C3 Hood release handle

[Jeffrey S.]

On a C3, has anyone tried to heat the receiver for the wire on the hood release handle cherry red in order to withdraw the wire from the handle and to insert a new wire? I'm thinking that that was how it was originally installed. I can't find any crimp or stake marks on this part of the handle. The wire on mine just snapped and I would rather fix the original than buy a Chinese made reproduction.
Thanks fopr your ideas.
Jeff

[Richard R.]

Re: C3 Hood release handle

Hi Jeffrey,

I had the same problem with my 69 L46 in that the hood latch end of the wire had snapped off when I removed it from the car. It was almost shot anyway. To repair it, I went to the local hobby store and bought a length of steel wire that was close in size to the original (a couple of thousands larger) then counter drilled out the original wire from the shaft/receiver of the latch handle end of the wire. I can't remember the exact drill bit size I used but it was slightly larger than the replacement wire I bought at the hobby shop. I then had a friend weld (very carefully) the new release wire into the shaft that had been counter drilled. It took us a couple of times to get it right to make it a secure weld. It's easy to melt/weaken the replacement wire if you get it too hot. It seems to have done the trick. I agree, it's much better than a repro, and like a lot of things on these cars, a certain amount of pride that goes with repairing an original part.

Rich

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 Hood release handle

On a C3, has anyone tried to heat the receiver for the wire on the hood release handle cherry red in order to withdraw the wire from the handle and to insert a new wire? I'm thinking that that was how it was originally installed. I can't find any crimp or stake marks on this part of the handle. The wire on mine just snapped and I would rather fix the original than buy a Chinese made reproduction.
Thanks fopr your ideas.
Jeff

Jeff------


I do not recommend the use of the original style hood release cable assemblies. The "mono-filament" wire work hardens and breaks, just as you have experienced. This can be a problem if it happens with the hood in the closed position. Also, the "mono-filament" wire does not really operate smoothly.

For 1982 GM changed the design of the cable. The cable shield became plastic instead of steel and, most important, the cable became stranded stainless steel. This is MUCH more durable and smooth operating. The handle remained identical to previous.

If one can find an NOS GM #14030127, I recommend pulling out the handle/cable assembly and installing it into the existing cable shield and bracket assembly. I did this years ago.

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: C3 Hood release handle

Rich,
Thanks for sharing your experience. I considered the option of trying to weld a new wire in as you suggest. It may be a way to go.
Joe,
Thanks for chiming in and offering you thoughts! I understand your point about work hardening of the mono-filament wire over time. It took 48 years for this to break. If it takes another 48 years I will be 120 years old! If this were for a daily driver I would do as you suggest and find an NOS part.
My question still is- if I heat the receiver will it expand enough to pull out the broken wire and, after putting in a replacement wire, will it contract around the new piece when cooled? I am going to experiment next week and take pictures along the way. If it works, it may become an article for the Vette Signal (Chapter magazine) or Restorer.
Jeff

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 Hood release handle

Rich,
Thanks for sharing your experience. I considered the option of trying to weld a new wire in as you suggest. It may be a way to go.
Joe,
Thanks for chiming in and offering you thoughts! I understand your point about work hardening of the mono-filament wire over time. It took 48 years for this to break. If it takes another 48 years I will be 120 years old! If this were for a daily driver I would do as you suggest and find an NOS part.
My question still is- if I heat the receiver will it expand enough to pull out the broken wire and, after putting in a replacement wire, will it contract around the new piece when cooled? I am going to experiment next week and take pictures along the way. If it works, it may become an article for the Vette Signal (Chapter magazine) or Restorer.
Jeff

Jeff-----


I HIGHLY DOUBT that what you suggest would work.

I suspect that the original wire had some sort of "anchoring" device on the handle end. The handle was cast around the "anchoring" end thus embedding the end within the casting and preventing its subsequent "pulling out".

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: C3 Hood release handle

Joe,
I suspect that you are right as you usually are. However, I think that I will give it a try anyway. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. The easiest way to solve this is to buy a Paragon repro and slide the new wire/handle into the old sheath (which they assure me is possible) and move on. I'll report back afterwords.
Jeff

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 Hood release handle

Hi Jeffrey,

I had the same problem with my 69 L46 in that the hood latch end of the wire had snapped off when I removed it from the car. It was almost shot anyway. To repair it, I went to the local hobby store and bought a length of steel wire that was close in size to the original (a couple of thousands larger) then counter drilled out the original wire from the shaft/receiver of the latch handle end of the wire. I can't remember the exact drill bit size I used but it was slightly larger than the replacement wire I bought at the hobby shop. I then had a friend weld (very carefully) the new release wire into the shaft that had been counter drilled. It took us a couple of times to get it right to make it a secure weld. It's easy to melt/weaken the replacement wire if you get it too hot. It seems to have done the trick. I agree, it's much better than a repro, and like a lot of things on these cars, a certain amount of pride that goes with repairing an original part.

Rich

Richard------

I do not understand how this could be welded. The wire is mild steel. The handle is zinc diecast. In a conventional sense, there's no way that steel could be welded to zinc diecast. However, it might be possible to do it, to one degree or another, using a specialty welding rod and procedure as available from the Cecil Muggy Company (Muggyweld). This type of "welding" is done using a propane torch, not oxy-acetylene. Is this how yours was done?

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 Hood release handle

Joe,
I suspect that you are right as you usually are. However, I think that I will give it a try anyway. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. The easiest way to solve this is to buy a Paragon repro and slide the new wire/handle into the old sheath (which they assure me is possible) and move on. I'll report back afterwords.
Jeff

Jeff------


Yes, the handle/wire can be removed from the new assembly and inserted into the existing bracket and sheath. In fact, this is, far-and-away, the best way to do it. First, it preserves the original sheath and bracket which are usually in perfect condition. Second, it avoids the need to remove and replace the original sheath and bracket. Doing the latter is a giant PIA.

As far as the repair of the existing handle/wire goes, there actually is something potentially lost. This is that if one day you pull the handle, the wire separates from the handle, and the hood does not open. Then, you have another problem on your hands, a problem that lots of folks want to avoid at all costs. At a minimum, it might give you trepidation every time you pull the handle. It would me.

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: C3 Hood release handle

Jeff------


Yes, the handle/wire can be removed from the new assembly and inserted into the existing bracket and sheath. In fact, this is, far-and-away, the best way to do it. First, it preserves the original sheath and bracket which are usually in perfect condition. Second, it avoids the need to remove and replace the original sheath and bracket. Doing the latter is a giant PIA.

As far as the repair of the existing handle/wire goes, there actually is something potentially lost. This is that if one day you pull the handle, the wire separates from the handle, and the hood does not open. Then, you have another problem on your hands, a problem that lots of folks want to avoid at all costs. At a minimum, it might give you trepidation every time you pull the handle. It would me.

Joe,
That is exactly what happened this week- the handle and wire pulled right out with the hood closed.. Actually this is the way it always would happen. Nobody would pull the hood release with hood open. I had to remove the splash panel which necessitates removal of the rocker panels and trim to get at the bolts. I then reached up through that opening and was able to push the mechanism enough to release the hood latches. My arms are just too short to do this easily and it took many tries and positions to get ir done.
One thing- the black handle is die cast but the receiver that holds the wire is steel. A magnet attracts to that part but not the handle itself so technically it could be welded. I also thought there might be a possibility of inserting a new wire and sweat soldering in.
Jeff

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 Hood release handle

Joe,
That is exactly what happened this week- the handle and wire pulled right out with the hood closed.. Actually this is the way it always would happen. Nobody would pull the hood release with hood open. I had to remove the splash panel which necessitates removal of the rocker panels and trim to get at the bolts. I then reached up through that opening and was able to push the mechanism enough to release the hood latches. My arms are just too short to do this easily and it took many tries and positions to get ir done.
One thing- the black handle is die cast but the receiver that holds the wire is steel. A magnet attracts to that part but not the handle itself so technically it could be welded. I also thought there might be a possibility of inserting a new wire and sweat soldering in.
Jeff

Jeff------


Yes, I had forgotten that there was a tubular steel section attached to the handle. My recollection was that the handle and tubular section were "monolithic" and of zinc diecast. After I dug one out and examined it I found that that recollection was incorrect. So, my presumptions about how the wire was anchored and/or attached are likely invalid, too.

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: C3 Hood release handle

Update: Thanks all who posted and gave me advise. The original handle is now back in place with a new stainless steel wire securely (at least now it is) in place. I tried heating up the steel receiver cherry red but it did not release the wire. So here is what I did. Using my Dremmel tool, I put a slice into the receiver at 90* from the v trench that assures the assembly goes in only one way. I cut deep enough to get to the wire. I used a flat bladed screw driver to open the slice a small amount. The wire came right out,Using a drill bit just larger than the new wire, I drilled a hole through the slice to the opposite side. I had a roll of 18 gauge stainless steel wire which matches exactly the original wire. I cut a length significantly longer than the original and put a tight 90* bend in one end. I filled the slice with JBWeld, inserted the bend into the hole, pushed the new wire into the JBWeld filled slice and then crinped the end where the wire exited in my vise. I then crimped the entire length of the slice in the vise. After allowing the epoxy to set overnight, I put the end of the wire in the vise and gave a really good tug- far more than would be required to open the hood. All was good. Then I clipped off the excess protruding through the hole I drilled and filed everything smooth. Reinstalled through the original sheath and attached to the hood latch release.
The really scary part was closing the hood and pulling the handle. Bingo- hood popped open perfectly. Would it have been easier to go up to Paragon and purchase a new one? Of course. But then I would have to put in a Chinese part. This way I was able to spend way too much time keeping the original handle.
Jeff

[Patrick H.]

Re: C3 Hood release handle

Pictures?

#messagetooshort

[Jeffrey S.]

Re: C3 Hood release handle

Patrick,
I do have full documentation of the process and was going to write an article for the Vette Signal. I can post pictures here if you like but it will have to wait until tomorrow.
Jeff

[Patrick H.]

Re: C3 Hood release handle

Patrick,
I do have full documentation of the process and was going to write an article for the Vette Signal. I can post pictures here if you like but it will have to wait until tomorrow.
Jeff

You can wait for the article, or possibly the Chapter meeting if we're both there.

[Richard K.]

Re: C3 Hood release handle

This may be a little off topic, but still related.
When you pull on the hood release handle of my '69, should it "pop" back to it's original position? Does the dropping and closing of the hood pull the handle and cable back into it's original position?
I've owned the car since '75, and have always pushed the handle/cable back into position (I always had fear that I'd damage something if I didn't push it back).
I'd like the system to work as they would expect in an operations check.
THX
Rich Kossum