C-1 Hood Release Cable

[Jerry C.]

Does anyone know of a solution I can soak hood release in to clean all the crude out of the cables or does anyone install new cables on original release? 59&60 Thanks

[Christopher R.]

Re: C-1 Hood Release Cable

I took all the bowden cables (hood, heater, and wiper) in my '62, and had them soak submerged in a petroleum solvent (OK, it was gasoline. That's before I knew better.) for a long time. Mineral spirits/turpentine would probably work just as well. Worked them periodically. Agitated them to get the dirt off the outsides. Then I hung them out to dry. When they were good and dry, I suspended them vertically from a rafter in my cellar. Every few hours or days, I applied a few drops of Marvel Mystery oil to the tops of the inside cable. Not so much that it ran down the outsides. I wanted it to run down the insides. After a few days, it emerged at the bottoms. Cables work nice and easy now.

I only used Marvel Mystery oil because it was the lightest weight oil I had around. But any light oil would do. Clean the outside cable sheath thoroughly so it doesn't attract dirt and gum them up again.

[Tom Mueller]

Re: C-1 Hood Release Cable

Jerry
You can clean cables and releases 'til your blue in the face, and thats all fine and dandy, but I've never seen a C1 hood release mechanism you didn't have to manually push back into the ready position. No Sir! Not-a-one. Tom

[Dennis C.]

Re: C-1 Hood Release Cable

Tom, Please trust me, they are out there (auto-return). That is the reason for the spring/s on the female latches and they can/do work. Most everything gotta be right, but they can/do... Dennis . PS: 1958's are probably the one worst standout for not wanting to work, but that, I believe, is because of the peculiar routing of the cable.

[mikemccagh]

Re: C-1 Hood Release Cable

tom and dipstick: for a vet to pass P.V., the hood release MUST return to its seat. I have a special set of return springs that look a little heftier than the origs but they sure function> the dipstick missed them when the old 61 passed its pv. I enjoy fooling the TLs more than working on the cars.mike

[John M.]

Re: C-1 Hood Release Cable

Not only that, but as Jerry and I both found out last weekend during our PV's in Saint Louis, The originals will not allow the handles to rotate while all the Repro's will! You cannot PV a car with a repro release without some rework.
Thankfully Todd Spain came to our rescue and helped us fix our releases so that they would pass, what a guy! If you are planning on PVing a car, an original is the way to go.

Regards, John McGraw

[Dennis C.]

Re: C-1 Hood Release Cable

Todd is a real jewel. Dennis

[John M.]

Re: C-1 Hood Release Cable

You are right about that, He wouldn't even let me buy him dinner for all his hard work!