John,
The problem you describe is one of the first experiences I had with my car.
My car has a cable release system, instead of the rod. This method will
only work if you have sufficient space where the rod goes through the back
of the hood (bonnet) release mounting pan. I dont know the diameter of the
release rod or the diameter of the hole it passes through in the rod
release type system, but if you dont have enough clearence, this wont work.
I straightened out a coat hanger, I mean REALLY straightened out a coat
hanger. TIG rod would have worked better. I put a tiny 90 degree bend in
the end of the coat hanger. A sharp little hook about 1/16" tall is all I
could use. This "hook" has to be short enough in order to allow you to do
the following:
Sit in the pessenger seat and move the de-froster control rod to the middle
position "CAR". Stick the coat hanger through the right side of the
de-froster control slot, hook first. Look under the dash and guide the
hanger into the rod hole adjacent to the release rod. If you dont have the
proper clearence here, you're SOL. Once you start the hanger through the
hole, sit up in the passenger seat and feed the hanger through the dash
until you feel the hook hit the back side of the release mounting pan. The
hanger has just traveled through the heater core box. This is where you
need lots of luck. Be persistant and try and thread the hanger into the
hole in the back of the release pan. Before you start this whole operation
make a crude guess/measurement and put a mark on the hanger where you feel
the dash will need to line up in order to get the little hook under the
hood release arm. Also make a bend in the "handle" side of the hanger so
you know the orientation of the now hidden hook. Once you have the hook
oriented properly for depth and rotation start moving the hanger in and
out. You may get lucky and actually catch the release arm. This is all done
by feel and luck. You may not believe this, but I hooked the release on my
first try. I had the hood (bonnet) open in under 1 minute. I have two
witnesses, my wife and my neighbor who owns an MGB. Upon seeing me open the
hood on the first pull, my skeptical MG owning neighbor, who was loving the
fact that I had this problem, threw up his hands, said No F___ing Way!,
turned and walked away.
Lucky Mike
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