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Mahogany Metallic 37

How To Open Your Hood

When Your Release Cable Is Broken

The following procedure was performed on a car with the hood already removed so that you can see how this works.

Here is a picture of the lock mechanism. What you don’t see is, there is a “V” shaped tab at the bottom that you need the end of the saw frame to push against.

Here is the lower portion of the lock mechanism:

There is a keyhole in the cowl side of the frame (you can see light coming down thru the cowl vents on the right side).

The tool needed can be fashioned out of a coping saw as shown in the following steps.

Step 1 - Buy a cheap coping saw, preferably with the easily removable blade end as shown here.

Step 2 - Remove the end blade attachment, as shown here.

Step 3 - Saw off the end and weld an extension approximately 1 inch lower that the side with the handle. Also, note the electrical tape on the top of the frame to protect your paint in the cowl vents.

Step 4 - Insert the saw into the 6th cowl vent opening from the passenger wiper arm as shown here.

Step 5 - Rotate the saw frame as shown below by inserting into the vertical “key hole” and angle it towards the driver’s headlight. When you can pull the saw handle slightly towards yourself you will be able to feel the bottom V-tab.

Step 6 - Rotate the saw frame as shown below by inserting into the vertical “key hole” and angle it towards the driver’s headlight. When you can pull the saw handle slightly towards yourself you will be able to feel the bottom V-tab.

Click HERE to download a PDF version to your phone or for printing.

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