'46 Emergency Hood Release
 

The hood release cable was hard to pull when releasing the hood. I disconnected it at the latch, pulled the inner wire out, cleaned the rust off, oiled and reinstalled it. At that time, I remembered seeing a post somewhere asking, "how do you open the hood if the pull cable fails". What I came up with, as other probably have, is a loop of mechanics wire connected to the latch arm, that would allow the hood to be release by inserting a 1"x3' dowel (cut off broom handle) up through the hole in the pan in front of the rad, and using the dowel in the loop, pry sideways on the latch loop to release the hood.

Re: '46 Emergency Hood Release
 

51, I remember seeing that post, too. Might have been 51 Merc....but not sure. In any event, I thought whoa, this could be a real challenge on my '47.


I was wandering around either Ace Hardware or Home Depot one day and found a stainless wire cable with a snap hook on one end and a loop on the other. It's for a garden gate latch to open it from the outside?? Whole thing is maybe 10 to 12 inches long. I was able to hook it into the hole in the latch where the cable comes through and the loop end hangs down behind the grill and accessible through the grill. Tested it an it works like a champ as well.


Hopefully, neither of us will ever have to use it, but better safe......etc.:rolleyes:

Re: '46 Emergency Hood Release
 

Re: '46 Emergency Hood Release
 

51, I carry a very thin and long screwdriver and a wood shim, the type you use to install windows and doors in case this happens to me. Slide the shim in, to keep the hood open a bit and slide the screwdriver in and push on the lever that the cable attaches to. When I had my '46 painted the body shop closed the hood and couldn't get it open, that's how we opened it.

Re: '46 Emergency Hood Release
 

The wood shim is a good idea, but do not jam it in too hard. A bread knife also serves well as the push tool. This only works if there is no metal cover over the latch mechanism. Unless show points are an issue, lose that piece.

Re: '46 Emergency Hood Release
 

Not saying wedges knifes screwdrivers will work, but what if there is fire? I just think by
the time tools are gathered up its too late. Thats why I prefer to get rid of the cable and
come up with (lost for words) like say example a 1953 truck reach under flip lever and
open hood. Maybe I'll weld a lever pointing down where the cable is hooked to, some
day it it ever stops raining.

Re: '46 Emergency Hood Release
 

Had the cable break on a 48 Pontiac 1/2 hour and several layers of skin got it free with a long screw driver lucky me .was thinking what if happens with my 47 monarch ? Thanks for the solution off to HD tomorrow