Hood Alignment

[Mike Wilson]

Thanks for the clarification, Jon. All the "original" cord I have seen is the same so I wonder when it was installed and by whom.

Enjoy your day!

Mike

[Mike Wilson]

Porsche supplement No. F 15/63, Introduction of Vehicle Type 356 C, dated July 10, 1963, page 10, "Body and Equipment, front hood lock". It notes the difference between the C hood lock which disengages if the cable breaks and the B model which notes the emergency release.

I'm pretty sure the factory did install the emergency release cord as every one I have seen is of the same material.

Does anyone else have better documentation to confirm?

Thanks to Roy Lock (RIP) for all the work he did compiling the supplements.

Mike

[Martin Benade]

Sounds like the roadsters didn't have the cord, others did.

[Mike Wilson]

Not sure about that, Martin. Perhaps people with original roadsters can weigh in.

Mike

[Jon Schmid]

Not sure about that, Martin. Perhaps people with original roadsters can weigh in.

Mike

Hi Mike,
As I noted before, the Driver's Manual for my Roadster makes no mention of a cord, only using a hooked rod to release the latch. I don't recall ever seeing any release cord on my dad's/my car and in fact when I did fabricate my own cord, the rubber plug in the left front fender well to cover the emergency access opening was still there and intact, which I had to remove. So if other B models came with the cord, fine, but based on my manual and the physical condition of my original owner car, I will have to say early (March) 1960 Roadsters did not have a factory installed emergency release cable. If someone can show me otherwise I'm all eyes and ears. Hope to see you soon.

[John Brooks]

Authenticity police will look for a clothes line cord, but a steel hand brake cable will never let you down when you need to open the hood.

[Mike Wilson]

Good point, John. I've used plastic-coated cable as well.

Mike

[Peter Silten]

Here is a photograph I just took of an original hood release cord. It has a gold tone plastic coating. The cord was sent to me by Roy Smalley, who removed it from one of his 356s.

[Martin Benade]

Yes that is what all my Bs have had. It is factory, right?

[Peter Silten]

Yes, factory.

[Jon Schmid]

Yes, factory.

Hi Peter,
Do you have a Driver's Manual for a 356B that mentions this cord? I'm just curious why it is not mentioned in my manual at all, only the hooked rod, and that I do not ever recall seeing one in my car.
Thanks in advance,
Jon

[Chuck House]

Guys,

I'm pretty confident the factory emergency hood release cord is a T6-B thing. I've never seen it on a T5 Roadster and I've looked at a lot of them and owned unmolested '60 and '61 Roadsters. I've also never seen it on an A. To get the hood open through the small access hole on As and T5-Bs is no small feat and I suspect they got enough complaints that they went to the cord on the T6-B cars and subsequently redesigned the latch for C cars to get rid of the cord.

Below are photos of my '63 Cab's original cord- it happens to be a bit reddish gold from age. Also below is a page from the Oct '62 owner's manual describing the cord so this would indicate that when the cord was added, it was documented in the owner's manual.

[Jon Schmid]

Thank you, Chuck. I'm glad that it all makes sense now.

[Jon Schmid]

Thank you, Chuck. I'm glad that it all makes sense now.

[Jon Schmid]

Sorry for the double post--I guess I can't delete the second one...