Emergency! Broken hood release cable

[peterl]

Can anyone tell me how to open the hood once the cable breaks?

It's times like this that I wonder why I am so hooked on old cars.

Peter

[Gregg Bambo Jr.]

Peter,
Depending on the year/model of your MBZ. On my 1963, 111 chassis you can access the cable to the hood latch from underneath the car and depending on where it broke, you may be able to pull on it and release the latch. If you look closely at the attached picture, below the green power steering resevoir you can see a horizontal steel cable that releases the latch.

[Tomguy]

Peter: Where did it break? If the "Nipple" broke off by the handle, you can still pull the wire with a pair of pliers to open it. Otherwise, I think you're up the proverbial creek with no paddle.

[peterl]

Turns out the cable did not break. It seems to have slipped at the adjuster, rendering it useless.

You can release the latch with a long screwdriver. You have to look through the grill with a flashlight from the left side (facing the grill). You can then reach in with the screwdriver, going thorugh the grill at about the 3rd or 4th row down and the 3rd or 4th column from the left. You then push the bottom of the latch and, viola, it releases.

[Catrinus]

This is actually for Greg B and his '63: WOW, that's a clean engine compartment!!!! Hard to believe it's 40 years old. Any secrets, or is your car professionally restored? Actually, I'm not convinced they came from the FACTORY this clean!
Catrinus
73 280C
"old grimy" in comparison...

[Gregg Bambo Jr.]

Catrinus,
I'm afraid I just have a fetish for clean engine compartments. It helps to reveal problems or leaks as soon as they occur. Everything in the compartment is original except that I have polished items that are brass or aluminum and removed the battery to the trunk and converted the electrical system to an internally regulated alternator. My 66 Volvo is the same.

[Russ114]

there appears to be a problem with the picture.
its written in some strange language, right on the top!.

any hints with detailing? i bought a buffing attachment for my lathe recently, and a few recommended compounds, and i'm going to shine up my cam covers. i've degreased the engine (covering up the important bits) what did you do to paint etc?

[Gregg Bambo Jr.]

Russ,
On the MBZ valve cover use a good cutting compound on an appropriate cutting wheel and then just use the recommended polishing compound sticks on a buffing wheel. The engine paint is just a regular heat tolerant engine paint obtained from the auto parts store.

[kpb]

Gregg -- I just discovered this site and am considering purchasinga '72 280 SE. Upon cruising thorugh various threads I came upon your engine bay photos AND just today I had told a fellow that my dream car is a '66 122S like I had twenty years ago. That sucker ran like a gem although the bay was nothing like yours!! WOW! Of course, the thing was also lacking paint and the interior had been trashed by the PO (literally trashed, the stuff I hosed out of the back seat was indescribable). Cannot remember why I got rid of the beast, I loved the bathtub shape, people always thought it was from the 50's not mid-60s. Anyway, thanks for showing what can be done.

[peterl]

Hey kpb,

I might be selling my '70 280SE. Email me for details.

[Gregg Bambo Jr.]

Kpb,
My ride is a 63 220SEb cabriolet, which can be picked up for between $16-30K. Coupes can be had for about $5-10k cheaper. Don't consider a fixer upper as you'll discover the restoration cost will exceed one purchased in excellent condition. The 220 is a heavy and underpowered hi revving car but, if you are just a cruiser it is more than adequate. The 280 has more get up and go. My fantasy is too find a good 111 coupe body and stuff it with an American V8/automatice overdrive trans. Hope you find a good example.