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Once again the 68 is different than the other C3's. I am looking at installing a backup hood release. There are 2 different failures, one is if the cable breaks from the handle to the left side release, the other is if the cable on the hood between the 2 latches breaks. What have the 68 owners done?
I am sorry but there is a difference on my 68. The release functions are on the hood itself. The wire from the left to the right release is on the hood. There isn't a hole on the left side from the wiper door to the latch.
Yep,,, The 68's are different. This is a pic of the pax,,,, right side latch. There is nothing to hook a wire to. There is a hole in the fire wall covered with a rubber plug. This side you can get a screw driver through the hole to unlatch this side. The other side I think you can run a wire straight down to the underside of the car that can be reached. Has anybody done this?
My apologies, my November 69 is the same, the passenger side release is accomplished by the cable on the hood connected to the driver's side. Those emergency cables wont work on mine either.
You can lay on your back and reach up to toggle the driver's side release that, because of the cable, releases the passenger's side also. This is 68. Can you see the fingers of my left hand?. (The driver's side door is open, hence the gap.) To get your hand in here you have to remove a triangular dust shield that's attached to the body and the inner wheel fender. It's very easy to take off and re-install.....4 bolts I think. Same for the 69.
If you have a 70 - 72, you're better off. Remove the egg crate louver grill and stick you hand up there to toggle the driver's side female latch lever. With the louver grill removed, it's easier to get your hand in the right place with the 70 - 72.
Whenever I'm re-installing a hood and fussing around getting it aligned, I tie a plastic coated wire on the driver's side hood female latch lever. When I close the hood, I leave the wire dangling out so I can pull it to release the hood if the hood release handle doesn't work. Works fine. I guess you could just tuck this wire up under the wiper door and hide it so you'd never have to remove it and have an easy second way to release the hood.
Last edited by 68/70Vette; Oct 20, 2020 at 12:12 AM.
Here's my 68 hood, notice the V in it? It lines up in front of the latch.
If the handle cable snaps , remove the grille along the hood and slide a long thin screwdriver down there to push that tab and pop the hood open, (providing the other cable is ok)
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
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Again, please, for the folks that dont have a 68 or experience with the intricacies of the 68 please refrain from saying that it has to be a certain way because your seventy something has the issue solved so it has to be this way.
.I tried a few different designs. Temporarily I have a piece of heavy twine/ string attached to the actuator lever that the pull cable is attached to running through a hole in the firewall and hidden under the carpet . I just havent had the time to order some cable and housing
From my experimenting the best solution is to run a bicycle style brake line and housing down the length of the hood so the pull end would be hanging down into the incoming air scoop holes. The other end would be connected to the latch. You could do the same on the passenger side.
My early 68 has a hole in the wiper tray for the passenger side latch but no hole on the drivers side. And I have an aftermarket L88 hood which doesn't have the alignment v notch unfortunately
Also my passenger side latch doesn't have that big tab to easily push on it
Last edited by Rescue Rogers; Oct 20, 2020 at 08:33 AM.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
When I finally get my system installed I'll do a thread on it. In my pick I could enlarge the hole with the spring in it and run the cable to the front
Last edited by Rescue Rogers; Oct 20, 2020 at 08:38 AM.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Originally Posted by 68/70Vette
You can lay on your back and reach up to toggle the driver's side release that, because of the cable, releases the passenger's side also. This is 68. Can you see the fingers of my left hand?. (The driver's side door is open, hence the gap.) To get your hand in here you have to remove a triangular dust shield that's attached to the body and the inner wheel fender. It's very easy to take off and re-install.....4 bolts I think. Same for the 69.
If you have a 70 - 72, you're better off. Remove the egg crate louver grill and stick you hand up there to toggle the driver's side female latch lever. With the louver grill removed, it's easier to get your hand in the right place with the 70 - 72.
Whenever I'm re-installing a hood and fussing around getting it aligned, I tie a plastic coated wire on the driver's side hood female latch lever. When I close the hood, I leave the wire dangling out so I can pull it to release the hood if the hood release handle doesn't work. Works fine. I guess you could just tuck this wire up under the wiper door and hide it so you'd never have to remove it and have an easy second way to release the hood.
I tried running a cable down to the gills but it doesn't pull the grease in the correct direction easily. Do you have a power booster for power brakes? Between that and the vacuum tank suitcase I can't really reach up there easily
Last edited by Rescue Rogers; Oct 20, 2020 at 08:44 AM.
I am thinking, attach a fine cable to the same place the original hood release cable is connected to and let it hang down next to the frame. It should be easy to reach in case of a failure. Maybe attach it some how so it doesn't move. The other method,,,, fish the fine wire from the driver side foot well through the same rubber plug as the original, put a loop on the end and tie wrap it to the original hood release, waiting for the failure.
Any ideas where to get a real fine coated cable?
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Originally Posted by kodpkd
I am thinking, attach a fine cable to the same place the original hood release cable is connected to and let it hang down next to the frame. It should be easy to reach in case of a failure. Maybe attach it some how so it doesn't move. The other method,,,, fish the fine wire from the driver side foot well through the same rubber plug as the original, put a loop on the end and tie wrap it to the original hood release, waiting for the failure.
I tried both on mine. The hanging down one doesnt work because of the hole location not providing enough throw during a pull. I have the second method Using a string but drilled a second hole. I tried it a few times but I dont like the friction and power needed to pull it
I guess GM thought about this issue for both latches. Just remove the wiper grill. The right side has access through the rubber plug, the left side has a V notch that you can push a small screw driver past the rubber hood seal to hit the release. Who knew! I can see now why a wire pulling straight down on the release wouldn't work. I still think I might hook a wire to the release and fish it where the original wire goes.
I tried running a cable down to the gills but it doesn't pull the grease in the correct direction easily. Do you have a power booster for power brakes? Between that and the vacuum tank suitcase I can't really reach up there easily
Yes I have a PB vacuum canister on the 68. Yes, it was hard for me to find the release lever with my fingers....took a lot of blind pushing and flaying but I finally tripped the lever.
$5 fix. Picture wire and aluminum stop. I squished the round disk with a vise grip. I'm going to fish this wire where the original hood pull wire goes as a back up.
1968 emergency hood release.
