opening the hood without a sledge hammer

[J Burns]

Every couple of months or so, I top off my car battery with a charger to clean up the plates. A couple of days ago, it had been on about 12 hours and as down to 100ma. I put the equipment away and closed the hood. It lined up, but I felt a little play when I pushed down. I decided to open it, to be sure the bumpers were in place.

I couldn?t open it! I?d serviced that car since 1984 and owned it since

1996. I?d never had trouble opening the hood. I thought about using a sledge hammer and chisel, but I didn?t want to blemish it.

I decided to take a walk. So what if I couldn?t get the hood open for now? I?d think it over!

As I walked, it occurred to me that except for a 1978 F-150, every vehicle I could remember that was made since the 1960s had a remote hood latch. I wondered if my car had one, too.

When I got home, I automatically opened the driver?s door and pulled the hood latch release. Well, how about that! My car has one, too!

I don?t remember what I don?t think about. I?ve been opening that hood

30 years without thinking about it. If I wanted to open the hood, I?d open the door and release the latch. The rest was automatic, without a thought in my head. A couple of days ago, when I was already standing at the hood, I couldn?t remember that there was something before it in my mindless sequence.

[clare]

Y'ur gettin' OLD my friend!!!!! The memory is the first to go - if I remember correctly - - -

[clare]

You didn't finish reading his post. It was a problem with a touch of "part-timers" or "sometimers" (as compared to" All-Timers" or "old-timer's" ) disease. He just plumb FORGOT how to open the hood. Nothin wrong with the car-----------

[Pico Rico]

There you go again - trying to answer a question that is not there!

[Pico Rico]

when it gets really bad he will back out of his driveway with the hood open and the charger connected.

[J Burns]

Remembering what was supposed to happen before I lifted the hood was a little like trying to recite the alphabet backwards.

[Gordon Shumway]

He had one of those things that you sometimes get... a brain fart.

Now, what was your question?

[philoÂÂ]

No need to do so unless the car had been sitting unused for a long time. If your alternator is working you will not end up with a sulfated battery.

[rbowman]

This isn't a helmet state but if I rode a mile in the winter without a helmet my ears would have frozen and fallen off. For me, a helmet is sort of a weather report, particularly on the Harley where I can just hang it on the sissy bar in case I need it.

[rbowman]

At times if I'm feeling paranoid I wonder how I would open the hood on my '86 F150 if the hood release cable broke. I have the feeling it would be a pita.

[Tony Hwang]

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Are you developing memory problem? Is '78 F150 collectible? I used haul my 30' fiver with '78 F250HD towing special.

[J Burns]

I'm pretty sure the '78 had no remote release. The bottom stage of the latch wasn't reliable, but if it popped loose, the second stage would catch it. One night when I was coming down a 10% grade at 55, I got a premonition and hit the brakes. I was down to 30 when both stages of the hood latch let go. No damage. Dadburned latch!

[Stormin Mormon]

Don't tell me! Say it isn't so! Oren offering advice that's irrelvant to the matter?

Baahhh.... it can't possibly be. At least he's not bloviating.

. Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

.

[Stormin Mormon]

At least he's consistent, if not totally helpful.

Nice to remember the hood latch inside the passenger compartment. Usually works better that way.

[Stormin Mormon]

One old farmer I know, had a flat tire on his car. He went into the car for some thing, and put the shift in neutral (not sure why). He got out the 12 volt air compressor, and put on the flat tire. Went to go do some thing else, and looked back to see his car rolling down the driveway with the compressor going in circles and flopping around.

True story. No ## bubba, and hold my beer.

. Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

.

[Stormin Mormon]

Silly! We're getting vinyl siding on the air ducts. Lasts 20 years, and we won't have to paint the air ducts every year.

Aunt Myrtle's lumbago is much better, and Mom says the water heater is working fine.

. Christopher A. Young Learn about Jesus

.

[WW]

SNIP

When I got home, I automatically opened the driver?s door and pulled the hood latch release. Well, how about that! My car has one, too!

I don?t remember what I don?t think about. I?ve been opening that hood

30 years without thinking about it. If I wanted to open the hood, I?d open the door and release the latch. The rest was automatic, without a thought in my head. A couple of days ago, when I was already standing at the hood, I couldn?t remember that there was something before it in my mindless sequence.

JB When the hair turns gray the memory goes away. DAMHINT WW

[WW]

This isn't a helmet state but if I rode a mile in the winter without a helmet my ears would have frozen and fallen off. For me, a helmet is sort of a weather report, particularly on the Harley where I can just hang it on the sissy bar in case I need it.

When you are about to crash get that helmet on FAST. (motorcycle rider since 1949) WW

[rbowman]

New fangled safety stuff. I had the hood open on my '60 Plymouth. It certainly is interesting driving while looking through a 4" aperture. iirc, my wife had the same situation driving her father's Checker.