Club 80-90 Forums

Hi I have mate with a beetle , around 1970's i think, he has recently refitted some panels and refitted the bonnet and got it running prior to getting it MOT ed after standing for a while.
Trouble being he can not now open the bonnet , the catch has some how come misaligned and he needs to open it to fill the washer and test the operation of the squirt.
Hi MOT is booked for early next week oops,any body have any quick fixes or ideas to get it open please,
Many thanks
John

If the front panel isnt replaced square (I take it it was replaced) it can catch on the latch, alternativly I have had them catching on the seal lip on the valance. Either way it is a case of pushing, pulling, twisting until it pops (carefully of course) then adjusting whatever was holding it. If that doesnt work it could come down to brute force.

Often if you press the release catch and with your other hand reach under the nose of bonnet and lift, it'll open. Often the paper mache glovebox gets tired and as well as pulling lever, you may find you have to pull lever assembly towards you slightly to get that last bit of cable slack which will open bonnet. Sometimes it needs two of you...

many thanks for the replies , i will give him a call, i knew some kind persons on the forum would be bale to help
John

As has already been said .
2 of you doing it, one doing the business on the bonnet generaly ragging it round and the other on the release cable. i had mine break and ended up removing the glove box lining , which was knackered, i then wrapped what was left of the cable to a piece of stick and used this to pull the cable which in turn opend the latch fully.

The original Beetle glovebox is pants. I used the old one as a kind of mould/template and made a new one out of glass fibre. Twas much stronger.

This happened to me once (1972 1600). I gave up in the end and took it to my local vw garage, and watched while they opened it using brute force. It's all down to the cable release - this has to let the catch go at the same time that someone else is tugging on the bonnet with all their might. No damage done, though they did have to re-fit the plastic glove box interior afterwards.

if all else fails dril through the gear linkage removal hole on the front valance directly in the centre this will release the cover plate and give you access so you can open the bonnet, and is easily replaced this is what we did at vw when i worked there ,