How to Open a Broken Hood on a 1997 Chevy Pickup

Ahhh...these are the days that try mens' souls, and spur the beleaguered to lay blasphemies. As though knowing something were wrong under your hood weren't bad enough, it is the saltiest of all salt in the wound when your hood cable breaks following an engine problem. And you're right to curse the gods, old and new, for your luck; because this one is probably going to cost you. Specifically, cost you a grille. But at least you'll get to break something with a hammer, and that may be enough to get you through the day.

Instructions

1

Look through the top-front grille, and identify the two bolts that secure your hood latch to the chassis. Note that this particular generation of truck uses a latch set behind the mounting tab, and completely enclosed from the front. And then think to yourself "Gee, it's almost as though they're trying to keep me out."

2

Hammer, meet grille. Yes, you could gently cut a section out of your upper grille with a jigsaw, sawz-all or grinder -- but, in for a penny, in for a pound, they say. You're going to have to cough up $50 for a new grille anyway, so you might as well extract the maximum-possible catharsis from this one. Break, or cut, the center "egg crate" section out, but spare the main grille supports, if you'd like. Or don't.

3

Put a 1/2-inch socket on the end of an extension, reach rough your broken grille, and remove the two bolts that you identified earlier. After removing the bolts, the hood should lift straight up with the latch attached to the hook. Reach behind the latch, and pull the lock bar to disengage it from the hook.