This is gonna sound stupid but, How do I open the hood on my 2000 Disco 2?

Now here's the catch . . . the release lever just broke!!! The lever works but nothing is hooked up under the hood anymore. It's pretty well protected under there to prevent thieves from stealing all my valuable engine parts (how would the thieves know which parts still work?).
So does anyone know how to open it? Or where to get in with a coat hanger?
The RAVE says to remove the grill (which needs the hood open), remove one headlight and then drill out all the rivets that hold the "theft proof cover" on!
YouTube videos show a guy drilling out the cover with a 2" hole saw! ( again)

Please, somebody give me a better solution!

 

Getting access to the cover is the only way to get in.

If your D2 is stock you may have to sacrifice your grill and cut it to get to the cover of the hood latch. A Dremel or drill to remove the 4 rivets that hold on the cover will give you access to the latch to manually release the hood.

Replace the cable and/or latch and replace the grill with one from eBay and you should be done.

I had the same issue you had but since I had a steel bumper and winch there was access for me to get a screw driver to the rivets and sheer them off.

 

Insurance is to be obtained before sheet happens.
After you succeed opening it somehow; lubricate well the hood latch and try adding a second pull wire as :
----> https://landroverforums.com/forum/di...aranoia-60156/

EDITED: Sorry, goofed. Tried to add a picture of the detail but cannot as the looping place of the added pull wire from the passenger side is under the black plate, I forgot as did it over a decade ago.

 

@Diesel Gypsy Ok I been there done that, leave the grill alone now you have one of 2 problems:

The easy one the cable broke inside the cab, vice grips and pull the wire inside you should get the hood open

The crap one the cable broke at the hood latch. The anti theft cover is a pain, but if you use a long wood bit designed to make holes 1/2 or 3/4 you can put a hole in the plastic without touching the grill. You want the hole on the left side of the cover, if you can make a open line that is perfect.
get a long L shaped allen Key between 12 and 14 inches long, one of the smaller sizes.

Now slide it between the grill slats with the L leading, you need to hit the catch and push to the right, it will take a bit but it can be done.

https://landroverforums.com/forum/di...h-side-108765/ This is my write up

When you are done remove the anti theft cover and toss it in the garbage keep the allen key in the truck and you can always pop the hood.

I have a write up somewhere I will find it for you

 

Vice grips? I'd use Vise Grip locking pliers. Vice grips would be something else entirely ...

 

@mln01 opps letting family secrets out

 

Ok, I drilled a hole in the bottom cover, stuck a screwdriver in there and the hood popped open! Whew!
The end of the cable with the little eye in it was laying inside the cover
The next thing was to find out how much LR wanted for a new one. $179.
So I looked up Atlantic British and they want about $34. just like someone on here said. BUT they want $69. shipping! And this is all US dollars so exchange/duty etc and the price will be close to the dealer price!
The best price I've found so far is $155. but then there's probably freight with it too, I didn;t bother to check!
Amazon.ca has LOTS of Land Rover hood release cables for about $15 - $30 but not for the Disco 2!
I'm either going to have to fix the old cable or bite the bullet and buy one of these crazy priced ones!
Does anybody have any other ideas?

 

@Diesel Gypsy https://www.lrparts.net/fse000010.html order from the UK, the cable is like 29.00 CDN (Brit Part) cheap shipping 25 CDN expensive 40.14, that is to BC.

Get some cable lube from a bike shop and lubricate good before install

 

@Richard Gallant, Thank You Very Much!!! Ordered and confirmed, $62. Canadian. I can live with that