hood [bonnet] release broken cable

[jvandyke]

Got emergency call from car hauler, dude couldn't get the bonnet up and seems like he broke the cable. This is in New Jersey. (Newark).
any tricks to get it up, remove grill? Help!

 

[RickB]

Remove grill, or use flashlight and a wire with a hook on the end (old fashioned wire coat hanger all straightened out is perfect for this.
Reach in & pull the latch open.

Bill L (pythias) would say this is why he puts his grill in with tie wraps...

 

[Guest]

I don't know about the earlier cars, but my under hood body number is different from the VIN. It's right by the hood latch and may cause concern seeing they're trying to check numbers.

 

[jvandyke]

Don't know how you can remove the grill with the hood latched. Aren't the bolts that hold down the grill under the hood lip?

 

[scoutll]

Jeff,

If the cable isn't broken at the underhood release, they should be able to access the cable from under the left fender, just behind and above the headlight. The cable comes over the top of the inner splash panel, into the upper fender area, then through a hole in the side of the upright side apron into the latch area.
Anyway, there is a length of about 4 inches where you can access the cable from outside the engine compartment. I wish could post a pcture, but I am at work right now.

 

[DrEntropy]

As Rick said, wire coathanger and some "fishin'" thru the grillwork you can lasso the arm to release the latch.

 

[Pythias]

Rick B has the truth of it as far as I'm concerned. My grill has all the tabs removed making a sliding fit. For the most part it's held in by friction, but sometimes I use the ty-wraps. When my hood release broke, (the friggin' arm itself broke off, not just the cable!) I snipped two ty-wraps pulled the grill and Bob's yer uncle.

I know there are guys who will be aghast at the idea, but for me, EASE of MAINTENANCE is everything, not "correctness"

 

[Guest]

and Bob's yer uncle.

How you know Uncle Bob?

 

[jvandyke]

So anyone with a coat hanger, a little knowledge of what to look for, should be able to pop it open? I really don't want to drive 1500 miles to do this. I really won't do that, that is silly, and yet, well, I have to help. Here's what I sent the shipping company.

 

[DrEntropy]

That's pretty clear, j.

 

[tomshobby]

and Bob's yer uncle.

Having an 80th birthday party for Uncle Bob on Saturday!

 

[jvandyke]

Does he happen to live near Linden Airport and own a coat hanger?

 

[jvandyke]

Anyone have a chance to snap a picture of the catch lever/grill or otherwise advise on what I can tell the people in Jersey? I have no idea by memory just how accessible the catch is through the grill. "My" car has an oil cooler up there too which may aggravate things although I think that's low enough to be out of the way. It would cost me $200 in fuel just to drive there. Surely a mechanic can be paid for what should be less than an hour to fiddle this thing open. Or not?

 

[jvandyke]

Does this seem accurate?

 

[jvandyke]

Maybe you could simply cut the cable, outer housing and all, right behind the left wheel, trim back that housing (with a tubing cutter or Dremel cut off wheel), then grab the end of the cable with a pliers and pull. All depends where it broke I suppose. Replace the cable eventually.

 

[jlaird]

I think I would offer whome ever has the car $100 to take care of the prob with a local mechanic.

 

[tomshobby]

Hope these can help.

 

[jvandyke]

Thanks Tom that does help tremendously. I'm labeling and forwarding all this info in the hopes someone out there will step up.

 

[jvandyke]

What about a shot up behind the front left tire showing where that cable is exposed for a bit?

 

[tomshobby]

Thank Paul on MG EXP for this. He sent it so I can figure out how to run mine. Thankfully he did a great job of documenting before taking his apart.