How to Open the Hood When the Cable Breaks on a 1956 T-Bird

Ford introduced the two-seat Thunderbird in the mid-1950s in answer to the Chevrolet Corvette. The front-hinged hood on the 1956 T-Bird is opened by pulling on a chrome knob mounted under the dashboard. The knob is attached to a cable, which connects to the hood release bar under the hood near the firewall. Over time the cable may stretch and weaken, leading to its eventual failure. A broken hood-release cable should not stop you from being able to open the hood.

Instructions

Pry-Bar Method

1

Drive the car onto a set of automotive ramps to create sufficient working room underneath. Set the parking brake and chock the rear tires to prevent unwanted movement.

2

Slide under the front of the car. Shine a work-light under the car at the rear of the engine bay at the firewall, if necessary.

3

Insert a long pry-bar -- approximately two to three feet long -- in between the rear of the engine and the firewall on the drivers side of the car.

4

Place the end of the bar on the front of the bracket that is welded to the hood release bar. Note that this bracket is where the hood release cable should be attached.

5

Pry the bracket on the hood release bar towards the firewall -- using the back of the engine as a leverage point -- until the hood pops open.

Locking Pliers Method

6

Drive the car onto a set of automotive ramps to create sufficient working room underneath. Set the parking brake and chock the rear tires to prevent unwanted movement.

7

Slide under the front of the car. Shine a work light under the car at the rear of the engine bay at the firewall, if necessary.

8

Reach in between the rear of the engine and the firewall -- it may be a tight fight -- with a pair of long-nose locking pliers.

9

Clamp the pliers around the hood release bar.

10

Rotate the pliers towards the firewall until the hood pops open.

Proactive Measure

11

Wrap a three-foot long piece a wire -- to be used as an emergency hood release -- around the hood release bar bracket while the hood is open.

12

Route the wire into the passenger compartment through the rubber grommet that the regular hood release cable goes through.

13

Wrap the other end of the wire that protrudes under the dashboard to an inconspicuous bracket that will not interfere with the accelerator pedal, brake pedal, clutch pedal or another moving parts.

14

Unwrap and pull on the emergency wire under the dashboard to open your hood in the advent that your regular hood release cable breaks.