1974 Elan +2 S130/5 restoration - Stuck Bonnet!

[benround]

Hi. I have an Oct '72 manufactured +2S130/5, so if pics of the catches on that would help let me know. I had a look at it earlier and it doesn't look easy to open the bonnet if the cables fail. I think you'll need to work from the other side of the bulk head as suggested above. The quickest seems to remove the captive nuts as suggested

Thanks Alaric - if you could send through some detailed pictures of both the driver and passenger side catches it would be really useful as the ones currently on the internet are pretty poor.

Been there, solved that...!
elan-plus-f13/bonnet-hood-latch-stuck-t15190.html?hilit=%20bonnet

Jeremy

PS I had a quick look at the service note and it looks like a recipe for scratched paint...

Thanks Jeremy - I actually found your thread early Sunday morning and was hoping it would work on mine. Certainly sounds like the easiest and safest option so far! Do you have a picture of the tool you fashioned from the hanger?

[alaric]

Ok I shall consider myself duly tasked and head out to the garage - hopefully back in a few mins with some pics.

Ok back now, here they are:

the catch on the buldhead in the engine bay

So the cable runs through the bulkhead just under the catch, and when the end is pulled on voila - in theory.

on bonnet

Spring loaded plunger that'll rust up nicely if left long enough.

as the bonnet shuts

drivers side

in car drivers side

So each catch is held in place by screwing through a plate that has captive nuts welded to it - in this picture the rectangular plate is what the catch is bolted to with three captive nuts.

passenger side in car

Here's where I got the mole grips idea from. The plate's the same on the other side.

So it looks to me like removing some trim and grinding off the captive nuts is your best bet. If you can get a dremmel in there you're sorted.

Sean.

[benround]

Alaric - Thanks very much for the pictures and advice, all extrememly useful. I'll get out to the car and see what I can do asap!

Ben

[JJDraper]

Ben, pictures of my high-tech bonnet opening tool.

Access the bonnet catch through the 3/4" hole where the cable goes through the bulkhead. No dashboard removal required. Sean's pics are great to show where to hook the bonnet catch lever from within the car. Go in just where the mole grips are shown by undoing the nut & pushing the cable guide into the engine bay.

Keep the 'tool' in your onboard toolkit as it has a multitude of uses...

Jeremy

[alaric]

Aha the tried and tested solution has arrived. Thanks Jeremy. I'll add a coat hanger to the boot of the car - oh bother wait a minute my cable operated boot catch is suspect too.

Regards.

Sean.

[mikealdren]

Sean,
If you use the coathanger as a aerial too, it'll always be available!

Mike