Hood Latch Cable Broken

[NotTheBest]

Ok - I'm happy to help.... As will be most the Houston guys.

Is the car mobile?

No. It doesn't run because my dad and I removed all of the wiring due to some idiot burning holes in the fuse box. That's the reason I wanted to open the hood and all, to start rewiring and get it running again. It is mobile if you tow it though (obviously).

[toplessexpat]

I'll PM you...

[124JOE]

please let us know when you get it opened

[AriK]

...and may we all prepare to avoid such horrible circumstance!

[toplessexpat]

I wonder how many of us have checked since this thread begun?

(I have)

I wonder how many of us have tested

(I have!!)

[sptcoupe]

I always put a second cable to the latch as soon as I get a new 124. Just drill a small hole through the wall of the driver's side wheel well and run a cable to the latch and connect it. Then make a loop at the end that is in the wheel well. If the cable breaks, a tug with a pair of pliers will open the hood right up.

[ORFORD2004]

I don't know if that help

[NotTheBest]

I don't know if that help

Thank you for the photo. I haven't been able to get it open yet, I've been so busy.

[SLOSpider]

Come on guys we all know you Fiat owners are weird.....Why would we want you coming over?! That said party at my house!

[NotTheBest]

Well everyone! I got the hood open, but not the way you'd expect. Some of you will probably look down at me for doing this to the poor car, but I was so angry that I couldn't get the hood open. Anyway, here are a couple pics to show what went down:



So yeah. Here are some answers to some probable questions:
I am going to buy a sheet of whatever gauge the hood is and weld it up and bondo/paint/etc. I was already planning to get a new coat of paint on the car anyways.
The scratches next to the latch are from me reaching from under the car with a screwdriver. Lets you know how close I was yet how far.
The wires are all screwed up because I am in the process of rewiring, the main reason I wanted to get the hood open.
I plan on scrapping this latch and the hook thing that goes with it and settling on a couple of racing hood pins or whatever they are called. Probably give it a better look too.

Thank you all for the wonderful advice, and I hope to make more posts (hopefully good ones) on this forum.

[81SPIDERMATT]

yeah .... sorry you had to do what you did but glad it is open .... been following along and hoping for you ... can be damn frustrating at times I know ..... I like the hood pins myself ... don't have them but they were on a list at one point .... I had to engineer a way to open my hood as the stock system was compromised by custom speaker box ... short choke cable right out the fender well worked great for me if you decide to keep the latch

[Ptoneill]

I too thought of pins bit I stuck to a clean look to the hood. Another thought would be electric lifts, Summit Racinig has various electric and hydraulic ram lifts for hoods and trunks. I have seen these on cars at shows and they are very impressive. Glad you got it open!! Keep posting your progress!

[toplessexpat]

Another thought would be electric lifts, Summit Racinig has various electric and hydraulic ram lifts for hoods and trunks.

I suspect, given the varying electric foibles of our cars, depending upon electricity to open the hood may be a step too far

A