Classic/Antique Car Repair: cannot open hood, good eyesight, putty knife

Question
hood cable on 1969 lincoln broken. how can i get the hood open because I cannot start car.  need your help!

Answer
This is a tough one.  I also have a 69 Lincoln, but mine has a hood release under the front bumper, right in the center.   Mine is a Mark III, maybe yours is a sedan?

Anyway, if yours has the factory cable release from inside the car, what you are going to have to do is to get a strong flashlight and a long, thin screwdriver or putty knife, and fish in through the grill to where the release is.  It will help a lot if you can locate an identical car so you can sort of see what you are doing.  You need to catch onto the lever that the broken cable center part used to be connected to, and push it toward the driver's side of the car. If the latch has been kept well lubricated, it shouldn't be too hard.  Pushing down on the hood while you do this will make it move easier.

If you can't make this work, you'll have to work up from the bottom - take off the bottom splash pan (if it is still on there), and reach up from under the car to where the cable end was - and try to operate the release from there.  This is going to be tough, but it can be done.

Good Luck - I hope you have long arms and good eyesight!

Dick.