Help! Unable to open hood!

[vmaquera]

I was working in the engine bay yesterday.

Today, when I went to pull on the hood release lever to open the hood, only the left side of the hood came open. :confused

Is there an alternate way of opening the hood?

Thanks in advance....

Vic

 

[82ColEd]

Vic,
try to follow this article, it describes how to open the hood.. Good luck !

Tech Article-C3 Hood Release - Mid America Motorworks


-Stefan

 

[LanceB]

Nice article! What do you think about the way my hood pops: I pull the latch and one side at a time unlatches. I have to pull the hood releast hard and fast to get both sides unlatched even close to the same time. Any way to adjust that? Driver side unlatches first. Maybe just lube the wire?

 

[Tritium007]

It seems that the crossover cable may need adjustment. With the hood up, adjust the crossover cable where it connects to the driver side latch. You will be essentially increasing the tension on the cable. Test with the hood up by pulling on the hood release inside the car and see if both latches release about the same time. You should engage the latches first (with the hood up) using a screwdriver so it simulates the hood being down and latched before testing. The optimum cable tension should result in both latches releasing about the same time. Continuing to yank quickly on the inside hood release cable will reduce the life of that cable.

 

[vmaquera]

Hood Release

Thanks fellows.

I was unable to see the push out plastic plugs, because a previous owner had applied black weather sealer in that area and covered them.

What I did was stick my big paw under the left hood, I felt around for the end of the cable that had broken, then I was finally able to pop the right hood.

I have ordered a replacement cross over cable from Eckler's,

For the time being, I am using the broken cable as an auxilary hood release for the right side. I am thinking of keeping it permanent, by drilling a small hole next to the push out plug just large enough for the cable to pass through (this allows normal use of the push out plug). Then routing the auxiliary cable through the small hole, cutting off the excess wire and attaching it to a small piece of PVC pipe to act as a handle. I am thinking of doing this to the left side of the hood as well.

I also painted the plastic push out plugs silver, so they can be easily spotted.

I will take pics when I am done.....may take some time....

Thanks for all the suggestions.....Vic

 

[vmaquera]

BTW,

Eckler's has a PDF drawing of where the plugs are.....

http://www.ecklers.com/assets/pdf/A2466.pdf?

I guess there is an emergency hood release also available.

Corvette Emergency Hood Release Cable, 1977-1982#

May save me fooling around with PVC pipe and drilling holes....