gator79

if your hood release cable would break on a C4 how would you get the hood open? there are access holes on my C3. is there any on a C4?

vinnies87

no access holes to speak of... there is a tool that you can make that you go in from under the hood at the windshield/door and push the latch... if you do a search "hood release" or "hood release tool" i bet you'll find the posts that go over this in great detail w/pics

Da Mail Man

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...post1555002744

.....a good mod to do....

86PACER

In addition to what has already been said, you can raise the front of the car off the ground and remove the wheel(s). Then unbolt the inner fender well on what ever side is stuck. Now you can reach into the engine compartment and pull the hood latch open to release the hood.

runner140*

Before and maby not if, that happens to you, the fix is real cheap.
Get two zip ties-----18" long and tie each one to the lever that the cable pulls on and run it thru and under the cowl/wiper blade area.

If the cable brakes, just pull the hidden zip ties.

Da Mail Man

....the only problem with zip ties is that over time, temp, weather, the ties could become brittle and break leaving the "installer" no farther ahead then when he started....

runner140*

Your right. I replace them once a year. Its a three minute job @ .10 cents.

65Z01

When I received my '88 one side would not release and I had to get that tool from MAM to open the hood. Indeed it took while not being familiar with the hood latch mechanism at the time.

There are some good ideas here, nice...

Da Mail Man

...agreed as to cost and ease but, for me, i'd rather do it just 1 time....

93*Corvette

I had to use a Sawzall, it cost $15 to fix after I got it open to replace the hood pin. I wish I had did the mods these guys are talking about.
Read the below llink and they talk about taking the wheel well out to gain access...

Look at http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1420947

pacat

My hood would not release. It took about an hour to get it open, using screwdrivers, a 1/8” rod, and a few other tools reaching in from the wiper area. After all that work to get it open I inspected the 2 cables in the engine compartment and the hood latch, everything checked out ok. The problem was the hood release handle inside the car. The handle is made of plastic and will break where the cables attach. I ordered a new handle from Corvette Central for $25 and replaced. It would have saved me a lot of trouble if I would have checked the handle first; all I would have needed to do is grab each one of the cables inside the car with pliers or vice grips and pull. After this experience I learned that this is very common problem with the handle breaking and should be the first thing to check if you can’t get your hood open.

Billy Stargazer

To each his own I guess. The zip ties are the best and easiest insurance in my opinion. I test mine every so often and they have not failed me yet.

Da Mail Man

....i agree...however, in between "tests" if the tie(s) breaks, you would be back to where you started and that is without access. using a wire threaded through vacuum tubing as i stated in my posted link, will prevent weathering, rust of the wire, and is many times stronger then a zip tie. and agian, as you say, "to each his own"...

CREWZIN

Made mine from some thin cable, one on each side. The cable runs down and ends with a pull ring that hangs just out of sight from looking under the car. Hopefully, if the OEM cable snaps, i'll be able to get under and pull the lever open with a good tug on the pull ring.

chevy406

Thank you guys so much for posting these hints / methods for opening a stuck hood. I was all ready to install my new throttle body today, but I couldn't get the stinking hood to open. After pulling on the cable and hood for 20 minutes, I hit the forum and there was the answer. I pulled the right front tire off, removed the inner fender, hooked the hood release cable with a coat hanger, and pulled. The reason it wasn't working was because the cable came out of the groove. Well, anyway now I have cable ties installed for the next time.

By the way, I found a missing ½" socket in that fender well...

A couple hours later the new throttle body is on, linkage modified, and running well.

1bdvet

I Use A Coat Hanger, Bent It Slipped It In 30 Sec Had The Right Latch Release. I Don't Think I Could That Again! I Was Lucky!

Poncho C4

What I did on my 84 was to put a thin steel cable to the
latch looped it then cinched it on one side, ran the other
side all the way to where the wind shield wipers come
to rest made a loop also cinched it and the cable rests
below the wipers!!! in an emergency I pull the cable on
each side and up comes the hood.

p.s.... Make sure you put one cable on each side!!!
here's a pic as you can see I made a small hole through
the plastic shield.

Da Mail Man

.........see post #3....

GIJoe

Thats what I am stuck with doing. Some dumbazz broke my hood release handle when he was test driving it back when i was cosidering selling it. Now I keep a pair of pliers in the arm rest and can only open the hood this way.

I like the pic where the guy tied some thin cable to his release and let it sit in the wiper area (fancier than the zipties, which I may do when I get home for the time being, awesome idea!)

*sigh*
Another poor GM design

Da Mail Man

...that was me, however, if you do it my way (not that my way is the best), don't forget to slip the picture wire l(ike i used in my application) in some tubing/vacuum hose to keep it weatherproof and easy to pull by hand w/out tools.