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TR6 Hood Release on TR6

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GregC

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Just starting restoration of a 74 and now can't get into the engine compartment. Hood release cable cablooey.
How do I open the hood now?
To my eyes, only way in is from the bottom, which will require moving exhaust and starter out of the way. Any other better suggestions?
Thanks for any and all help.
Cheers
Greg
 
Other popular methods are:

1. Going in thru a grommet hole in the firewall with a long screwdriver or metal rod and flipping the latch. Danger here is that you will be close to the hot post of the battery.

2. Using a broomstick from below to flip the latch.

3. Unbolting the bonnet at the hinges (you either unbolt the hinges from the bonnet or from the body -- don't recall which is correct, but the other will be impossible).

Once it's free of course you will want to install a back-up system, several designs used, either a cable or a lever.
 
Thanks, #1 sounds easiest and since there is no battery in it won't have to worry about + post.
Cheers /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/canpatriot.GIF
 
Here's a couple of photos that may enable you to visualize the technique, they're from a TR4 but may help:

This shows the grommet hole (red arrow) that might allow a metal rod to move the lever (yellow lever). May help to bend the rod a bit. The TR4 in this shot has no heater and 4's have simpler wiring so your situation will be more complex.

bonnet%20release.JPG


Here is a view from below, again a yellow arrow reminds us of what we want to do.

bonnet%20release%202.JPG


Both shots show the back-up cable that I have in place.
 
There is a chance that the cable is not broken, but simply stretched. Unbolt the handle part from it's tab, take up the slack, and you might get lucky.
 
Sorry Paul, not stretched - definitely broke.
Thanks for the pics Geo.
Before light fails should go out and try it.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/canpatriot.GIF
 
I installed the Macy's Garage part too. Good idea once you get in. Good luck. Just remember...patience!
 
I just ordered one myself. When it comes to being able to open your hood a little redundancy can go a long, long way.
 
SUCCESS!

The emergency hood release kit arrived from Macy's Garage today. The installation went flawlessly. I highly recommend this kit as a backup to the factory system.
 
I've seen this thread before, but usually don't comment becaue my TR doesn't suffer from the cable release problem - I presume because the car was picked up as a Personal Export in England. The hood release handle is mounted on the passenger side of the car (LHD), so it doesn't go through all the twists and turns the typical TR suffers from. As far as I can tell, it looks like the original handle and cable ... Side benefit is unless you know where to look you can't find it - should keep the punks and vandals out of my engine bay /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
 
On the passenger side? I never saw one of those before. Does your system use a shorter cable or is it more like the one from Macy's Garage, which is more of a direct linkage system?
 
I think that the RHD models had a cable release on the driver's side, which would be something of a straight shot to the latch lever, no U-turn in the cable. Too, ALL after market replacement cables available in the US are made in Taiwan and none of them are worth a nickle. I have actually installed one that broke on the first pull, on a well lubricated and correctly installed latch system. That is a world's record! I fabricated my own lever-action opener the same as the gent above markets, before he was selling them to the public. Same principle, got my idea from 6-Pack. Have not used the OE style cable release since, ever. I consider the OE cable to be my "emergency backup cable".

Bill
 
[ QUOTE ]
On the passenger side? I never saw one of those before...

[/ QUOTE ]

I think all US market TR4s had the bonnet release on the 'passenger side' (i.e. the righthand side). It's the usual cable going thru the firewall and curving to the release. It can be seen in the photo I posted earlier in this thread.
 
Bill,

I know what you mean when say that you treat your OE cable as the backup cable. The "direct line" approach makes opening the hood an effortless task. I can see myself treating the OE cable as a backup as well.
 
Hi guys, Thanks again for the tips and Pics.
After removing dash brace, vent tubes and glove box, in I went through the 3 cable grommet and presto, hood opens.
Just thought I'd let you know what happened to the cable, as it wasn't broken at all.
Somehow the hood safety latch had got bent. When the hood was shut for the last time, the safety latch came down on the wrong side of the u-shaped safety catch and was forced backwards into the cable, pushing the retaining clip at the cable end off the hood latch bracket on the firewall.
So all that really happened was the retaining clip came off, so the mechanism couldn't work. Everything is back in place and the mechanism works fine again.
Well except for the safety latch which after being straightened out decided to part company with it's remaining components. Good old British pot metal.
So anyone got a lead on a hood safety latch?
Cheers
 
I've often wondered... jus what is the point of a safety latch on a front-hinged bonnet? The TR4s (some at least) did not have this. I doubt it's stout enough to prevent the bonnet from coming up and slicing into the windscreen in the event of a front impact -- was just a Fed requirement?

Of course, if looking to maintain originality -- then that is a good enough reason to have it.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I think all US market TR4s had the bonnet release on the 'passenger side' (i.e. the righthand side). It's the usual cable going thru the firewall and curving to the release. It can be seen in the photo I posted earlier in this thread.

[/ QUOTE ]

Really? The few I've paid attention to had them on the drivers side so I assumed that was normal for all the 4 thru 6s. Guess I shouldn't have assumed the reasons for the placement on mine.

To quote one of my favorite Benny Hill routines "Learning all ze time, learning all ze time" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I've often wondered... jus what is the point of a safety latch on a front-hinged bonnet? The TR4s (some at least) did not have this. I doubt it's stout enough to prevent the bonnet from coming up and slicing into the windscreen in the event of a front impact -- was just a Fed requirement?

[/ QUOTE ]

I believe it was a fed requirement to have a secondary catch on the hood. As with all good bureaucratic decisions no one ever bothered to determine if the regulation was actually needed with some cars so it was applied to all.
If you want to get a new bonnet latch you can find them on EBay and the three usuall suspects also carry them.
The secondary catch came off of mine a few months ago and I have decided to leave it off. I find it more conveniant since I can pull the cable and open the bonnet without having to walk around the car every time. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yesnod.gif
 
The only ones that I've seen are a single assembly - main latch and safety latch combined.
 
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