Stepdown hood release

[Deleted User]

Is there a way to release the "inside hood release" (the one that's released by a cable, from inside the car) from outside/under the vehicle? It seems logical that this would be difficult by design, but I thought I'd ask. My Pacemaker's hood is a little crooked, and the last time it was fully closed I was barely able to release the hood from inside the car. (Actually, I broke the handle off and had to use Vise Grips on the cable.) Since then I've used just the latch that's accessed through the grill, but someday someone else might slam it down. One of these days, of course, I'll fix it properly...

Jon B

Welcome aboard! 

Good to have you.  I'm sure you'll find a wealth of information here.

You may also want to visit the Hudson Essex Terraplane Club website, and consider joining that Club - Members come for the cars, and stick around because of the great folks there!

We hope you enjoy your time here at the Hudson Essex Terraplane 'Open Forum' -

46HudsonPU

Welcome aboard!  I'm sure that someone with knowledge and experience in stepdown hoods will provide some guidance - but wanted to welcome you to the forum.

RL Chilton

What year is the step-down?

Browniepetersen

If you open up your hood and see how the action works with the cable pull to the inside of the car you can hood a stiff section of wire (heavy duty choke cable works well) to the release latch and run it down in the grill area where you can reach it and put a loop in the wire so you can pull it. I took one of the metal loops from a cable pull and placed it in the loop so I could pull it with one finger.

Also, you might want to get a replacement cable for inside the car.  They get old and hang up and it is real difficult to use them.  By the way, you will want to keep the latch cable in the grill for an emergency.  If you brake the cable, from inside the car, under the hood area you almost have to cut a hole in the hood to get the hood open.  Not the best design....

Oh yes, welcome aboard!  Post a bunch of photos--we love photos....

[Deleted User]

Thanks very much for the welcome and comments, guys! It's a 1951 sedan. I like the idea of a spare cable; we did that with the trunk of a daily-driver Corvair about 15 years ago.

RL Chilton

Like you said yourself, it's best to fix it properly. If your cable is not kinked and properly lubed, it will work as good as the day it was installed from the factory. There's no reason to re-invent the wheel.

Being a '51, that makes it easy to reach up into the grill area and make a loop as Brownie mentioned. That's the easiest "insurance", although it defeats the purpose of having the release inside the car for security reasons. This isn't as much a factor as it used to be when these cars were daily drivers. If perchance, your hood does get closed and the cable (with the vise grips) is not working, you can fashion an 'L'-shaped thick piece of metal, or use a pick with a 'C' on the end of it to reach up into the hole and slide the locking bar away enough to release the first part of the safety latch. You have to reach up on the driver side and pull the latch towards the driver side. A little studying of the latch when the hood is open will make this clearer.

[Deleted User]

Thanks, Russell. No doubt the problem is hood adjustment. I've tried and found it pretty difficult --- big and awkward. (As I recall, your Hornet's is even bigger.) But I'm sure hood adjustment is the topic of another thread.

J Spencer

Does the cable work OK when the hood is up (released) or does it pull hard? If Ok than the problem is either in the latch or the striker bolt in the hood is not adjusted properly  the hood can be difficult to close and make the cable work harder to release it.  Lenthening the bolt may make it easier to work.  Also eyeball the striker bolt as you close the hood and see if it lines properly with the hole in the latch,  maybe the latch needs to be adjusted a little to align correctly. May need to remove the latch and slot holes to adjust.?  I did a little on my 51 Pacemaker.

New universal style cable is available aftermarket through NAPA , Zone, etc, around fifty bucks.  Rock Auto online has the same one for $32.00.  It is a plastic outer cable, and "T" handle with bracket.  The end that goes in the latch would have to be cut to fit.  Cable is 72 inches long.  Dorman makes the cable and the part# is 912-020 to enter in the search box @ Rock Auto.  Club members may have some good used cables if needed.  Farm equipment stores may be another good souce for universal cables.   NAPA may also have more options than I found online.

JIm Spencer

WNY Chapter.

Browniepetersen

Ken, that is such a good buy how do I get one to fit on my 54?

J Spencer

$50, $32??? I sold a new cable already cut to length and the "D" flat installed in the threaded dash end to fit the original Hudson bracket wit the "D" shaped hole for $25 to Ed Firestone some 2-3, or 4 years back.

Ken that's great that you can supply them, just reporting what I found on the internet.  Just trying to help!!!