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Topic: Hood is stuck

in Forum: C3 Body

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Re: Hood is stuck (11/21)
12/5/14 10:34am

74-454

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, - Canada

Vette(s):
Coupe 74 - 454 Drive it like you stole it!

Joined: 8/6/2004
Posts: 533

Update : no update...

I tried every day for 5 or 10 minutes, but still no go.

I'll try to reach through the hole (near wiper) with a long screw driver and play with that for a bit. If it's still a NO-GO, then I will try to get to the brackets bolts (at the spring) and loosen them up a bit. It that doesn't work, I will try to reach for the hinge bolts (looks iffy, I think the radiator is in the way).

Good luck to me and my knuckles.

I am also thinking of raising the car on the driver side and try something from under, but with a big block, not much space to go around.

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Re: Hood is stuck (12/21)
12/5/14 1:16pm

CCasey
Former Member
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New Albany, OH - USA

Vette(s):
1980 Coupe / Snowcrest White / L48, 350 / Comp Cam / Edelbrock Heads / Cyclone Intake / Holley Carb / Holley Fuel Pump / Patriot Headers / Dual Exhaust / Magnaflow Mufflers / 1964 Coupe / Riverside Red / L76, 327, 365hp

Joined: 8/17/2010
Posts: 173

On a somewhat related issue, I just recently installed a pair of emergency hood release cables just in case my primary hood release cable ever breaks. Got them at Corvette Central and were very easy to install. (You never know.)

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Chuck

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Re: Hood is stuck (13/21)
12/6/14 3:54pm

74-454

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, - Canada

Vette(s):
Coupe 74 - 454 Drive it like you stole it!

Joined: 8/6/2004
Posts: 533

Update #2: Half-way through (the easy half).

I was able to loosen the hinges bolts on the passenger side which gave me a bit of wiggle room, but still not enough to disengage the stuck "cone head".

I went through just about every forum post that had the word "hood" in it. Many suggests to go through the front grill or from under the car. Breaking news: Even the light of my flashlight doesn't reach that area, so this is not happening. Don't know if it's because I have a 74 or because I have a big block or simply because I have a radiator (duh), but there is not way to reach those except from the wheel well.

I am not able to reach on the driver side (through the wheel well like I did on the passenger side). The hood support bracket is in the way. I tried to remove it from under, but realised it's also held from by a 4th bolt; from the top.

SO, on the driver side, I took my dremel and flatten the bottom of the 2 screws (pointy bolts) of the hood hinge and then made a groove so I can use a flat screw driver. The torque required is too high and it distorts the bolt (well, half the bolt at this point...).

Unless someone has a super good idea in the next few hours; I'm going to shave the bolt even more and then drill it out from under.

MAJOR PITA if you ask me and what's left of my knuckles and my back.

Time spent so far on this; 6 hours.

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Re: Hood is stuck (14/21)
12/7/14 6:20pm

74-454

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, - Canada

Vette(s):
Coupe 74 - 454 Drive it like you stole it!

Joined: 8/6/2004
Posts: 533

Resolved! After working my way through the wheel fenders, growing a second elbow and rewriting the book on 1001 new fun ways to swear; the hood is free from his captor. Thanks to my new 26.67$ combo wrench. It's got curves and is longer than standard wrench by 1", which made a world of difference. Put this thing on your XMAS list, great stocking stuffer.

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Re: Hood is stuck (15/21)
12/7/14 8:50pm

dads2vette

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Ash Fork, AZ - USA

Vette(s):
1981 Red Interior White exterior

Joined: 4/18/2007
Posts: 1053

Congrats!! Thumbs Up

Did end up being the spring that was bent or the hood misaligned or gremlins?

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Dave C..........My mantra: I can not be bought!! Long and short term leases available.

In the words of Zora Arkus-Duntov "Is your seat belt fastened? Alright, Let's go"

Yeah, I know, Shut up Dave.

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Re: Hood is stuck (16/21)
12/8/14 12:16pm

74-454

Lifetime Member
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, - Canada

Vette(s):
Coupe 74 - 454 Drive it like you stole it!

Joined: 8/6/2004
Posts: 533

dads2vette said: Congrats!! Thumbs Up

Did end up being the spring that was bent or the hood misaligned or gremlins?

Misalignment. I rushed it when I moved 3 years ago and now that I'm getting back to finish a few of my projects, I'm paying for my mistakes. Since winter is fully installed here in Quebec, I just took the hood out and it will stay that way until spring. In the meantime, I can work on my list without having the hood in the way.

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Re: Hood is stuck (17/21)
12/8/14 1:34pm

manchestershark

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Equinunk, PA - USA

Vette(s):
1972 conv, 4-speed, 350, 200hp, numbers match, rally wheels, war bonnett yellow w/white top. good condition, nice driver.

Joined: 10/31/2007
Posts: 2385

YUP! I have a couple of those wrenches myself. VERY useful. Glad all is well. Hope you have a heated garage, I don't, so I only work till I get cold. Couple hours maybe.

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Re: Hood is stuck (18/21)
12/8/14 2:23pm

F4Gary

Gold Member
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Grapevine, TX - USA

Vette(s):
1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air.

Joined: 8/26/2006
Posts: 1409

So what exactly did you do with that wrench?

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Re: Hood is stuck (19/21)
12/12/14 10:14am

Cory454
Former Member
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Vette(s):
1970 LS5

Joined: 12/10/2014
Posts: 5

My hood is a tad off. I was going to adjust myself but after reading this thread I think I will head to the local bodyshop. Glad you got it opened.

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HELP: Hood is REALLY F stuck (20/21)
2/10/18 5:39pm

666 69
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Joined: 8/28/2017
Posts: 5

1969 with L88 427 and L88 hood. Hood release cable snapped. I am in through the driver's side fender and can move the lever to release the mechanism from underneath. But, there is next to no movement when I try to pull the hood open from above. On the right side, I can grab the cable with a fireplace poker from underneath the car and pull down on it. But, again, no movement when I try and pull it open from above. I am 10 hours and every swear word into this and will soon need a chiropractor and shrink. Do I need to cut the hood off of the car?! Readers on this forum likely know, but I want to emphasize how little space, visibility and accessibility is afforded with a 427.

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Re: Hood is stuck (21/21)
2/11/18 5:57pm

BillHanna
Standard Member
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Cana, VA - USA

Vette(s):
1975 Stingray 71 350 engine Flat top pistons Sniper fuel injection Hyperspark ignition Vintage Air air conditioning Borgeson power steering box

Joined: 7/3/2016
Posts: 319

When I first got my '75 the hood would not release because it was not aligned right. My solution was to drive on a rough road (we live off of a gravel road) while pulling on the hood release. After a few bumps it released.

I can't imagine trying to unbolt it from underneath. . .

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