I need a bonnet pull thingee... you know, the lever.

[kriemhild]

Hiya folks!

Well, some moons ago I got me a 76 1600cc Super Avenger. God, it needed (and still needs) a lot of work done to it. Gearbox reconditioned, clutch problems fixed, CV joints replaced, new coil, new headlights, various gaskets, radiator reconditioned, new points and distributor cables... the list goes on. Someone let it sit too long and it deteriorated. What a sin. Basically the car had/has a lot of problems but I fell in love with it and am determined to restore her to the state of glory that she deserves.

Yet... to get to the point. Since I got it the bonnet release lever has been sitting in the glove box. I had/have to open the bonnet by pulling on the cable with a pair of interesting pliers. There was a piece missing off the lever- my boyfriend tried to fix it but busted it completely in the process. It's made of what he calls "shit metal" and he can't fix it. Does anyone possess or know of such a lever that may be sold to me?

I know bollocks all about cars, so forgive me if I used the wrong term for this lever.

Thank you all for your help 

[JoKer]

cv's?

[avengertiger]

was just goin to say it doesnt have cv joints,anyway you can open the bonnet by pushing the release towards the passenger side of the car if you stick your finger in through the grille.
do away with the interior bonnet pull or get one out of a scrap car in a breakers and get it to fit the cable end and mount it inside.

[kriemhild]

well I don't bloody know if it was a CV joint or something else. remember, I am female... it might have been a universal? or SOMETHING? which was boglatched to hell and was replaced.

can I get any old bonnet pull out of any similar vintage car and have it do the job?

[kriemhild]

I'm not going to go poking my finger in anything or anyone's grille to have a bonnet opened. I want a commonly acceptable mechanism, something I can operate from within the car. If that is possible.

[avenga]

You should be able to find something that will work at a scrap yard.

Most bonnet release cables work the same way. They are just a cable with pulls the lever behind the grille.

Take your current one out and go to a scrap yard and find one which is similar length, has the same ends and the same amount of movement when you pull the lever. Shouldn't be too hard to find something that will work.

I used to have a spare but I sold it to another forum member.

[JoKer]

push bike brake lever

boglatched  << awesome!

[kriemhild]

hey guys! thanks for the sudgies. The bf went ahead and ordered a bonnet pull+cable from a Valiant off trademe. Dunno if it will work (he reckons it will) but apparently the cable was boglatched too (love that word as well) so the cable is the main thing... I really like the pushbike brake handle sudgie. Got about a gazillion dead ten-speeds lying around this place just crying out to be useful again. So if the Valiant lever won't enter into the spirit of leverage, I'm going to grab me a pushbike brake lever... that's called kiwi ingenuity!

[kriemhild]

got the cable + bonnet pull from this guy on trademe and it was friggen BROKEN... cheeky bastard. Have since managed to track down a working cable and am at the stage where I can still pull my bonnet open with pliers, the mr reckons that a pushbike brake lever wont work but sod him I'm going to try and work it out for myself.

[JoKer]

haha nice : can possibly just get cable from a motorbike shop made to length too (accerator cable/bike brake/bycicle gear changing cable all pretty much the same