HELP Bonnet don't open anymore and cable looks badly fitted

HELP Bonnet don't open anymore and cable looks badly fitted

Author
Discussion

huggy59

Original Poster:

7 posts

22 months

Wednesday 19th April 2023
quotequote all
I'm unable to open my bonnet.

Cable move 2-3cm but do not release bonnet catch (before it was very tight and opened immediaty after 2mm)
So cable do not look broken.

Looking at pics my cable arrangement looks very suspicious:

On other cars with the clever emergency cable:


On my car from photos taken few days ago: It is the on the other way with end for cable attached to a fixed part of bonnet catch !!
How can this could work ?!
Is it my black plastic sleeve who push(ed) release mechanism ?!


Any help/suggestion much appreciated !


phillpot

17,278 posts

190 months

Thursday 20th April 2023
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You are not the first!
https://www.google.com/search?q=pistonheads+tvr+gr...

Mine was like yours, cable will work that way round


8Speed

749 posts

73 months

Thursday 20th April 2023
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I fitted an extra release cable (under pax side dash) just as an extra precaution.

RobXjcoupe

3,313 posts

98 months

Thursday 20th April 2023
quotequote all
Two options, route the pull cable the other way round to the latch which creates the tight cable curve coming back on itself or weld a suitable bracket extension to the left of the latch to mimic the right hand side so the outer cable is kept stationary and the inner can do the pulling. That keeps the cable in a straighter more logical position.

TwinKam

3,162 posts

102 months

Thursday 20th April 2023
quotequote all
RobXjcoupe said:
Two options, route the pull cable the other way round to the latch which creates the tight cable curve coming back on itself or weld a suitable bracket extension to the left of the latch to mimic the right hand side so the outer cable is kept stationary and the inner can do the pulling. That keeps the cable in a straighter more logical position.
Your plan B won't work, Rob, the release finger needs to move left-to-right (as viewed above), not towards the proposed new bracket...
Meanwhile, how is the OP to open his stuck bonnet? My only suggestion is the time-old favourite of bumping the bonnet with the heel of a hand directly over the catch area, whilst simultaneously tugging the release. You may need an assistant!

Classic Chim

12,424 posts

156 months

Thursday 20th April 2023
quotequote all
TwinKam said:
Your plan B won't work, Rob, the release finger needs to move left-to-right (as viewed above), not towards the proposed new bracket...
Meanwhile, how is the OP to open his stuck bonnet? My only suggestion is the time-old favourite of bumping the bonnet with the heel of a hand directly over the catch area, whilst simultaneously tugging the release. You may need an assistant!
This ^^^^^^^^

huggy59

Original Poster:

7 posts

22 months

Thursday 20th April 2023
quotequote all
TwinKam said:
Your plan B won't work, Rob, the release finger needs to move left-to-right (as viewed above), not towards the proposed new bracket...
Meanwhile, how is the OP to open his stuck bonnet? My only suggestion is the time-old favourite of bumping the bonnet with the heel of a hand directly over the catch area, whilst simultaneously tugging the release. You may need an assistant!
Thanks for all replies.
Will try this other the WE... Anyway not much options !
Or perhaps with a thin long screwdriver driving to push release bracket from the footwell ?? with an assitant bumping bonnet
So now need an assistant and a contorsionist :-)


RobXjcoupe

3,313 posts

98 months

Friday 21st April 2023
quotequote all
TwinKam said:
RobXjcoupe said:
Two options, route the pull cable the other way round to the latch which creates the tight cable curve coming back on itself or weld a suitable bracket extension to the left of the latch to mimic the right hand side so the outer cable is kept stationary and the inner can do the pulling. That keeps the cable in a straighter more logical position.
Your plan B won't work, Rob, the release finger needs to move left-to-right (as viewed above), not towards the proposed new bracket...
Meanwhile, how is the OP to open his stuck bonnet? My only suggestion is the time-old favourite of bumping the bonnet with the heel of a hand directly over the catch area, whilst simultaneously tugging the release. You may need an assistant!
I was tired lol
To get bonnet open, Jack the front of the car, get underneath and you should just see the catch. Then find something suitable to lean on the catch to unlock it. I’ve done exactly that in the past due to a broken release cable

RobXjcoupe

3,313 posts

98 months

Friday 21st April 2023
quotequote all
TwinKam said:
RobXjcoupe said:
Two options, route the pull cable the other way round to the latch which creates the tight cable curve coming back on itself or weld a suitable bracket extension to the left of the latch to mimic the right hand side so the outer cable is kept stationary and the inner can do the pulling. That keeps the cable in a straighter more logical position.
Your plan B won't work, Rob, the release finger needs to move left-to-right (as viewed above), not towards the proposed new bracket...
Meanwhile, how is the OP to open his stuck bonnet? My only suggestion is the time-old favourite of bumping the bonnet with the heel of a hand directly over the catch area, whilst simultaneously tugging the release. You may need an assistant!
I was tired lol
To get bonnet open, Jack the front of the car, get underneath and you should just see the catch. Then find something suitable to lean on the catch to unlock it. I’ve done exactly that in the past due to a broken release cable

huggy59

Original Poster:

7 posts

22 months

Monday 24th April 2023
quotequote all
Solution found !!!

I drilled 3x 4mm holes under pedal box aside cable in order to push bonnet lock with a
large screwdriver.. an it worked OK !!

Found cable adjuster unscrewed outside bonnet catch

Too happy !!


TwinKam

3,162 posts

102 months

Monday 24th April 2023
quotequote all
Ah yes, tighten your nuts!

DVR V8

525 posts

218 months

Tuesday 9th May 2023
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Hello. Is it possible to run an emergency cable from the latch then around the back of the engine and through the hole where the wiper loom goes which ends up in the battery area?

Loubaruch

1,275 posts

205 months

Tuesday 9th May 2023
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I suppose you could but less hasle to run an emergency cable around the engine and dropped down to the chassis where it can be clipped. Then easily located if the main release fails. I try my emergency cable every so often to check that it still operates.

DVR V8

525 posts

218 months

Wednesday 17th May 2023
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Cheers. All done. Fitted emergency cable around the back of the engine, under the air flow meter and ended up at the front . Works fine.

phazed

21,993 posts

211 months

Wednesday 17th May 2023
quotequote all
If the Griff bonnet has a pin that locks in the catch, same as the Chim, I found that there is enough flex in the bonnet to push forward from the catch side forwards, so the bonnet flexes and the pin pops out of the catch.

If not, that may be useful for Chimaera owners.

DVR V8

525 posts

218 months

Wednesday 17th May 2023
quotequote all
phazed said:
If the Griff bonnet has a pin that locks in the catch, same as the Chim, I found that there is enough flex in the bonnet to push forward from the catch side forwards, so the bonnet flexes and the pin pops out of the catch.

If not, that may be useful for Chimaera owners.
That's something I noticed when I bought the Griff back in 2004, the bonnet was hard to close so slackening the latch off and raising it a couple of mill made it more flexible and easier to close with a light press and reduced the pressure on the cable.