I do have a lift in my garage so that would be the next option. Once I get it open I can figure out what went wrong. The hard part comes first!!
Thanks for everyone’s help so far. This is like looking for a needle in a haystack with your eye’s closed. Does anyone have a picture of where exactly is the place where I need to get leverage on to trip the latch. I should have taken a picture before i started! I’m fishing around but worried I’ll put pressure on the wrong thing and make this worse. Thanks
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Originally Posted by HDRIDER957
Thanks for everyone’s help so far. This is like looking for a needle in a haystack with your eye’s closed. Does anyone have a picture of where exactly is the place where I need to get leverage on to trip the latch. I should have taken a picture before i started! I’m fishing around but worried I’ll put pressure on the wrong thing and make this worse. Thanks
Hold on I'll go take some, that pic is not a 68 latch
Last edited by Rescue Rogers; Aug 2, 2020 at 05:19 PM.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
You can do it with a 6 inch haft screw driver on a 68...I added some measurements for anyone else with a, Quote Undesirable 68, end quote...from another thread by a clown General placement of the hole..I'll add tape for reference Mark's .
Center of tape is center of the hole .
about 2 5/8 to the center
about 2 inches so you'll be angling up
Center of tape is center of the hole
so you need to angle up adn to the right with the flat edge of the blade vertical and would maybe need someone to press slightly down on the hood to relieve pressure on the lever
How far it has to move Its about half to 3/4 inch so your prying a good bit so dont pry against the firewall, its less than an 1/8th inch thick
Last edited by Rescue Rogers; Aug 2, 2020 at 05:23 PM.
Hi all, so far still not unlocked!! I’m getting closer! The pictures were a huge help so I could get my bearings on where the latch is. So far I’ve removed the spring so I wouldn’t have any tension on the latch. I sprayed some WD40 and let sit for awhile. I put up on the lift and was able to use a 32” screwdriver, yes 32” and was able to reach the backside of the latch where the spring connects. I was able to move it back and forth freely. I can now reach in the hole in the firewall and move the latch back and forth. But still not able to disengage the latch off the pin.
I’ll be back at it tomorrow!!
Thanks everyone for your suggestions, pictures and all the help!
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
then its an alignment issue. Just get a small socket wrench and reach up and loosen the nuts that hold the post to the firewall. I think its a half inch nut, maybe 7/16 you should be able to get both of them they are towards the center of the car
Hi all, I still haven’t had success. I need longer arms!!! With the headers and side pipes in the way, I’m losing a little reach and was only able to get the front bolt loose. I may have to take the pipes off to be able to reach up far enough. This is becoming an ordeal!!
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Yes it is a hassle but you have a great bonding opportunity with your corvette. Think of how much closer you two will be and all the stories you'll be able to tell together at the camp fires......ya thats bull crap. its just a hassle but you'll be super happy when you get that hood open!!! Any other chore will be easy. I wonder if you just get the header loose and the exhaust loose you can push them towards the motor enough to squeeze up there....
This is for sure bonding! In a way I didn’t plan on!!
I’ll try that first. I may try and enlist some help from a friend. I can only reach up with my right arm. My left arm is shot! Need shoulder replacement so I can’t stretch it up that high. Maybe with a left arm it has a little better angle reaching over! Maybe someone from the NBA who has some free time!
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Dude... Really...NBA...Be more realistic, find a college basketball allstar, they arent going back anytime soon and would need the cash or the beer..Offer a twelve pack and a couple of burritos from Taco Bell..They'll be all over it..LOL
When you finally get it open I would suggest you might want to consider a secondary release cable. I once bought a '75 convertible from a guy that had added a wire loop around the latch release on each side. He told me after going through the same thing you are he wanted an easier backup to release the latch if it ever happened again. Unfortunatly I no longer own the car or I would send you a photo. Very simple but effective solution.
From: Loud, Raw and Dangerous 1968 327 4S in Southern California
Sometimes my car needs a little help also. If the cable is not broken this might work. Have a friend push down on the hood above the passenger latch. Then pull the inside hood release lever and hold. Then have the friend pull up on the hood on the passenger side. Good Luck!
Hi HDRider, some really helpful members on this forum. Rescue and others always go the extra mile helping others. Here is a tool that will help you with this, and other items. I bought one over a year ago and have used it for: a stuck hood latch on the passenger side (made it so I could clearly see what to do), looking at stuff behind the dash and the crazy nuts they put on the gauge/center console, inspect cylinders thru spark plug holes, etc. One of the best tools I've ever purchased. I don't need it often but, when I do need it, it's priceless.
Hopper12, thank you. I can totally agree on the value of using this camera. I’m ordering one right now. I have a lot of restoration to do over the next year and I can already think about the areas I could use this.
1968 - Hood lock jammed
