Emergency Bonnet Cable

[Rumbo]

In the process of fitting an A/C system I decided to move the bonnet release cable to the RHS which frees up a bit more space for A/C pipe work on the LHS.

I ended up just reversing the cable by threading it through the fixed support on the release lever in the engine bay and then attached a cable clamp on the end of the wire. The cable was passed through the firewall hole where the wiring loom is on the RHS and the bracket with the pull handle then screwed on to the side panel so that it sits just under the dashboard.

While I was at it I also fitted an emergency bonnet release cable so that when the main cable fails at the worst possible time, I can quickly still open the bonnet. I did this by using some left over wire , an old welding machine outer wire cable cover and some small aluminium crimps. I made a loop in one end and fitted this over the bonnet release lever in the engine bay, then passed the wire and its cable cover through the same firewall opening where the bonnet cable was, made a small bracket and attached it to the bottom of the bonnet release handle bracket and made another loop on the end to allow a finger to pull on it.

Pleased to say they both work a treat and must be one of the easier mods I have done on a car in a while......which makes a change

[DZP]

Looks good to me!!
I was going to put a loop on my original cable that I am using for emergency release, but the end of the cable was damaged and it was too short to create a loop.
I cannot understand why the original layout uses the outer cable to push the lever, instead of as in our layout where the inner cable pulls the lever, maybe the original plan was to have the pull-handle on the RH side.
Den

[DJT]

Early Stags had the pull handle on the RH side. You will find that all dashboard units have the captive nuts for the pull handle on both sides, so very easy to swap it over or fit a duplicate. I fitted a duplicate to my previous Stag about 20 years ago and carried it over to my current Stag in 2008. Very handy when checking fluids, etc. as I can open the bonnet from whichever side of the car I happen to be.

[sujitroy]

as mentioned earlier Stags had the bonnet pull on the right hand side. with that configuration the inner cable moves.the lock I suppose was designed that way. when it was switched they didn't change the design of the lock. does anyone know why it was swapped. it is find for my I have a LH drive stag. I do have an early bonnet lock and they did change the bits that hold the wires in.

[stag8manod]

I fitted a second bonnet pull by utilising a setup from a scrap 2.5 saloon and as said before the threaded holes are in the r/h pillar.
Cheers Ian A

[alan_thomas]

I fitted a 2nd release knob and cable yesterday, as has been said a few times in other posts you need to drill a hole in the moving catch part to attach a pillar for the cable stop. This catch is made from a metal slightly harder than Kryptonite and normal drills wont mark it. I had to remove the catch from the car and heat the area I wanted to drill with a butane torch just enough to blue it then allow to cool slowly and the drill went thru like normal steel.
- Alan

[MandM]

Also done mine a couple of years back
P1080130.JPGP1080128 (1).JPG

[dasadrew]

I fitted a 2nd release knob and cable yesterday, as has been said a few times in other posts you need to drill a hole in the moving catch part to attach a pillar for the cable stop. This catch is made from a metal slightly harder than Kryptonite and normal drills wont mark it. I had to remove the catch from the car and heat the area I wanted to drill with a butane torch just enough to blue it then allow to cool slowly and the drill went thru like normal steel.
- Alan

I reckon that bonnet catch is significantly harder than Kryptonite, seeing as its main components are Tantal, Xenon, Promethium and Mercury. Xenon is a gas, Tantal is quite ductile, Mercury isn't hard. Interestingly, Promethium oxidises quite quickly, so that may have been used elsewhere on the bodywork.

[mole42]

I reckon that bonnet catch is significantly harder than Kryptonite, seeing as its main components are Tantal, Xenon, Promethium and Mercury. Xenon is a gas, Tantal is quite ductile, Mercury isn't hard. Interestingly, Promethium oxidises quite quickly, so that may have been used elsewhere on the bodywork.