Another Stuck Hood
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 494
Likes: 0
From: Leominster MA
Another Stuck Hood
Well the hood is stuck, drivers side, I can lift the passenger side a little.
I have a feeling its the pin adjustment.
There has to be an easier way to open this, forget fishing with the screw driver, i can never find that latch that way. Aside from try to get the hood hinge bolts off what else can i do?
Im ready to give up on this car!
Oh and by the way the brand new hood cable I just put in broke also, handle in hand yet again!
Someone please help. If you live close and want to come by that would be even better.
I have a feeling its the pin adjustment.
There has to be an easier way to open this, forget fishing with the screw driver, i can never find that latch that way. Aside from try to get the hood hinge bolts off what else can i do?
Im ready to give up on this car!
Oh and by the way the brand new hood cable I just put in broke also, handle in hand yet again!
Someone please help. If you live close and want to come by that would be even better.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2004
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From: Gulf of America
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Drifting
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Sherman CT
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St. Jude Donor '24-'25-'26
if its a 1972 model you are talking about, just remove the eggcrate grill form the stuck side and reach up and unlatch it 
Pro
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 694
Likes: 5
From: tx
Yes you should. If the cable released the hood but the hood is stuck on the pin you can probably reach the hinge bolts (hood-to-hinge) from the under side of the front grille. By loosening those 2 bolts the hood should move enough to get off of the edge of the pin. Done this myself. Good luck!
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,364
Likes: 103
From: Centerville Louisiana
Try having someone pull whats left of your release cable while pulling with a side to side motion thats what I did Were you making adjustments to your latches when this happened? If not you shouldn't be that far off
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 494
Likes: 0
From: Leominster MA
already tired that, nope! I think im going to have to get at that latch from the bottom and completely push the level myself or with a pry bar or something. But how to get at it.
Id rathr not try to take the hinge bolts out so if the spalsh shiel dmethod works on a 75 can someone verify.
Id rathr not try to take the hinge bolts out so if the spalsh shiel dmethod works on a 75 can someone verify.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 402
Likes: 1
From: Medford NJ
I had this happen on my '72 recently, while adjusting the hood and latches. Drivers side stuck and pass side was popping up okay. So against my better judgement, I used a small pry bar on the rear of the d/side hood while pulling on the release lever and it popped. It must have been right on the edge. After that I adjusted that hood carefully, by eyeballing where the spring latches are and making a mark on the edge of the hood so it would line up. Then I tightened the hinge bolts and held my breath. It works real smooth now.
I thought I saw someone who sells "emergency" cables for each side, which hide out of the way in the wiper area. But they were for '75? on up I believe. I wish there was something like that for '68-'72's for peace of mind.
I thought I saw someone who sells "emergency" cables for each side, which hide out of the way in the wiper area. But they were for '75? on up I believe. I wish there was something like that for '68-'72's for peace of mind.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,575
Likes: 1
From: Tuttle OK
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
It's an old cable that broke. Run it down the fire wall and you'll never see it. Easy to reach from under the car if you need to.
Yea, I took the blue shet off...
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 494
Likes: 0
From: Leominster MA
well i have a set of those cables on the way (mid america) but i still need to get this thing open. Tonight hopefully.
Im going to remove the splash shiled and see if i can reach up or use a pry bar from underneath to pop the latch somehow.
Im going to remove the splash shiled and see if i can reach up or use a pry bar from underneath to pop the latch somehow.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,023
Likes: 6
From: Austin Tx
The problem I had trying to reach up and open it by myself, is the the spring put too much tension on the mechanism to manually do it. I could feel the cable connection to the mechanism, and knew exactly where to manipulate the latch. But it wouldn't budge. I had my wife press down on the hood, while I manipulated the latch, and it moved very easily.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 494
Likes: 0
From: Leominster MA
i tried to have the wife push on the hood while i pulled the release cable but no dice.
I gonna try the splash shield method tonight and see if i can feed a rod or pry bar up there and flick it open or something.
Im about ready to crack out the saws all and buy a new hood !!! LOL kidding.
When you did this method did you trip the latch mounted on the hood itself? (female latch? )
I gonna try the splash shield method tonight and see if i can feed a rod or pry bar up there and flick it open or something.
Im about ready to crack out the saws all and buy a new hood !!! LOL kidding.
When you did this method did you trip the latch mounted on the hood itself? (female latch? )
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,590
Likes: 403
From: Nashville TN
St. Jude Donor '09
I've stuck mine a bunch of times and always managed to get popped by using holes in windshield wiper bay or by moving side to side while someone pulled release. Instead of screwdriver, I used a sturdy oak dowel cut to just the right length to give me enough leverage without marring everything too badly. You'll get it, just keep trying.
[edit] Just thought of this. I put a notch on one end of that same wood dowel and used to press the cable that connects the driver-side to the passenger-side latches. Just raise the passenger side and use dowel to push the cable . . . might be worth a shot.
Once you get it opened, put some wide masking tape or duct tape over the female latches and then ease hood over pins -- just enough to dimple the tape. Then you can lift hood and see where the center of the pin is. If the dimple is in the middle, you are good to go. If not, then just make adjustments as needed. I have not (knock on wood) stuck my hood since I have been using this procedure. Works great!!! Good luck and just keep at it.
[edit] Just thought of this. I put a notch on one end of that same wood dowel and used to press the cable that connects the driver-side to the passenger-side latches. Just raise the passenger side and use dowel to push the cable . . . might be worth a shot.
Once you get it opened, put some wide masking tape or duct tape over the female latches and then ease hood over pins -- just enough to dimple the tape. Then you can lift hood and see where the center of the pin is. If the dimple is in the middle, you are good to go. If not, then just make adjustments as needed. I have not (knock on wood) stuck my hood since I have been using this procedure. Works great!!! Good luck and just keep at it.
Last edited by redman76; May 10, 2010 at 05:16 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 494
Likes: 0
From: Leominster MA
I got it open taking the hood hinge bolts out in the fender well. Unfortunately they wouldn't turn with vise grips , so out came the roto zip and air chisel. Anyway I got it open.
Thanks for the adjustment tips, my question is what about the cross over cable how do I adjust for that?
Thanks for the adjustment tips, my question is what about the cross over cable how do I adjust for that?
Racer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 402
Likes: 1
From: Medford NJ
I'm going to do this. Great idea.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 494
Likes: 0
From: Leominster MA
Im just frustrated thats all, just last night I discovered the rear view mirror screws are frozen too. Always something. By the way I got the measurements on that balancer , pulled it, took more measurements, its fine. It was seated.