dochawk

As we're playing the water game waiting for the mechanic to get back, I left the '98 idling with the hood latch released while I moved another car, intending to check the water level one more time. And forgot and drove off . . .

The hood flew open, and I managed to pull over and put it down.

On getting it back home, though, I find that the front of the hood is down too far to operate the release.
close view from front
Hood view


I've tried and failed to reach in with screwdrivers to operate it. It looks like it is riding a bit too high at the hinge/windshild end, too (red arrows).

How do I get the hood off to work on it???

And is the hood supposed to be fiberglass?

Is the hood a complete loss (you can see the stress/break points).

(at least *this* time it was on a surface street rather than at 70 on the freeway . . . at that speed a VW front bonnet becomes a windsail, and forced me into the bushes on the side of the freeway . . . it was bent behind repair, but I had the tools to remove it in the car)

thanks. hawk

08'MustangDude

Stock hoods are aluminum, I believe...

The hinges bolt on with two bolts. The front one, you can loosen up and
adjust it, it may just have pulled upward. If the hood bent, then you may
not be able to adjust for it.

dochawk

I think I found the problem:

bent tab?
That tab in the circle should be straight, shouldn't it?

And as I operate the lever that is pulled by the cable latching there, it has no effect on the ability to flip the yellow release.

Also, as far as I push the latch down while dismounted, it does not seem to have any willingness to latch (in what would be the down position).

I remounted the latch, and the hood won't fully latch down.

Is by latch FUBAR? They can't be more than a few bucks at the pick-a-part.

thanks

hawk

p.s. For anyone finding this later the two bolts are 5/16, while the bolt for the release cable is 9/32/phillips