billschroeder5842

Hey all , It kills me to see guys who have their hood lock up on them and are unable to get them open. Lots of anxiety over special tools, removing inner fender well, cutting (!!!!????) or taking i to a repair place for hundreds of dollars.

The preventative maintenance fix is pretty simple, very inexpensive (less than 10) and will take about 45 minutes max. No, real instructions needed, but this picture is worth a thousand (very) angry words.

If you have not done this PM, I strongly encourage you.

Tom400CFI

Great tip!

Also....grease your darn hood latches once a year or so. When you do, you can release the hood with your pinky....which means you should never actually break a hood cable. :Thumbs:

B17Crew

I’ve had my 96 for almost 21 years now. I added the exact same emergency hood release on my car this summer. I’m a proponent of preventative maintenance, I began to think it’s only a matter of time before the dreaded unable to open C4 hood sneaks up on me and bites me in the backside. Ha! With the release cables, it won’t now!

B17Crew

B17Crew

Not as good of a value as what the OP was able to do it for, but here is a link to a similar kit:
https://www.mamotorworks.com/Corvett...cable-604802-1

B17Crew

cdm747

As mentioned in numerous posts. Two stainless steel fishing leaders. You can even find them in black which makes them very stealthy.

Wayne88

I posted this photo from my '88 in 2005, after I figured out the best way to avoid getting locked out the engine bay.
I included instructions, and what was needed from Home Depot [about $3 worth for cable and crimps].
Everyone thanked me, and the Corvette suppliers took it and made some money off of it.

NoTyme

Ya, when I did mine I made the cable loop on the inside too large. Live and learn I guess. The ones you show in the photo... did you get them made? Elecklers?

gsmith329

I have a different problem. My cable releases the hood but it won't pop up. so i use right hand to pull hood release, and left to lift the hood. ??

billschroeder5842

This is a combo lubrication and alignment (striker and spring) issue. You make have to loosen some bolts and move things around.

CA1992C4

belairbrian

I guess I took the easy was out. Went and got some black deep sea fishing leaders.

RetroGuy

That's a great preventative engine hood lock-out device! I would only be worried about some idiot finding it and opening my hood.

Sprongs

Best advice from Tom400CFI:
"Also....grease your darn hood latches once a year or so. When you do, you can release the hood with your pinky....which means you should never actually break a hood cable." Had done this a couple of years ago but forgot. Glad for the reminder.
Thanks

NoTyme

You wanna talk about preventive maintenance? I removed the Hood Release Latches soak them in parts cleaner and used air compressor to blow away any crud. Then lubed them with Fluid Film and reinstalled them, then I spent 20 minutes spraying liquid graphite down the cables. I made the loops smaller for my emergency cables and was able to slip them over the release lever then hooked up the OEM cable. I didn’t like the fact that the keepers for the OEM cables were not real tight as I could look down into where I slipped the cable and see the cable, so I applied a small zip tie on each side to prevent them from being pulled out as I believe I did when I pull the emergency cable a couple days ago. I even sprayed a bit of Fluid Film on the pins and the hood dropped down like a glove. Everything is working great now and believe you me, I will be checking on these latches more often. Thanks for the maintenance tip.

ElisTwoCents