Well, I went out to check my engine and found my hood won't open on my '92 300SD (W 140). The passenger side hook releases and I can pry the hood up on that side and even release the secondary catch controlled by the tongue in the grill, but the driver's side won't release. I've recently done work on the radiator and the radiator fans and have had the thing open a lot. I took off the upper cross member (which holds the radiator in place) and possibly did not remember to put the release cable to the rider's side in the little clips for that, but I can't imagine that to be the problem. I can reach the connecting release cable that goes across the top of the radiator (same as above) from underneath, but I don't think I can reach the driver's side release from the bottom. I can repeatedly close and release the rider's side, so I think the catch on the driver's side is somehow messed up or out of synch.
Questions:

1. Any suggestions on how to get it open? I've done the shake and release thing without success.
2. Any suggestions on how to get in there if I have to break something to do it?