[dukeboy]

my hood wont open, it seems that the cable might have broken, I was standing on the hood at the Mardi Gras Parades today, the battery died and the hood wouldnt open. I tried to pry it kick it cuss at it, nothing worked, how do I manually release it Any helpers will be AOK in my world.

Thanks
dukeboy

 

[dukeboy]

by the way it is a 86 RC

 

[Monsta® aka Mudshark]

How much room do you have between teh radiator and engine? enough to get your arm up there? see where I'm headed with this?

 

[BrianT]

Actually just cut a piece of the grille out and u can reach in and pop the release on the hood latch i think . Cuz there is like a relase mechanism u gotta pull on hte cable and it will open irght up for ya .

 

[Monsta® aka Mudshark]

I'm trying to save his grille, but yeah that will work. It's easier and faster than what I was suggesting

 

[50ply]

is the cable broke right at the lever? if so cut back the plastic around the cable and make a loop out of the cable and put a small bolt and nut in the loop and then just pull like hell

 

[Slanted_Mind]

Why cut the grill? It only takes 2 minutes with a screwdriver to remove the 4 screws that hold it on. Then reach under and yank the cable.

-SM

 

[BrianT]

the 80's grilles are bolyted in through the top of the core support and u can't get to them with hood closed

 

[Slanted_Mind]

the 80's grilles are bolyted in through the top of the core support and u can't get to them with hood closed

My '87, and my roomate's '85 have 2 screws on top, 2 on the bottom. All 4 accessible from the front. The grill has a plastic full length "tab" on each end that slides slightly behind the headlight bezels, but is easily removed with the bezels installed.

You can't take the chromed facia off with the hood closed...it is bolted through the top of the core support.

The hard part is getting your hand/fingers around/through the core support, but it can be done. Been there, done that.

-SM

 

[BrianT]

i see then it did get changed between 83 and 85 cuzmy grille was bolted on like i said before although i know the grille itself can be taken out

 

[dukeboy]

Update - I went back to where it was parked (still there), I tried again unsuccesfully to get the hood open again, but I crawled underneath and hooked the jumper cables directly to the starter and voooom it cranked right up, I didnt know if it would work or not but it was almost my last option to get it home. So those of you who dont know, attach the negative end to the frame and the hot end to the positive terminal on the starter adnd then crank 'er up. Now all I have to worry about is how to get the hood open. I tried to get my arm up between the radiator but I custom built a stainless steel air deflector inside so that notion is out. I may undo some bolts that seem to hold the catch, maybe that will release it

 

[50ply]

if nothing else works take the inner fender well out

 

[phoenix827]

my 82 is screwed in from the ft too, may have to wiggle it a bit, but it should come out. If not, try a BIG pair of needle nose pliers, if you can see the cable, grap it and pull. If you can't get a grip on it, see if you can find/make something like this, it will kill the cable, but should open it. slip it in untill the cable is down in the notch, then twist a few times.