can't open bonnet

[andi]

I can't open the bonnet on my 1959 Traveller. Any help would be appreciated.

[PSL184]

Welcome - Pull the release handle ;-)

[dp]

Up and to the right of the pedals under the dashboard

[PSL184]

Looks like a bent piece of wire....

[andi]

I should have been more specific. I know about the hood release under the dash. It doesn't release the hood latch.

[andi]

I should have been more specific. I know about the hood release under the dash. It doesn't release the hood latch.

I think something is wrong with the actual latch mechanism. For a while the hood would pop up while I was driving. The last time I closed the bonnet it just wouldn't open again.

[PSL184]

Where are you? If you are near me I can pop over and take a look for you. The release bar has probably fell out of the arm. You can get at te latch through the grille if you are careful.

[andi]

That is very sweet but I'm in Atlanta, Georgia. I wish you could pop in. I have an English friend here who knows a bit about Moggies. I'll give him a ring. Funny, I was just going to put a charge on the battery and not being able to get the bonnet up made that tough going!
Thank you for your advice. I'll try looking through the grill to see if I can make sense of the latch.

[charlie_morris_minor]

it sounds like you might of jammed the bonnet.. my reasoning being.. it was popping up when you were on the move and now it does not.. did you really close it "hard" last time.. it could be that the front lip of the bonnet is now caught under the bonnet release. This occured to me once and the only thing i could do was get a big screw driver under the front lip, got someone in the car to pull the release and then leavered the front lip up.. yes it scratched the paint but i was able to get teh bonnet open and sorted out the bonnet release catch.

[PSL184]

That is very sweet but I'm in Atlanta, Georgia.

If you had the problem about 10 years ago I could have popped round - I used to work over there !!

[bmcecosse]

Could try pulling the release - while a second pair of hands pull and tug at the bonnet to see if that makes it pop up! Try that before getting into it with sharp objects!!

[andi]

Thank you all. I think it may be jammed. I'll try the things you suggested starting with the least intrusive first and see what happens. I'll let you know how it goes.

[mike.perry]

Have you tried pulling the bonnet release wire back then giving it a sharp push forward? This has been known to unstick the catch.

[Fingolfin]

Oh, I had the same problem once. I'd repainted most of the entire grille assembly -- slats, cowl, everything -- and gotten it all back on, but had forgotten to replace the little clip into the bonnet pull, though I put the pull-arm into the latch-arm. When I went to pull the bonnet-pull the next morning, so as to work -- I was going to charge the battery too, andi! -- the arm came right out of its socket, so to speak!

An hour later and having tried a stick of wood, a length of bent wire, fireplace tongs, and some other things, I finally managed to snag the catch from underneath (through one of the many circular access holes in the bottom of the engine bay) with a very large -- perhaps 1" or 1.25" and a good two feet long -- drill bit!

Not finding the teeny clip, I replaced it with a bent-up paperclip -- larger gauge wire and longer, too, and it looks a treat with my freshly black grille assembly. Hopefully the potentially lower-quality metal in the paperclip won't be a problem over time.