Hood latch stuck on 75 vette

[Ed St.John]

It seems my hood release cable is inoperative. I adjusted the hood latches so my hood would stay closed and it seems I may have adjusted them a bit too much. Is there any way to get at this cable from the inside to operate it manually? I understand that this is a common problem found in these cars.

Any help on the subject would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Iron Duke NCRS #22045]

Re: Hood latch stuck on 75 vette

On my '63 from under the car I can reach up and push back the lever on the LH latch - the one that the hood pull cable attaches to. If the cross cable is still functional this will pop both latches.

Duke

[Mike]

Re: Hood latch stuck on 75 vette

Ed, The release cable in my '75 broke. I did manage to get it open by threading a piano wire with a hook on the end through the hole from the inside. It's not easy but it can be done. The tool some suppliers market is probably not much different but I understand they come with simple instructions on how to use it. My effort was "poke and hunt" until I caught the release lever. To be perfectly honest, it took a couple of days of trying in order to relieve the frustration before I finally got it.

[Michael Hampson]

Re: Hood latch stuck on 75 vette

The previous owner of my '68 came up with an ingenious solution to this common problem. It involved common hand tools - A crow bar and a 1/2" drill. It worked great and hardly showed... with the car cover on it... if you looked the other way. I've got a steel-toed boot with his name on it! Worst part it, when the passenger side came loose, it tore the "male" part of the latch assembly right off of the firewall. Took extensive work to get it fixed right. Talk about anger management!

-Michael

[Terry M.]

Re: Hood latch stuck on 75 vette *TL*

Ed,

Not sure about 1975s, but 1968-1972 hoods can be opened if you can get the car well in the air (a lift is best, but floor jack and jack stands might work). A long (as in 3 feet) screwdriver inserted up from the bottom will trip the driver's side latch, and if the cross hood cable is in tact it will also trip the passenger side.

There is another trick if the passenger side is the stuck latch, but it requires fabricating a took and inserting it through an existing hole in the passenger side fiberglass dam below the windshield.

There is a Chevrolet TSB on this for the 1968-1972 cars and I think yours ought to be about the same.

Terry