Unable to Open Hood on 66 Chrysler 300

[motorama55]

The thin rod that connects the primary hood release crank handle to the hood latch just fell off and now I am unable to get the hood open. Would anyone know to get the hood open and if so, could you post a picture that shows what needs to be done?

 

[Big_John]

The hood latch fell out of the hole marked in yellow.

What needs to happen is that piece needs to be pulled down.

So you can reach up from the bottom and pull that down IF you can. You may have to push or unclip the rubber splash shield behind the bumper out of the way to reach this.

That latch is stiff when brand new, so if it's sticking, that may be the reason it fell apart. That may make it too hard to move, so the next option is to remove the attaching bolts (in the oval holes). 9/16" socket or wrench to remove. I'm kind of betting that is what you'll have to do, but try the other first.

Good luck with this. Once apart, clean up the latch and grease etc.

 

[motorama55]

Thanks Big John for your reply. The picture of the hood latch is a big help!

Also, I see that there is a small slot to the right and just below the hole that you have circled. I was wondering if there is a way to to get a long screwdriver into that slot and turn the screwdriver to release the latch?

 

[Big_John]

Also, I see that there is a small slot to the right and just below the hole that you have circled. I was wondering if there is a way to to get a long screwdriver into that slot and turn the screwdriver to release the latch?

Possibly. The latch release pivots around the square looking bit in the orange circle, so it won't really twist, but it might left you pull it down.

Worth a try!

 

[Lefty71]

Maybe room for something like this; ??

Right Angle Phillips and Flat Screwdriver Kit

 

[Big_John]

Maybe room for something like this; ??

Right Angle Phillips and Flat Screwdriver Kit

Maybe!

The slot isn't very deep.... I happen to have a similar latch for my '70 that I am cleaning up. Slightly different, but very similar. The slot is about 1/8" deep and the spring is right behind it. About 5/16" long and 1/8" wide.

 

[CBODY67]

IF you still have the rod which separated from the latch . . . look at the right-angle end that indexes with the latch hole. Is there a somewhat shallow groove in that end of the rod, hear the edge of the curved end? Or is it completely smooth (other than normal wear)?

If there is a thin groove in the rod end, you will need to find a push-on clip that is of that basic internal diameter to push back onto the rod when you get it re-engaged with the latch.

If no groove, then you 'll need to find a "fold-over clip" for the rod end. With the rod re-engaged with the latch, after pushing the rod end through the clip's hole-end and the latch, then rotate the clip end over the rod to keep everything assembled. Just like a door latch linkage from the "remote control" inner handle and the inner part of the door latch. There are "rh" and "lh" versions of that clip, depending upon which way it needs to rotate to latch onto the rod.

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67

 

[motorama55]

Luckily I was able to find the thin connecting rod and it does have a groove at both ends. I'm wondering if someone could post a picture of the hood latch from above looking down into the grille area. It would give me a better idea of where things are located and the access to get to the hood latch.

Thanks

 

[Big_John]

Luckily I was able to find the thin connecting rod and it does have a groove at both ends. I'm wondering if someone could post a picture of the hood latch from above looking down into the grille area. It would give me a better idea of where things are located and the access to get to the hood latch.

Thanks
View attachment 737965

Since you have that rod, you might be able to hook it into the hole and pull down.

I have a '65 300L and I'll get out in the garage a little later and snap some pictures. It should be very similar to your '66 300.

 

[CBODY67]

That you have the rod is good. You can head down to the larger auto supply or the hardware section of Lowes to look for the push-on clip that goes into the slots to keep the rod in place. Seems like there is a small loop that the rod sticks through somewhere on the back of the grille area, between the hood latch and the pull handle above the license plate? I suspect there might be a good picture of that whole mechanism in a section of the FSM that relates to it? If not, in the 1966 Chrysler Parts Manual, front end sheet metal section.

Looks like you are on the way to getting things fixed.

CBODY67

 

[Big_John]

Luckily I was able to find the thin connecting rod and it does have a groove at both ends. I'm wondering if someone could post a picture of the hood latch from above looking down into the grille area. It would give me a better idea of where things are located and the access to get to the hood latch.

Thanks
View attachment 737965

My '65 is on the lift and I'd have to play musical cars to get it down. Since I'm just getting over the freaking COVID, that's not gonna happen for a few more days.

You may have to push or unclip the rubber splash shield behind the bumper out of the way to reach this.

About that rubber splash shield. When I looked up under my '65, I was reminded that my car has a metal shield rather that the rubber like my '70 does. I believe your does too. It will have to be unbolted.

I looked at the digital copy I have of the '66 FSM and that section is missing (they never scanned a couple sections). The parts book shows these 3 illustrations.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Here are pics from my 66 Chrysler T&C

In this pic, you can see that the top of the rod is held into the latch with a pressed on circular retainer.

The rod goes down to the handle that one pulls to release the latch - same circular retainer.

It will be impossible to access the latch from the front with the hood down. However, there is an access hole directly below the latch in the stone guard that @Big_John says might need to be unbolted.

If you're able to make a longer rod with a similar "hook" at the end, you might be lucky and be able to fish it up, find the hole in the back of the latch and pull it down to release it.

It will need to be at the very least 8" longer than your factory rod.

Look for the blue square in the pic below to see where I'm referring to. The blue is a cloth under my car, so the path is clear from that hole up to the latch and it's hole for the rod.

I expect things will be a tad different on a 300, but I still would lay money that there is an access hole directly below the latch in that stone guard panel to allow for hood latch release with a long hooked rod.

Good luck!

 

[Big_John]

However, there is an access hole directly below the latch in the stone guard that @Big_John says might need to be unbolted.

If you're able to make a longer rod with a similar "hook" at the end, you might be lucky and be able to fish it up, find the hole in the back of the latch and pull it down to release it.

It will need to be at the very least 8" longer than your factory rod.

An access hole!!

A bent coat hanger or welding rod would probably do it. I think maybe a strong light with another set of eyes through the grille might help.... Perhaps even another piece of wire to pull it towards the latch. Then there's those cheap borescopes that work with your phone too.... Feed that through the grille.

I was really hoping someone like you with a '66 would chime in.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Hoping it's the same or similar for a 66 300 compared to my Newport T&C... fingers crossed!

 

[motorama55]

Success!!!!!!!!
But it wasn't easy. The key was to remove two brackets (Bracket 7-33-18 and another bracket that I don't see in any of the exploded views above). That gave me just enough room to get a socket on the two mounting bolts that hold the primary latch on. Once those bolts were removed I could open the hood. The bad news is that the plastic retainer that holds the long thin rod to the latch was gone.

The retainer that I am referring to is circled in yellow in the picture of the latch above sent by Big John. Wondering if anyone may have a few extra of these plastic retainers?

Thanks so much Big John and Ross for your help on this problem. I couldn't have gotten anywhere on this without your help.

-Rick

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

You're welcome! Glad you had success!

 

[Big_John]

Success!!!!!!!!
But it wasn't easy. The key was to remove two brackets (Bracket 7-33-18 and another bracket that I don't see in any of the exploded views above). That gave me just enough room to get a socket on the two mounting bolts that hold the primary latch on. Once those bolts were removed I could open the hood. The bad news is that the plastic retainer that holds the long thin rod to the latch was gone.

The retainer that I am referring to is circled in yellow in the picture of the latch above sent by Big John. Wondering if anyone may have a few extra of these plastic retainers?

Thanks so much Big John and Ross for your help on this problem. I couldn't have gotten anywhere on this without your help.

-Rick

Glad to read that you got it open!

I looked up the part number and from what I'm reading, it's 2486040. I googled it with no success.

I'm wondering if there's a generic clip that would work.

 

[darth_linux]

Glad to read that you got it open!

I looked up the part number and from what I'm reading, it's 2486040. I googled it with no success.

I'm wondering if there's a generic clip that would work.


View attachment 738366




View attachment 738367

I found some generic rod clips at O'Reilly's that worked on my '66, but it was $8 for two! It was the yellow clip.

 

[motorama55]

Thanks DL. I think I'll take a trip on over to O'Reilly's and see what they have

 

[1967Chrysler newport]

The thin rod that connects the primary hood release crank handle to the hood latch just fell off and now I am unable to get the hood open. Would anyone know to get the hood open and if so, could you post a picture that shows what needs to be done?

really all I can say is one hell of wd-40!!! rock it as much as you can until it breaks loose, but make sure you don't leave the wd-40 in there or it will get dry and covered in nasty. so I would get it free first, wipe down as much as you can, spray some break cleaner in there and re-grease it, that's how I got the hood off of my 94 Buick century