Brand new fiberglass hood, STUCK CLOSED

[cardudeusa]

I just put a new Champion Fiberglass hood on my 87 GT, It lined up good and closed nicley, I opened it to line up the hood pins and then shut it again. Now it won't open. I can hear the popper moving when I pull on it, but the hood doesn't open. I even tried pulling on the hood with my girlfriend pulling the popper, and it still won't open. Hopefully someone has some ideas!!! Thanks.

 

[BlackFox5.0]

Try having someone pull the cable that opens it, and you push down on the hood, sometimes that does the trick. Just don't push too hard that you crack the fiberglass....

 

[cardudeusa]

Try having someone pull the cable that opens it, and you push down on the hood, sometimes that does the trick. Just don't push too hard that you crack the fiberglass....

I think I tried that too. Maby I wasn't pushing/ pulling hard enough. Is there any trick that anyone knows of? This has to have happned to someone else.

 

[88stangmangt]

cut the wire,then open the latch by hand you can either install a new cable or just use the hood pins.

p.s. when i had hood pins on my lx they stuck real bad to where i had to pull my ass off so it i were you i would get under the car and feel around to see if it is stuck.

 

[cardudeusa]

cut the wire,then open the latch by hand you can either install a new cable or just use the hood pins.

p.s. when i had hood pins on my lx they stuck real bad to where i had to pull my ass off so it i were you i would get under the car and feel around to see if it is stuck.

I'm sure the hood pins aren't holding it shut, because I haven't got them hooked up fully. If I was going to cut the cable, where would I cut it? Also will 2 hood pins hold the hood closed with no problems?

 

[88stangmangt]

cut it right before the latch this should free it up and let go of the latch if it is stuck but if it isnt you should see if you can work your hands up in there to undo the 2 bolts and take it off. i took mine right off once i put the pins on and yess if done right they will hold.

 

[cardudeusa]

cut it right before the latch this should free it up and let go of the latch if it is stuck but if it isnt you should see if you can work your hands up in there to undo the 2 bolts and take it off. i took mine right off once i put the pins on and yess if done right they will hold.

So once I get it loose, how hard is it to run new popper cable, and what would cause it to get stuck?

 

[89MustangGX]

I wouldn't cut anything. First thing I would do is reach up underneath and pull the littl tab on the latch with my finger...not the big secondary hook, but the little tab that the cable hooks into. Make sure it's releasing all the way. As long as it is, I'd just pull harder on the hood. I had mine get stuck once or twice if I closed it really hard, and it takes a good pull, while holding the latch open, but it pops open.

 

[88stangmangt]

i would see first if i could take out the 2 bolts you might have it jammed could be apoor fit hood so in other words cutting the cable isnt gonna help if it is jammed. can you move the latch at all once you lift it a little?

 

[cardudeusa]

Its closed to tight to get my fingers in from the front, I will have to get it up on ramps and try from underneath. The only hard part is the car is too low at the moment to drive up on ramps, so I have to wait until Wednesday or Thursday until I put my Eibach Sportlines on to raise it up.

 

[Rick 91GT]

You can dissconnect the cable from underneath..I wouldn't cut it, makes no sense to have to spend even more money.

 

[88stangmangt]

just use a jack that is what i would do then slip the ramps under the tires.

 

[cobrabuilder]

You can also loosen the two 8mm bolts that hold the latch to the front support. You can get it from underneath, reach up in front of the radiator and you can get them with a ratchet wrench or a regular wrench. The latch may be off to one side. When you closed the hood did you notice it pulling to one side a bit?

 

[88stangmangt]

ya i already suggested that^^^^^^^^^^

 

[ss93cobra]

I realize this doesn't help get your hood open, but I have a Champion fiberglass hood on my car as well, and had no problems with it lining up or latching. In fact, I think it fits better than the Cervini's I had before it. I'd have to agree with reaching up from underneath and pulling on the spring loaded lever that the cable hooks to. Takes approx. 30 seconds even with the car on the ground.

 

[cardudeusa]

Ok thanks everyone for the help! I'm going outside to work on getting that stupid thing open.

 

[88stangmangt]

right let us know.

 

[1989Sleeper]

Thinking outside the box, you could try a (clean) toilet plunger (it is essentially just a large suction cup) to help pull up on the hood while the cable is pulled.

 

[cardudeusa]

Ok I got the hood up. I went out and played it a bit, I noticed it looked a bit crooked. So I pushed down on the left side hard, and it shifted. Then I pulled the popper and it popped up. Turns out it I didn't align it right, when I put the hood on. As to the quality of the hood, it is perfect, the underside is perfectly finished and it looks great. It's just as nice as my Design Concepts hood. Thanks for everyone who responded!!

 

[ss93cobra]

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