Help With New Hood Cable Release.....

coptertom · 11-03-06, 06:09 PM

Looking for some help from my fellow Corvette buffs.....I just received a new cable release handle and brackett for my 1981 vette and decided to install it this morning. Well, after looking at it for about 30 minutes trying to figure out how to take the old one off (which is broken), I decided to look in the GM manual for instructions on the install. As my luck would have it..............the GM manual does not include any info on doing it!

It almost looks like I am going to have to remove the instrument panel, which looks like a nightmare to say the least................. I am hoping that there is an easier way to do it! I searched the threads and either nobody else has had problems replacing their hood release handle/cable, or I am just missing something!

Any sugguestions on how to remove/replace the cable would be great!

Thanks

Yoda · 11-03-06, 07:21 PM

Tom,

This is from my Assembly Manual...

Looks like 2 bolts to the side post on the driver side

Hope this helps.. click on the thumbnail for a larger version..

Bud

coptertom · 11-04-06, 11:55 AM

Bud,

Thanks for the diagram. After looking at the diagram and inside the vette, it looks as though I am going to have to remove the instrument console to get to the 2 bolts on the side post..................

It looks like the removal of the console to get to the 2 bolts is going to take awhile. I was hoping to put off removing the console until I was ready to redue the interior.

Thanks,

coptertom · 11-05-06, 03:51 PM

OK, after playing with it for a while, I was able to remeove the air duct and get to the side post bolts to remove the hood release handle. Now comes the big problem. The manual say's to route the hood release wire on the inside of the fuse panel. Only problem is that I can't find the hole to route the wire through on the firewall up to the release inside the left side of the hood........................Do I have to remove the fuse panel to get to it and if so, any suggestions on how to remove the fuse panel would be great!

Thanks,

Peer81 · 11-05-06, 05:26 PM

Hello Tom,

I hope you'll find a way to connect your new one so I can do the same you did

I was trying the same thing yesterday in my 81 but gave up after a while.

You have to route the cable just above your fuse panel. There is the hole to the hood relais. As i think of it now, the easiest way to do this is to remove the grommet in the firewall. Then put trough the cable and connect the grommet around the cable. All together try to relocate the grommet back into the firewall. I tried to get the cable thought the grommet while it was in the firewall and there is just no way in doing that when you have to be in the little space above the fuse panel. With the grommet out the firewall you have a bigger hole to get the cable throug. Good luck

Groeten Peter.

Yoda · 11-05-06, 07:22 PM

If the old cable is there... then tape the new one to the end of the old one from the inside and use the old one to pull the new through the firewall, have someone on the inside help guide it through the firewall and make sure it doesn't rip up anything. You may be able to save the old gromet and maybe not have to remove it. Most these gromets are old and dry and tend to break apart very easy.

Also use some vasoline or silicone on the cable to help it slide easier

Bud

coptertom · 11-06-06, 09:52 AM

Thanks for the suggestions. I spent about a 1/2 hr laying down on the drivers floor board yesterday tying to find the hole in the fire wall to fish the cable through, without any luck. I'll give it another shot when I get home from work today. I will keep you posted!

Thanks,

LVMYVT76 · 11-06-06, 12:11 PM

when i replaced mine, I just sed the old housing and slid the new cable in it. Now my housing was ok, just had a bad place on the end of the cable. Took about 5-10 minutes to do it.

coptertom · 11-10-06, 03:36 PM

I sure hope nobody else runs into this problem. I've spent two days this week, laying on by back under the dash (the best I can), after work trying to get the new hood release cable and handle installed. The old release cable and housing had already been removed by the prior owner. Problem is...........I can't find the gromet / hole on the firewall! I know that the GM manual say's to run the cable inboard of the fuse box. I've looked all around the fuse box and I will be darn if I can find the gromet where I have to run the cable and housing through.

Would anybody by chance have a picture showing me where to locate the gromet/hole? .............. I thought about unscrewing the fuse box from the firewall so that I ciould move it out of the way a little bit, hoping that I would be able to find it. I took the two screws out that hold the fuse box and I still can't get the fuse box off of the firewall. The last thing I want to do is mess up the wiring!

Peer81 · 11-10-06, 07:00 PM

Hello Tom,

Your fusebox is attached to the firewall with the two long screws with little red ink on them. On the otherside of the fusebox (motorcompartment) the two side's of the fuseboxes are hold together by a big screw in the centre of the fusebox. Also the hole thing is fixed to the firewall with some kind of adhesive (don't know the right word in english) but just let it be. If your lucky you can put it in without removing the fusebox

I don't know if your hood is open? You have to look right beside the left hoodlock. About 2" from the lock there should be a oval hole where the cable should go through.
Just below is the best picture i could find. In the red cirkel is the hole for the release cable. Remember, I made this picture during my body off. So the compleet dash, steeringcolumn, brakebooster. Well everything except the fusebox really. As I said, first take the grommet out of the firewall. Now you have more room you can stick the cable through easier. If you still can't find the hole and your hood is open, just let me know, I'll take a picture from the enginebay side

Groeten Peter.

coptertom · 11-10-06, 08:13 PM

Thanks Peter, A picture as we say are worth a thousand words! I was looking for the gromet/hole around the fuse box on the firewall. I wasn't even thinking to look above it. I'll give a try first thing in the morning. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks,

coptertom · 11-12-06, 08:15 PM

Well I finally found the hole with the gromet. After about two hours, I was able to remove the gromet. Luck for me, the gromet is in good shape still, not bad for a 25 yr old vehicle. Let me tell you, not an easy task by any means to remove it and fish it down past the fuse box. In the next couple of day's I plan on getting the new hood release cable/handle installed. Wish me luck!

Peer81 · 11-13-06, 06:43 PM

Good luck Tom!

I reinstalled mine last sunday. Without a dash not to hard but still the easiest way to do it, is to push the cable through the firewall, install the grommet in the cable in the enginebay and then install the grommet with the cable back into the firewall

Groeten Peter.

coptertom · 11-13-06, 08:38 PM

Peter, I am glad to hear that you got your cable and gromet install. I got tied up at work today so I am going to try and install it in the next day or so. Heck at this point I am just happy that I was able to locate the hole in the firewall and fish out the gromet which is still usable. Thanks to you and Bud!

6880 Mike · 11-14-06, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coptertom

...After about two hours, I was able to remove the gromet...

Put some sealer around the grommet when you reinstall it, especially on the underhood side. No sense giving water a chance to drip on your feet.