Front Hood won't open

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WilliamVaughan
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Re: Front Hood won't open

#16 Post by WilliamVaughan »

Up under the instrument panel in the interior of the car, remove the bolts securing the hood hinges.

Robert Janusz
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Re: Front Hood won't open

#17 Post by Robert Janusz »

For all that offered suggestions on my dilemma "front hood won"t open" I thank you. I solved the problem by fashioning a very flat (1/16th" thick 2"wide and 12" long) hook out of metal, sliding it between the hood and nose (after taping the edges of surrounding area), hooking the post (male part of latch) and gently prying it forward. With seemingly little effort the hood popped open. A big sigh of relief. No paint damage, etc.

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John Brooks
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Re: Front Hood won't open

#18 Post by John Brooks »

Robert

Now take the flex cable out of a Bicycle Brake and attach it to the Hood Release and route it out into the drivers fender well. Bore a couple #30 holes up high, by the tube. Feed the end of the cable out and back in the other hole and secure the bitter end inside the trunk. Cover it with undercoating. Next time you can find it with a screwdriver and pop the hood.
John Brooks

62 Roadster
66 912
84 Cab
getting pushed around in porsches since 1965

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Martin Benade
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Re: Front Hood won't open

#19 Post by Martin Benade »

A backup cable is nice, but will not help with this type of adjustment problem. Robert, you done good! A clever solution once the suggestions pointed you in the right direction.
Cleveland Ohio
62 Cabriolet
56 VW
02 IS 300
04 Sienna

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Ron LaDow
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Re: Front Hood won't open

#20 Post by Ron LaDow »

Robert Janusz wrote:For all that offered suggestions on my dilemma "front hood won"t open" I thank you. I solved the problem by fashioning a very flat (1/16th" thick 2"wide and 12" long) hook out of metal, sliding it between the hood and nose (after taping the edges of surrounding area), hooking the post (male part of latch) and gently prying it forward. With seemingly little effort the hood popped open. A big sigh of relief. No paint damage, etc.
WHOA!
We got the 'open the stuck hood' gold metal CHAMP right here!
Spectacular! When someone posts regarding this issue in the future, I hope you chime in. And can you post a photo of the magical tool? Inquiring minds...
Ron LaDow
www.precisionmatters.biz

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Sebastian Gaeta
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Re: Front Hood won't open

#21 Post by Sebastian Gaeta »

Bob asked me to post this image for him. This is some good old fashioned ingenuity right there, nice work Bob!

I am glad it is here for anyone to see that may have this same issue in the future.
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IMG_0914.jpg
Sebastian Gaeta
www.arbormotion.com

Registry #8339

'65 C coupe
'64 C cab

-------
2014 Boxster 981
2005 997 C2 Cab
1967 Karmann Ghia Convertible
1966 VW Single Cab
1966 Ducati Cafe Racer
1964 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1963 Beetle

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Ron LaDow
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Re: Front Hood won't open

#22 Post by Ron LaDow »

Thanks, Sebastian. Hope one of us remembers this thread nest time it happens.
Really neat!
Ron LaDow
www.precisionmatters.biz

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Sebastian Gaeta
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Re: Front Hood won't open

#23 Post by Sebastian Gaeta »

Ron LaDow wrote:Thanks, Sebastian. Hope one of us remembers this thread nest time it happens.
Really neat!
The thread title is pretty searchable and the good thing about the younger generation is that they are pre-programmed to search a site for information, not like us old guys who frequently ask the same questions on a regular basis!
Sebastian Gaeta
www.arbormotion.com

Registry #8339

'65 C coupe
'64 C cab

-------
2014 Boxster 981
2005 997 C2 Cab
1967 Karmann Ghia Convertible
1966 VW Single Cab
1966 Ducati Cafe Racer
1964 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1963 Beetle

Thomas Stukel
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Re: Front Hood won't open

#24 Post by Thomas Stukel »

After a couple of days and many hours of attempting to snag the stuck hood latch on my '63 T6 I went out and bought a Harbor Freight inspection camera ($75.00). I drilled a half inch hole in the driver side inner fender to provide access to the frunk. I then attached a hook fashioned from an 18" aluminum rod to the endoscope. After a couple of tries I bent the rod in an arc allowing me to maneuver around the spare tire. Within 10 minutes I had the hood open. The relief that came from hearing the hood pop open was well worth the $75. In any case, I figure I will more than make that amount back with what I save in doctor fees by performing self-administered colonoscopies in the future... :D :P :wink:
Attachments
Hook attached to Endoscope
Hook attached to Endoscope
Hook
Hook
Harbor Freight Inspection Camera
Harbor Freight Inspection Camera
Last edited by Thomas Stukel on Wed Aug 15, 2018 1:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Tom
'63 356B Coupe
'85 911 Coupe
Raleigh, NC

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Phil Planck
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Re: Front Hood won't open

#25 Post by Phil Planck »

Great idea. Thanks Tom
Phil Planck

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Martin Benade
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Re: Front Hood won't open

#26 Post by Martin Benade »

Thomas, I think you are now guilty of a HIPA violation of your own medical records. :shock:
Cleveland Ohio
62 Cabriolet
56 VW
02 IS 300
04 Sienna

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Jon Schmid
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Re: Front Hood won't open

#27 Post by Jon Schmid »

Bumping this thread. I got to use my emergency release cable under real circumstances earlier today. Somehow the hood latch release hung up and the main cable wouldn't open the hood. I had to pull my backup cable as far out as it would go before the hood popped open. While probing around checking to see if the main cable broke (it didn't), the latch release suddenly popped and sprang back into place. I sprayed some lubricant on the latch release pivot points and all is now working well. That backup cable sure came in handy. I always close my hood by lowering it carefully onto the latch and then pushing on the hood handle to close it--I do not "drop" the hood closed, so I don't know why this happened unless it was because the assembly just needed some lube.

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Jim Alton
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Re: Front Hood won't open

#28 Post by Jim Alton »

Since the tangential issue of emergency hood releases is already part of this discussion, here are the instructions from the 356A driver's manual:
Front_Hood_Rel.jpg
Some 356Bs and Cs seem to have come from the factory with a pre-installed emergency release, usually (if I recall correctly) a wire/cable with a white & tan striped fabric sheath. I've seen that same cable in a few cars.

I keep meaning to install one in my 356A.
 
Jim Alton
Los Angeles County, CA
1958 Porsche 356A Cabriolet
1965 Porsche 911 Coupé
1966 Volkswagen Type 2
2003 Porsche 986 Boxster

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Jon Schmid
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Re: Front Hood won't open

#29 Post by Jon Schmid »

My Roadster never had a factory installed emergency release cable, which is why I installed one. My C has the automatic catch release so I don't need a backup cable.

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Mike Wilson
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Re: Front Hood won't open

#30 Post by Mike Wilson »

The B's came with an emergency release cord that turned yellow with age. It was essentially thin German clothes line with string, not wire, inner core. I had just the end of the original one on my car when I purchased it. I read that the roadsters came with a green cord much like electrical wire. The C cars did not need the emergency release cord because if the cable breaks, the latch automatically opens.

If you Google the topic, Roy Lock (RIP) researched and wrote an article on it.

Mike
Mike Wilson
Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe

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